Songs about coal and mining - suggestions please!
For those of you that haven't heard, there is going to be a brand new Radio Ballad 'The Ballad of the Miners' Strike' broadcast on ´óÏó´«Ã½ Radio 2 on Tuesday 2nd March, to mark the 25th anniversary of the end of that bitter year-long dispute.
With brand new specially commissioned songs from , , and and musicians such as Andy Cutting, Barry Coope, Bob Fox and Andy Seward I am really keen to get my mits on a copy and give it several listens.
Anyway, we thought we'd do an hour of songs about coal and mining on my programme on Tuesday 24th February and also play a little sneak preview of the Ballad for you. Ìý
Here's a few of my personal favourites to get the list going...
Bob Fox & Benny Graham - Farewell Johnny Miner
Judy Collins - Coal Tattoo
Jez Lowe - These Coal Town Days
Dick Gaughan - Recruited Collier
Ed Pickford - One Miner's Life
Please post your suggestions here...
Comment number 1.
At 12th Feb 2010, Joss wrote:A few that came to mind:
Seth Lakeman - The Colliers
Steeleye Span - Blackleg Miner
Woody Guthry - Miner's Song
Woody Guthry - The Dying Miner
Ewan MacColl and Peggy Seeger - Come All You Gallant Colliers
Maddy Prior - The Collier Lad
Kate Rusby - The Recruited Collier
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Comment number 2.
At 12th Feb 2010, britzel wrote:How about:
Chumbawamba - The Diggers Song
Chumbawamba - The Colliers March
Sussie Nielsen - The Recruited Collier
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Comment number 3.
At 13th Feb 2010, bodgersmate wrote:How about a bit of contemporary relevance,Mike? For example;
"The Colliers' Way" by (the late, great) Davy Steele with Coelbeg on the album 'An Unfair Dance'
"Seacoalers" (Brian Reid) from Battlefield Band's 'Celtic Hotel' album
"We work the black seam" (Sting) album as above
"My Sweetheart's on the Barricade" by Richard Thompson from the 'Industry' album
Then there's always "The Gresford Disaster" by the Albions (but maybe a tad over-indulgent for R2) or perhaps "The Row Between The Cages" by Fox&Luckley.
"Blackleg Miner" contains the words "Delaval is a terrible place, they rub wet clay in the blackleg's face, etc..." and, remarkably,the home of the former coal owners, Seaton Delaval Hall, has recently been promoted by the Nat Trust as its latest (community) acquisition!
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Comment number 4.
At 14th Feb 2010, evansakes wrote:"Gresford Disaster" (Albion Band)
"You'll Never Leave Harlan Alive" (Darrell Scott....also sung by Patty Loveless)
"The Mountain" (Steve Earle....also sung by Levon Helm)
"Henry Russell's Last Words" (Diana Jones....also sung by Joan Baez)
"Appalachia" Diana Jones
"Six Jolly Miners" Coope, Boyes and Simpson
"A Miner's Refrain" Gillian Welch
"West Virginia Mine Disaster" Jean Ritchie
"Dark Is The Dungeon" by Nitty Gritty Dirt Band (and many others)
"One Miner's Life" by Bob Fox
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Comment number 5.
At 15th Feb 2010, Andy Howell wrote:A lot have been covered.
A very subtle choice would be 'This Town' from Clive Gregson's Strange Persuasions album.
This looks at the death of northern towns and refers very distinctly to the dispute, as well as to other issues.
I used to sing this and never thought it would come back into its own. Sadly. it has.
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Comment number 6.
At 15th Feb 2010, nbrookhart wrote:Should be interesting as I'm doing an A-level project on industrial folk.
A couple of good ones would be Pound a Week Rise as performed by John Doyle and Liz Carrol, as well as the Queensbury Rules' Sinking Town. But whatever you do, make sure to include Farewell Johnny Miner, as htat really just sums it all up about the pit closures of the past twenty years
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Comment number 7.
At 21st Feb 2010, fishfeathersmacteeth wrote:I's like to hear Norman Buchan's "Auchengeich" from the Easy Club Album "Skirlie Beat"...
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Comment number 8.
At 21st Feb 2010, Carol Ann Cormack wrote:Pound a Week Rise by Dick Gaughan
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Comment number 9.
At 22nd Feb 2010, Emelle wrote:Sixteen Tons (Merle Travis or Johnny Cash)
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Comment number 10.
At 22nd Feb 2010, Ed Pickford wrote:The first mining songs I ever came across were 'Sixteen Tons' and 'Dark as a Dungeon' by the great Merle Travis.
During the miners' strike I contributed to a couple of albums to raise money. The albums were called 'Which Side Are You On' and 'Heroes'. Both of these albums had some poignant songs - two that spring to mind are 'Women of the Working Class' and 'Garden of England'.
There is to be a sculpture unveiled in Sunderland Civic Centre in early March 2010 to commemorate the strike.
Ed Pickford
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Comment number 11.
At 23rd Feb 2010, Emelle wrote:There's also June Tabor's wonderful "He Fades Away" about the death of a miner from lung disease.
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Comment number 12.
At 23rd Feb 2010, Richard Grainger wrote:How about 'Celebrated Working Man' from War Horse CD by Richard Grainger
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Comment number 13.
At 28th Feb 2010, Dave Evans wrote:What about Trimdon Grange? Story of a mining explosion - first heard Alan Price do it but there are other fine versions too.
I heard the Testimony of Patience Kershaw on Wednesdays show - tremendously moving by Unthanks. Does anyone know anything about Patience?
All I can find on the net is she was from Halifax
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Comment number 14.
At 11th Mar 2010, caz973 wrote:Coal not dole - Oysterband
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