The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #68589   Message #1161050
Posted By: GUEST,MCP
13-Apr-04 - 03:20 PM
Thread Name: Coalowner & Pitman's Wife tune question
Subject: Lyr/Tune Add: THE COAL OWNER AND THE PITMAN'S WIFE
Here are the complete texts for 3 of the versions mentioned above. I also give the tune as given in Folk Song In England, which differs a little from the tune as given by MMario above.

Mick



X: 1
T:The Coal-Owner And The Pitman's Wife
M:6/8
L:1/8
S:Lloyd: Folk Song In England
K:G aeo
G|Gdd ddd|dec d2
w:A dia-logue I'll tell you as true as my life,
(B/G/)| GGG BBB/B/|BcG {B}A2
w:Be_tween a coal-ow-ner and a poor pit-man's wife.
A|GGG ddd|eee Hg2
w:As she was a-walk-ing all on the high-way,
G|GGG Ggf|gGG G2
w:She met a coal-ow-ner and this she did say:
B/c/|d3 f3|dcB G2||
w:Der-ry down, down, down der-ry down.




THE COAL OWNER AND THE PITMAN'S WIFE

A dialogue I'll tell you as true as my life
Between a coal owner and a poor pitman's wife.
As she was a-travelling all on the high way
She met a coal owner and this she did say.

  Derry down, down, down derry down

'Then where do you come from?' the owner he cries.
'I come from hell', the poor woman replies.
'If you come from hell, come tell me right plain
How you contrived to get out again?'

'Aye the way I got out, the truth I will tell,
They are turning the poor folk all out of hell.
This to make room for the rich wicked race
For there is a great number of them in that place.

'And the numbers not known, sir, that is in that place;
And they chiefly consist of the rich wicked race
And the coal owners is the next in command
To arrive into hell as I understand.'

'How know you the owners is next in command?'
'How div I know, ye shall understand,
I hard the old devil say when I cam out
The coal owners all had receiv'd their rout.'

'Then how does the old Devil behave in that place?'
'O sir, he is cruel to the rich wicked race.
He is far more crueller than you can suppose;
Aye, even a mad bull with a ring through his nose.'

'Good woman', says he, 'I must bid you fare well.
You give me a dismal account about hell.
If this be all true that you say unto me,
I'll go home and with my poor men I'll agree.'

'If you be a coal owner, sir, take my advice:
Agree with your men and give them their full price.
For and if you do not, I knaw very well,
You'll be in great danger of going to hell.

For all ye coal owners great fortunes has made
By those jovial men that works in the coal trade.
Now, how can ye think for to prosper or thrive
For wanting to starve your poor workman alive?

So all ye gay gentlemen that's got riches in store,
Take my advice and be good to the poor,
And if you do this all things will gan well,
Perhaps it will save you from gannin to hell.'

So now the poor pitman may join heart and hand,
For when they're off work, all trade's at a stand,
Yon town of Newcastle, all cry out amain:
'Oh, gin the pits were at work once again!'

It's now to conclude, little more I've to say.
I was turned out of my house on the thirteenth of May,
But it's now to conclude and I'll finish my song;
I hope you'll relieve me and let me carry on.

Source: Lloyd: Come All Ye Bold Miners, 1978 edition

In my copy the following 2 lines are given in the text at the end of verse1, but not in the 1st verse attached to the music:

She met a coal owner and to him she said:
'Sir, to beg on you I am not afraid'

I don't know if this is as given in ms, a misprinted addition, or a sign of some omission.




THE COAL OWNER AND THE PITMAN'S WIFE

A dialogue I'll tell you as true as my life,
Between a coal-owner and a poor pitman's wife.
As she was a-walking all on the high way
She met a coal-owner and this she did say:

  Derry down, down, down derry down.

'Good morning Lord Firedamp', this woman she said,
'I'll do you no harm, sir, so don't be afraid.
If you'd been where I've been the most of my life,
You wouldn't turn pale at a poor pitman's wife.'

'Then where do you come from?' the owner he cries,
'I come from hell', the poor woman replies.
'If you come from hell, then come tell me right plain,
How you contrived to get out again?'

'Aye, the way I got out, the truth I will tell,
They're turning the poor folk all out of hell.
This is to make room for the rich wicked race
For there is a great number of them in that place.'

'And the coal-owners is the next on command
To arrive in hell, as I understand,
For I heard the old devil say as I came out,
The coal-owners all had received their rout.'

'Then how does the old devil behave in that place?'
'O sir, he is cruel to the rich wicked race.
He's far more crueller than you could suppose.
He's like a mad bull with a ring through his nose.'

'If you be a coal-owner, sir, take my advice
And agree with your men and give them a fair price,
For if and you do not I know very well
You'll be in great danger of going to hell.'

'For all you coal-owners great fortunes has made
By those jovial men that works in the coal trade.
Now, how can ye think to prosper and thrive
By wanting to starve your poor workmen alive?'

So come, ye poor pitmen and join heart and hand;
For when you're off work, all trade's at a stand,
In the town of Newcastle all cry out amain:
Oh, gin the pits were at work once again!'


Source: Lloyd: Folk Song In England 1967




THE COAL OWNER AND THE PITMAN'S WIFE

A dialogue I'll tell you as true as my life,
It's between a coalowner and a poor pitman's wife.
As she was a-travelling all on the highway,
She met a coalowner and this she did say,

  chorus: Derry down, down, down derry down.

Good morning Lord Firedamp, this woman she said,
I'll do you no harm, sir, so don't be afraid.
If you'd been where I've been the most of my life
You wouldn't turn pale at a poor pitman's wife

Then where do you come from? the owner he cries.
I come from hell the poor woman replies.
If you come from hell then come tell me quite plain
How you contriv-ed to get out again

The way I got out, the truth I will tell,
They're turning the poor folk all out of hell,
This to make room for the rich wicked race
For there are a great number of them in that place.

And the coalowners is the next on command
To arrive in hell as I understand,
For I heard the old devil say as I came out
That the coalowners all had receiv-ed their rout.

'Then how does the devil behave in that place?
Oh sir, he is cruel to that rich wicked race.
He is far more crueller than you can suppose,
Even like a mad bull with a ring through his nose.

If you be a coalowner sir, take my advice,
Agree with your men and give them a fair price,
For if and you do not, I know very well,
You will be in great danger of going to hell.

For all you coalowners great fortunes has made
By those jovial men that works in the coal trade.
Now how can you think for to prosper and thrive
By wanting to starve your poor workmen alive?

Good woman, says he, I must bid you farewell,
You give me a dismal account about hell.
If all this be true that you say unto me
I'll go home like a whippet, with my poor men agree.

So all you gay gentlemen with riches in store,
Take my advice and be good to the poor.
And if you do this all things will gan well,
And perhaps it will save you from going to hell.

So come ye poor pitmen and join heart and hand,
For when you're off work all trade's at a stand.
In the town of Newcastle all cry out amain,
Oh gin that the pits were at work once again.

Well, the pitgates are locked, little more I've to say,
I was turned out of my house on the thirteenth of May.
But it's now to conclude and I'll finish my song,
I hope you'll relieve me and let me carry on.

Source: Dallas: One Hundred Songs of Toil 1974