The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #2913   Message #3016463
Posted By: Reinhard
27-Oct-10 - 01:54 AM
Thread Name: Songs about Aberfan (1966 mining disaster)
Subject: Lyr Add: ABERFAN (David Ackles)
Ther is a David Ackles blog that has the lyrics of his song Aberfan, but with a few small errors. I think the lyrics are:

It was rainy in the morning as the men left for the mine,
Past the schoolyard in the morning.
At the colliery production charts read, “Men, we're doing fine,”
As the rain fell in the morning.
The cold board said your number seven tip will stay in line,
It's been two years this morning.
But no-one told the children of Aberfan.

One hundred and sixteen caps and shawls
Danced the halls of the school-house.
While the grown-up inspectors drank their tea
In the safe, dry lee of the tool-house
As the rain fell in the morning on Aberfan.

Did no-one hear the stones move when the tip began to fall?
Did no-one feel the slag shake? Was no-one there at all?
They were on the phone for Swansea taking orders for more,
They were going about their business, minding the store,
And five minutes later, they were asking, “What for?”

The call for silence hushed the crowd
Who searched the clouds for answers.
While they listened for life and held their breath
The sound of death held the dancers
As the rain fell in the morning on Aberfan.

But no-one told the children,
But no-one told the children.
And it's always the children.

By the way, Ackles' LP Five & Dime was reissued in 2004 by Raven Records as Five & Dime ...Plus with some additional cover versions by e.g. Martin Carthy and The Hollies.