DOWN IN THE COAL MINE



I am a jovial collier lad

As blithe as blithe can be

And let the times be good or bad

It's all the same to me

It's little of the world I know

And care less for its ways

For where the dogsdown(?) never glows

It's there I spend my days



Down in the coalmine, underneath the ground

Where a gleam of sunshine never can be found

Digging up the dusky diamonds all the seasons round

Deep down in the coalmine, underneath the ground



Me hands are horny, hard and black

Through working in the vein

And like the clothes upon me back

My speech is rough and plain

And if I stumble with my tongue

I've one excuse to say

It's not the collier's heart that's wrong

It's his head that goes astray



How little do the great ones care

Who sit at home secure

What hidden dangers collier's dare

What hardships they endure

The very fire they sit beside

To cheer themselves and wives

Mayhap was kindled up at cost

Of jovial miners lives



Then cheer up lads and make the most

Of every joy you can

And always make your murphy's such

As best befits a man

For let the times be good or bad

We'll still be jovial souls

For where would Britain be

Without the lads who look for coals



@mine @work

recorded by the Ian Campbell Folk Group

filename[ DOWNCOAL

SF

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