Lyr Req: Keep your hands on your wages

Subject: KEEP YOUR HAND UPON YOUR WAGES - info?
From: Ian HP
Date: 01 Jul 99 - 06:07 PM

There is a wonderful union song called A Miners Life? Keep Your Hand Upon Your Wages? The first line is "A miner's life is like a sailor's" and the chorus goes "Union miners stand together, never heed the owner's tales, keep your hand upon your wages and your eye upon the scales." Does anyone know the proper title, author, background, words?

Subject: RE: KEEP YOUR HAND UPON YOUR WAGES - info?
From: Alice
Date: 01 Jul 99 - 07:44 PM

Ian, check out this thread: union miners

alice

Subject: Lyr Req: Keep your hands on your wages
From: Dennis the Elder
Date: 03 Dec 08 - 11:27 AM

I heard a song well sang, the other day. The chorus included, if I heard it correctly "keep your hands on your wages and your eyes upon the sail?" probably got this wrong. Can anyone help? Do you know it Ray, if you pick up on this thread?
Dennis

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Keep your hands on your wages
From: Steve Gardham
Date: 03 Dec 08 - 11:38 AM

eyes upon the scales.

Union Miners...must be in the DT somewhere.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Keep your hands on your wages
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 03 Dec 08 - 11:41 AM

http://www.mudcat.org/@displaysong.cfm?SongID=3984

'Miners Lifeguard' in the USA, 'Miners Life' in the UK. Quite easily found via the search engine. The DT file contains links to several past discussions of the song and its history.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Keep your hands on your wages
From: Dennis the Elder
Date: 03 Dec 08 - 02:50 PM

Thanks Steve and Malcolm, thats certainly the one

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Keep your hands on your wages
From: pavane
Date: 04 Dec 08 - 02:43 AM

Mick Tems ('Catter) recorded it many years ago. Can't remember which album, but I do have it somewhere in my collection.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Keep your hands on your wages
From: pavane
Date: 04 Dec 08 - 02:48 AM

Album is Gowerton Fair, 1977, Mick Tems (From another thread)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Keep your hands on your wages
From: GUEST,Ray
Date: 20 Sep 20 - 07:23 PM

on youtube there is a live version of a song by scottish band Deacon Blue called Loaded which includes the lyrics this thread is about in an extended version during the miners strike in UK in the Thatcher years.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Keep your hands on your wages
From: r.padgett
Date: 21 Sep 20 - 04:15 AM

Miner's life is like a sailor's
'Board a ship to cross the wave
Everyday, his life's in danger
Still he ventures, being brave

Watch the rocks, they're falling daily
Careless miners always fail
Keep your hand upon the dollar
And your eye upon the scale

Union miners stand together
Heed no operator's tale
Keep your hand upon the dollar
And your eye upon the scale

You've been docked and docked again, boys
You've been loading two for one
What have you to show for working
Since this mining has begun?

Just worn-out boots and worn-out miners
And your children growing pale
Keep your hand upon the dollar
And your eye upon the scale

Union miners stand together
Heed no operator's tale
Keep your hand upon the dollar
And your eye upon the scale

In conclusion, bear in memory
Keep this password in your mind
God provides for every worker
When in union, they combine

Then by honest weight, we labor
Union miners will prevail
So keep your hand upon the dollar
And your eye upon the scale

Union miners stand together
Heed no operator's tale
Keep your hand upon the dollar
And your eye upon the scale
Keep your hand upon the dollar
And your eye upon the scale

Just found this Dennis! sorry 12 years ago

This version is from the Weavers folk group of fame ~ Dollar is replaced by wages in UK btw Operator becomes Owners'

A number of groups have added to and or changed the song of course over the years and good luck to then

check out mudcats database too

Ray

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Keep your hands on your wages
From: GUEST,jim bainbridge
Date: 21 Sep 20 - 04:46 AM

This song has links to the 'Miners' Lifeguard from the US & also an old Welsh hymnn, which may well be the original tune- hence Mick Tems' version in 1977?
It's become popular in the folk clubs, normally a three verse version, and part of the Cotia Colliery/old Birtley folk club's honouring of Jack Elliott at the anuual Durham Miners' Gala.
The 2017 performance of this can be seen on youtube- I don't do blue clickys, but put in   
             A Miners' Life- Durham          and you'll find it.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Keep your hands on your wages
From: Newport Boy
Date: 21 Sep 20 - 11:35 AM

The origin of the tune is uncertain. Abbey & Tillman copyrighted 'Life is Like a Mountain Railroad' in 1890, although it may have been written a little earlier.

The Calon Lan tune was written by John Hughes, date unknown. The words were written as a poem by Daniel James in 1890 or 1891 and were later set to music. Later again, Daniel James met John Hughes and asked him to set the words. Hughes' tune rapidly became the most popular. The date of this tune is unknown but must have been before 1904, when it is known to have been sung.

The tunes have many similarities and, since Hughes' tune is later, it seems likely that Hughes had heard Tillman's tune.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Keep your hands on your wages
From: Dennis the Elder
Date: 21 Sep 20 - 02:14 PM

Thanks Ray, you are never too late. Its good to know if I wait long enough you will answer.
Cheers Ray, have fun, see you sometime soon I hope.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Keep your hands on your wages
From: Bill D
Date: 21 Sep 20 - 08:30 PM

A wonderful version of "Miner's Life" by Siwasnn George is available on Apple music..Here

I have it on MP3 and it is one only two songs on the album she sings in English...