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Jowl and Listen. CHORUS: Jowl, Jowl and listen lad Ye'll hear the coalface working There's many a marrer missing lad Because he wadn't listen lad. Me Father always used to say Pit work's more than hewing You've got to coax the coal along And not be riving and chewing CHORUS: The deputy crawls from flat to flat The putter rams the chummins And the man at the face must kna his place Like a mother kna's her young un. CHORUS: Index. |
Banks of the Dee.I am an old miner aged fifty and six If I could get lots I would raffle me picks I'd raffle them I'd sell them I'd give them away I can't get employment me hair its turned grey. Last Saturday night on the bank of the Dee I met an old man in distress I could see I sat down beside him and to me he did say I can't get employment for me hair its turned grey. When I was a young chap I was just like the rest Each day in the pit I'd give of my best If I was in a loose place I'd be filling all day But at fifty and six me hair its turned grey. Last Wednesday night to the reckoning I went To the colliery office I went straight forenenst I'd getten me pay note I was walking away When they gave me me notice cause me hair its turned grey Now ye young fellers its ye thats to blame If ye get good places ye'll be filling the same If ye get good prices ye'll hew them away But you're sure to regret it when your hair its turned grey I am an old miner aged fifty and six If I could get lots I would raffle me picks I'd raffle them I'd sell them I'd give them away I can't get employment me hair its turned grey. Index. |
I'll Have a Collier.I went out to get some water, Get some water for my tea, And I caught me foot and down I stumbled, The collier lads come kissing me. My Mother said I mustn't have a collier, For it would surely break her heart, I don't care what my Mother tells me, I'll have a collier for my sweetheart. If you leave your collier sweetheart, I'll buy you a guinea-gold ring, You shall have a silver cradle, For to rock your babies in. Well, I don't want your silks and satins, I don't want your guinea-gold ring, I don't want your silver cradle, For to rock my baby in. Collier lads get gowd and silver, Ferranti's lads get nowt but brass, And who'd be married to a lad from Ferranti's, When there are plenty of collier lads. My Mother said I could be a lady, If from me collier lad I'd part, But I'd sooner walk on the bottom of the ocean, Than I'd give up me collier sweetheart. And I went out to get some water, Get some water for my tea, And I caught me foot and down I stumbled, The collier lads come kissing me. Index. |
In The Bar Room.I'm a celebrated working-man, from work I never shirk, I can hew more coals than any man from Glasgow down to York; And if you like to see my style then call around on me, When I' ve had several beers in the bar-room, In the bar-room, In the bar-room, That's where we congregate, To drill the holes and fill the coals, And shovel back the slate, And for to do a job of work O I am never late, That's providing that we do it in the bar-room. At putting I'm a dandy, I hope you will agree, And gannin' along the gannin-board I make the chummins Flee; Your kelly sweeps and back-over turns they never bother me, When I'm sitting on the limmers in the bar-room. I can judge a shot of powder to a sixteenth of a grain, I can fill my eighteen tubs though the water falls like rain, And if you like to see me in the perpendicular vein, It's when I'm setting timber in the bar-room. Now my song is ended, perhaps we'll have another, Now don't you fire any shots in here or we will surely smother; The landlord here would sooner pull beer than go to all the bother, to put up ventilators in the bar-room. Index. |
Little Chance.Now ye gan ower the Busty Fields te gan doon the pit, Ye get yer lamp oot, ye gan inbye and ther ye sit at the kist. Now the deputy says, "Thee place is holed, ye'll hev te gan straight on", Aa says te him What's the matter wi' mi aan? He says "She canna gan on". Now Aa filled fifteen oot of a judd, titty fa-la, titty fa-lay, Ay by God, she was good, titty fa-la, titty fa-lay, Aa went oot te get a shaft, when the timber it gave a crack, Aye and a stone fell on mi back, titty fa-la, titty fa-lay. CHORUS: Tra-la, tra-la-la-la, ower the wall,s oot. Wey ye're sure to ken mi brother Bill, he's se full o' wit, He got a job a-puttin' up at the Busty Pit. When Bill comes hyem from work, he's like a droonded rat, Instead of gannin upstairs te bed he lies upon the mat. Ah but he fills a thoosand or more, titty fa-la, titty fa-lay. They pay him by the score, titty fa-la, titty fa-lay. He fills his tubs se quick and withoot any delay, But he can nivvor find his pick, titty fa-la, titty fa-lay. CHORUS: Tra-la, tra-la-la-la, ower the wall,s oot. There was Jack and Bill, two marrers, they were in a public hoose, And their talk aboot their kyevil's, why, it wadn't frighten a moose. Jack says te Bill, "By gox, she's hard, The top is like bell-metal but te bottoms is not se bad. Aye, and Aa only got ten the day, titty fa-la, titty fa-lay. Aa'd have getten another four, Aa was wishin' the shift was ower, When the putter came off the way, titty fa-la, titty fa-lay." CHORUS: Tra-la, tra-la-la-la, ower the wall,s oot. There was me and mi wife and mi mother-in-law, we went te the silvery sea. Mi' mother-in-law got intiv a boat, a sailor she wad be. She hadn't gone passin' twenty yards when all of a sudden there's a shoot; Aa looks aroond and there's mi mother-in-law a-splashin' aboot. Whey, she shoots "help Aa cannot swim!" titty fa-la, titty fa-lay. Aa says noo's the time te larn, titty fa-la, titty fa-lay. Mi' wife she says "Ye hoond, ye're not ganna watch her droond?" Aa says "Na, Aa'll shut mi eyes", titty fa-la, titty fa-lay." CHORUS: Tra-la, tra-la-la-la, ower the wall,s oot. Mi' name is Jackie Robinson, that name Aa div advance, Aa drive a little gallowa and they call her Little Chance. Chancey has twee greasy feet, likewise a kickley back And gannin' alang the gannin' boards she mekes the chum'uns knack. Whey Aa wes comin' aroond the turn, titty fa-la, titty fa-lay." Chancey wadn't haad-on, titty fa-la, titty fa-lay." The tubs they gave a click, Aa jumped off the way at the switch, Y'bugger Aa smashed the deputy's kist, titty fa-la, titty fa-lay." CHORUS: Tra-la, tra-la-la-la, ower the wall,s oot. Index. |
Rap Her to Bank.CHORUS: Rap her to bank me canny lad Wind her away keep turning The backshift men are gannin hyem They'll be back here in the morning Me Father used to call the turn When the long shift it was ower And gannin out by you'd hear him cry Do you kna its after fower CHORUS: And then that awful day arrived The last shift for me Father A fall of stone and broken bones But still above the clatter he cried CHORUS: Rap her to bank me canny lads Wind her reet slow that's clever This poor old lad has taken bad He'll be back here -- never. Index. |
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The Auchengeich Disaster. In Auchengeich there stands a pit The wheel above it isna turnin', For on a grey September morn, The fires o' hell below are burnin'. Though in below the coal lay rich, It's richer noo for all that burnin'. For forty seven brave men are deid, Tae wives and sweethearts nane returnin'. The seams are thick in Auchengeich, The coal below is black and glistenin'. But the cost o' coal is far ower dear, For human lives there is nae reckonin'. For coal is black and coal is red, And coal is rich beyond a treasure. It's black wi' wark and red wi' blood, Its richness noo in lives we measure. Far better that we'd never wrought, A thousand years o' wark and grievin'. The coal is black like the mournin' shroud, The women left behind their weavin'. In Auchengeich there stands a pit, The wheel above it isna turnin', For on a grey September morn, The fires o' hell below are burnin'. Index. |
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The Colliers Rant. Melody As me and mi marrer was gannin' te wark, We met wi' the divil it was in the dark. Aa up wi' mi pick it was in the neet, Aa chopped off his heed and his horns and his feet. CHORUS: Follow the horses, Johnny mi laddie, Follow the horses, Johnny lad o. Follow the horses, Johnny mi laddie, How, lad, lie away mi canny lad o. As me and mi marrer was loadin' the tram, The light it went oot and mi marrer went wrang. Ye wad have laughed te see the fine gam. Auld nick took mi marrer, but Aa took the tram. CHORUS: Follow the horses, Johnny mi laddie, Follow the horses, Johnny lad o. Follow the horses, Johnny mi laddie, How, lad, lie away mi canny lad o. Oh marrer, oh marrer, noo what de ye think, Aa've brocken mi bottle and spilt the drink. Aa've lost mi tools the greet stanes, Draw me te the shaft, lad, it's time te gan hyem. CHORUS: Follow the horses, Johnny mi laddie, Follow the horses, Johnny lad o. Follow the horses, Johnny mi laddie, How, lad, lie away mi canny lad o. Oh marrer, oh marrer, this is wor pay week, We'll get penny loave and drink te wor break. We'll fill up the bumper and roond it'll go, So follow the horses, Johnny lad o. CHORUS: Follow the horses, Johnny mi laddie, Follow the horses, Johnny lad o. Follow the horses, Johnny mi laddie, How, lad, lie away mi canny lad o. Oh marrer, oh marrer, noo where hev ye been? Drivin' a drift through the laigh seam. Drivin' a drift frae the laigh seam, Haa'd up the leet, marrer, de'il stoop te yer ee'n. CHORUS: Follow the horses, Johnny mi laddie, Follow the horses, Johnny lad o. Follow the horses, Johnny mi laddie, How, lad, lie away mi canny lad o. So here's the hooses and here's the tram, Two horns full o' grease will make her te gan. There's mi marrer streched oot on the ground, Ye can tear up his shirt, his minin's done. CHORUS: Follow the horses, Johnny mi laddie, Follow the horses, Johnny lad o. Follow the horses, Johnny mi laddie, How, lad, lie away mi canny lad o. Index. |
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The Hartley Calamity. The Hartley men are noble and ye'll hear a tale of woe, I'll tell of the doom of the Hartley men in the year of sixty two. It was on a Thursday mornin' in the first month of the year, When there befell a tragedy as sadly ye shall hear. Now too and fro the putters run as wi' the tubs they go, And clang of whell and hoof on steel ring in the mine below. The din and strife of human life is heard in wall and bord, When all at once a shock is felt which fills each heart wi' dread. Wi' fear each snatches up his duds and hurries fast away, And to the distant shaft they flee, riskin' no delay. And as they flee by two by three, the reason for te seek, But see an' answer in the face to what they dursn't speak. "Are we entombed?" they seemed to ask and find the shaft is blocked, "Escape is gone and in the deep dark earth we all are locked." So stand in pain the Hartley men as swiftly ower them comes, The memory of wives and all that binds them to their homes. Despair at lenght renews their strenght and they the shaft must clear, And soon the sound of mell and pick half-droons the voice of fear. And hark throught the dust and rubble, is it jowlin' in reply? Oh, hurrah, hurrah for the Hartley men for noo their rescue's nigh. But noo the sounds of joy they cease for a rummble rents the groond, And rocks and shale and black coal dust fall from the roof around. Then silence falls, nee pick nor shovel soundin' through the gloom, And men and boys lie on the ground in a man-made miner's tomb. And then the silent killer moved unknown amang the men. Each tried to rise but shut his eyes and fell to sleep agian. Some sing their spirits for to cheer, some doon in prayer do fall, But gas is fillin' up the space and soon will kill them all. "O father, till the shaft is cleared, close, beside me keep, And comfort me like on yer knee at home when Aa wad sleep." "Sleep, bonny lad, and Aa will watch' till recue does arrive." But the the father cannot stay awake and soon he too must die. Noo fathers, mothers, sisters, brothers, lovers and new made brides, They kept a vigil, hopin' still, from morn to eventide. But now they sleep in silence deep, two hundred boys and men, And we'll think of the Hartley heroes when the pulleys run again. Index. |
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The Putter. Aa'm just a smally laddie hardly auld enough te hew, But Aa've held mi aan at puttin' wi' the best Aa ivor knew. Give us plenty bait and bottle, plenty beef and baccy chows, And Aa'll bet mi bunch of tokens that from gannin' doon te lowse. CHORUS: Aa'm runnin' for the oddun, runnin' for the oddun, Runnin' for the oddun from gannin' doon te lowse. There's half a dozen gannins in the flat that Aa'm in noo, And if Aa'd mi own of choosin' Aa wad hew in one or two. But somehow or ither, how it comes Aa divvent knaa, As sure as rub mi kyevil It's the warst' un on the saw. CHORUS: Aa'm runnin' for the oddun, runnin' for the oddun, Runnin' for the oddun from gannin' doon te lowse. There's a hitch and then a swally filled wi' water like a ford, And a lot of way all twisted and a clarty gannin board. There's law planks and raggy canches where ye sometimes get a smack, And it makes ye twist yer gizzard if ye chance te catch yer back. CHORUS: Aa'm runnin' for the oddun, runnin' for the oddun, Runnin' for the oddun from gannin' doon te lowse. There's a lang, law, heavy pillar in by-side the canvas door, Where Aa hoss the scrubbin' fullun's up for eighteen pence a score. How aa bless that lang, law pillar, how that awfull hitch Aa dreed, For it's fearful work a-pushin' and a-shovin' with yer heed. CHORUS: Aa'm runnin' for the oddun, runnin' for the oddun, Runnin' for the oddun from gannin' doon te lowse. There's a half plate and a lang' un near the double turn inbye, They've been fettled wi' a closer but the closer winnat lie. Oh, that half plate and the long' un could they speak what they wad say, For Aa've telt them lots of secrets when aa've tumbled off the way. CHORUS: Aa'm runnin' for the oddun, runnin' for the oddun, Runnin' for the oddun from gannin' doon te lowse. There's a mate of mine a filler wears a shirt of flannel blue, Which Aa filled away at Christmas 'cos he wadn't pay his due. Ye should have heered him sweerin', he bruised at ivory bat, He chased 'is wi' the shot-stick but Aa licked him te the flat. CHORUS: Aa'm runnin' for the oddun, runnin' for the oddun, Runnin' for the oddun from gannin' doon te lowse. Index. |
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The Stoneman's Song. So the coal is off and the fillers have left the flat, And the deppity comes and he asks us what we're at. So we tell 'im and he stems the holes we've drilled, And the shots gan off and the packs we build, Doon the Brockwell seam in the north of Number Five West. Noo we build packs from the stone's that's in the gate, And we get them neat and tidy weel afore bait, For there's girders te hump and girders te set, And side te take off that Aa dare bet, Doon the Brockwell seam in the north of Number Five West. Noo the belt it's rolled and set down in a new track, And we draw oot the chocks while lyin' on wor backs, And we set them again in their new place, te stop the whitin' on the face, Doon the Brockwell seam in the north of Number Five West. And it's Aa'm alreet th' morn for a sup Aa knaa, For mi marrer's reckoned up that he's won the snaaball draw. With a housey card and a pint in mi hand, Aa'll forget all aboot that no-man's land, Doon the Brockwell seam in the north of Number Five West. Index. |
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WHEN THE COAL BLEW AWAY (Maurie [Moz] Mulheron Do you know how heavy the winds blow here? His smile was rising from ear to ear The old miner sat back, he'd a story that day About the time on the coast when the coal blew away All the mines around Bulli and further away Were being worked each week for only two to three days Just enough to stop them from getting the dole While the mine-owners secretly stockpiled the coal cho: The winds were so heavy on the coast that day The winds were so heavy that the coal blew away! So the miners formed a strong picket line To try and stop the coal from leaving the mine From Sydney they trucked in the scabs each day With police on guard to keep the miners at bay With scabs loading coal by the railway track The miners stepped forward, the mood blacker than black The sergeant stood between them with a gun and a sneer I'll shoot the first Commie who tries to interfere! cho: A fifty ton load was sent on its way Scheduled for Sydney the very next day The miners withdrew, full of anger, despair No victory this time, no hope in the air The train slowed down just near Waterfall The guard heard laughter and this is what he saw From a wagon some miners jumped onto the track With shovels, grins and faces smeared black cho: With his lantern he searched up and down the train No coal could be seen, he searched in vain And the headlines in the paper read the very next day The winds were so heavy, the coal blew away! Now as you listen to my story today You might think it strange that coal could blow away But the miners with their shovels in the wagon that night Swear it is true and I reckon they're right cho: The winds were so heavy on the coast that day The winds were so heavy that the coal blew away! notes: Maurie Mulheron writes Great true story about a union victory down here in the Illawarra that occurred in September 1938 at the Old Corn Beef Mine. The story is told in the song. After the scabs had loaded the coal, 8 miners stowed away on the train and spent the next couple of hours shovelling out the scab coal onto the track as the train headed north to Sydney. The next day, when the police investigated, the Miners Federation explained to them that they knew nothing about the missing coal. By way of explanation, the union suggested that it could have been the heavy winds that had blown the night before! The Bulli Times ran a headline: THE COAL THAT BLEW AWAY. By the way, after the coal had been shovelled off the train by the 'stowaway' miners, the Detective-Sergeant raced down to Thirroul the next day to interview the miners. An astute fellow, he visited Arthur McDonald, one of the miners.Don't insult my intelligence, said the policeman, bytrying to make me believe that the bloody wind on the South Coast blew all that coal away. We think you bastards did it. Copyright Maurie Mulheron 1996 @mining @union @labor @strike @Australia filename[ COALBLEW |
