Misc Traditional – Blackleg Miner (Guitar)

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Traditional, from Northumberland (north-eastern England). There have been many miners' strikes over the years, and it's unclear which one this dates from - perhaps from the strikes of 1844, which collapsed after 20 weeks thanks to strike-breaking (blackleg) miners. It enjoyed a revival thanks to the miners' strikes of the 1980s under Margaret Thatcher's government. Various artists have recorded this; this version is from the oral tradition of Forest School Camps.

     Dm              C
It's in the evening, after dark

    Dm              Am
The blackleg miner gans ta wark

       Dm                 C
In his moleskin pants and dirty shirt

      Dm       C        Dm
There goes the blackleg miner

   Dm                 C
He takes his pick and down he goes

   Dm                Am
To hew the coal that lies below

        Dm             C
There's not a woman in this town row

      Dm        C        Dm
Would look at a blackleg miner

    Dm           C
For Deleval is a terrible place

     Dm                Am
They rub wet clay in a blackleg's face

 Dm                  C
Around the pits they run a foot race

   Dm        C        Dm
To catch the blackleg miner

    Dm                C
And don't go near the Seghill mine

 Dm                    Am
Across the top they've stretched a line

   Dm                   C
To catch the throat and break the spine

       Dm    C        Dm
Of the dirty blackleg miner

           Dm                C
Well, they take his pick and duds as well

         Dm                 Am
And they hurl them down the pit of Hell

   Dm             C
So off you go and fare thee well

    Dm    C        Dm
You dirty blackleg miner

   Dm             C
So join the union while you may

      Dm             Am
Don't wait till your dying day

    Dm              C
For that may not be far away

    Dm    C        Dm
You dirty blackleg miner