BBC Radio 2 Ballad of the Miners Strike

Subject: The Ballad of the Miners' Strike
From: Dave MacKenzie
Date: 23 Feb 10 - 07:22 PM

Next Tuesday, 2 March at 22:30 on BBC Radio 2, "The Ballad of the Miners' Strike" to mark the 25th anniversary of its end.

Subject: RE: The Ballad of the Miners' Strike
From: Joe Offer
Date: 23 Feb 10 - 08:05 PM

Lots of information on the BBC2 Website. Also see the BBC Radio Ballads page.

Next on:
Tuesday, 22:30 on BBC Radio 2
SYNOPSIS
In specially commissioned songs to mark the 25th anniversary of the end of miners' strike, Radio 2 explores how lives were changed by the year-long dispute (1984-85). The Ballad Of The Miners' Strike is a forthright and powerful exploration of contrasting human experiences.
Songs inspired by their stories propel the ballad through issues still causing debate a quarter of a century later. Striking miners describe the physical and mental toll of the dispute and they and police officers recall the picket line confrontations; miners who worked tell how they're still called "scab"; miners' wives describe how the strike empowered them; and everyone remembers The Battle of Orgreave.
The ballad is a musical and historical tapestry which includes sequences of reflection and testimony, punctuated and driven by archive clips of news bulletins, reportage and interviews from the strike period with key figures miners' leader Arthur Scargill and Coal Board leader Ian McGregor. Musical accompaniment is provided by acclaimed folk musicians John McCusker, Andy Cutting, Bob Fox, Barry Coupe, Jez Lowe, Andy Seward, Julie Matthews and John Tams.
Interviews were gathered across the UK by reporter Vince Hunt who travelled to Wales, Northumberland, Nottinghamshire, Lincolnshire, Kent and Yorkshire to talk to miners and the women who supported them, police officers who served on the picket lines and the miners who crossed picket lines to work.
These themed interviews have been used as sources to inspire the songwriters and then fed back into the songs. Jez Lowe's Judas Bus describes a minibus taking "scab" miners across picket lines; John Tams' Over in a Fortnight plants the battle lines for the strike in the victory over Ted Heath of 1974. Julie Matthews' Beyond The Picket Line was written after hearing women from mining families describe their part in the strike, organising food parcels, meetings and protests. Ray Hearne wrote Ordinary Copper from the stories of policemen finding themselves in bitter fights with miners
This is the latest in a series of award-winning Radio Ballads commissioned in recent years by Radio 2, exploring important issues of our time. In 2006 a series of six ballads explored the decline of the shipbuilding and steel industries; thirty years of conflict in Northern Ireland; the end of hunting with hounds; the experiences of six people affected by HIV/AIDS; and the lives of Britain's fairground community.

Subject: BBC Radio 2 Ballad of the Miners Strike
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 25 Feb 10 - 03:43 AM

Next Tuesday - 2230.

In specially commissioned songs to mark the 25th anniversary of the end of miners' strike, Radio 2 explores how lives were changed by the year-long dispute (1984-85). The Ballad Of The Miners' Strike is a forthright and powerful exploration of contrasting human experiences.

Excerpt from the BBC web site

Enjoy.

DeG

Subject: RE: BBC Radio 2 Ballad of the Miners Strike
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 25 Feb 10 - 03:58 AM

Sorry - I missed Dave Mac's post - I did look - Honest! Thanks for combining:-)

DeG

Subject: RE: BBC Radio 2 Ballad of the Miners Strike
From: Dave MacKenzie
Date: 28 Feb 10 - 04:07 PM

Refresh

Subject: RE: BBC Radio 2 Ballad of the Miners Strike
From: Steve Gardham
Date: 28 Feb 10 - 06:15 PM

2 threads running. Please combine.

Subject: RE: BBC Radio 2 Ballad of the Miners Strike
From: Dave MacKenzie
Date: 01 Mar 10 - 05:49 AM

It's tomorrow night

Subject: RE: BBC Radio 2 Ballad of the Miners Strike
From: Dave MacKenzie
Date: 02 Mar 10 - 11:22 AM

Just a reminder - it's tonight!

Subject: RE: BBC Radio 2 Ballad of the Miners Strike
From: Dave MacKenzie
Date: 02 Mar 10 - 05:17 PM

It'll be starting in just over ten minutes.

Subject: RE: BBC Radio 2 Ballad of the Miners Strike
From: EnglishFolkfan
Date: 02 Mar 10 - 05:56 PM

Listening now: BBC Radio at it's best because they let the right people do it.

My only complaint is that it's going out so late at night (10.30pm till 11.30pm) so many people who were active or affected in the Event at the time who are getting on in years are not likely to be listening. My elderly neighbours don't have the technology to record it or use iPlayer. It needs to be broadcast in the daytime too.

Bringing back memories of living in Sheffield during the Strike and having moved there from the East Midlands mining area.

Subject: RE: BBC Radio 2 Ballad of the Miners Strike
From: Dave Sutherland
Date: 03 Mar 10 - 03:01 AM

A most absorbing programme well in the tradition of the original Radio Ballads. Some fine songs too!
Congratulations to all involved.

Subject: RE: BBC Radio 2 Ballad of the Miners Strike
From: Ruth Archer
Date: 03 Mar 10 - 03:07 AM

agreed. Really good.

Subject: RE: BBC Radio 2 Ballad of the Miners Strike
From: peregrina
Date: 03 Mar 10 - 03:12 AM

Yes: it seemed to have a really good integration between the words of the eyewitnesses and the newly composed (&some older) music.
I only regret that there wasn't a bit of contextualization for the music: it would have been nice to have heard some discussion of the role of music at the time, and the songs composed and sung then, and some words about the rationale for the songs commissioned for the show. Still--a full hour of very good radio.

Subject: RE: BBC Radio 2 Ballad of the Miners Strike
From: The Borchester Echo
Date: 03 Mar 10 - 04:18 AM

First, bear in mind that this came from they who brought you Count Arthur Strong. To state the bleedin' obvious, John Leonard is not Charles Parker. Actually, I didn't hear much of it and so will catch it again on the iPlayer. Having located R2 on the bedroom radio, I lay down to listen. Playing was The Organist Entertains and the track, bizarrely, was the Blackpool Tower organist doing Day Trip To Bangor. And apart from a vague recollection of John Tams' voice, the next I knew was a lively rendition of Let's Dance, possibly from the very same theatre organ. It was 12.30. So, I'd slept through it. Did it even mention Orgreave?

Subject: RE: BBC Radio 2 Ballad of the Miners Strike
From: GUEST,Silas
Date: 03 Mar 10 - 04:27 AM

I absoloutly LOVE Count Arthur Strong - one of the best things on radio.

Subject: RE: BBC Radio 2 Ballad of the Miners Strike
From: Dave Sutherland
Date: 03 Mar 10 - 04:58 AM

They did a large section concerning Orgreave which I'm sure you will find most captivating. The song surrounding that bit showed good imagination too.

Subject: RE: BBC Radio 2 Ballad of the Miners Strike
From: Dennis the Elder
Date: 03 Mar 10 - 06:19 AM

A very good programme. Living in a pit Town, being born in a Pit Village in a Pit house and having both granddads who worked down pits all their working lives, it brings back many memouries.
Please does any one have the words for one of the songs featured with the chorus starting "It'll all be over in a fortnight" .
It is a "New song night" at Wath on Sunday and never having sang this one I would like to practice it and sing it.
Wath is also steeped in mining history and is just down the road from what was Corton Wood Colliery, obviously for those that did not know.

Subject: RE: BBC Radio 2 Ballad of the Miners Strike
From: Dave Hanson
Date: 03 Mar 10 - 10:15 AM

On the whole it was excellent, in some places though, just a bit too sympathetic to the scabs and the filth.

Dave H

Subject: RE: BBC Radio 2 Ballad of the Miners Strike
From: r.padgett
Date: 03 Mar 10 - 01:12 PM

I have just posted on the BBC chat about this

I have listened to the whole hour on BBC play back

It is, in my view a land mark piece of audio recordings and songs which is a true reflection of many of the views held during the strike

I applaud all who have taken part in this and trust it will be part of the enduring Radio ballad resources to augment those of Maccoll and Charles Parker

Well done

Ray

Subject: RE: BBC Radio 2 Ballad of the Miners Strike
From: Dennis the Elder
Date: 03 Mar 10 - 01:26 PM

Hi Ray
Have you the words for the song with the chorus starting with It'll all be over in a fortnight featured on the programme?

Subject: RE: BBC Radio 2 Ballad of the Miners Strike
From: George Papavgeris
Date: 03 Mar 10 - 03:14 PM

Excellent programme. Dave H, I don't think the programme makers showed any particular sympathy with the scabs, quite the opposite. But they went out of their way to get as many viewpoints included, without adding comment, which is right and proper. They let the listener draw the conclusions.

My favourite was "When the Judas bus goes by", so evocative...

Subject: RE: BBC Radio 2 Ballad of the Miners Strike
From: GUEST,padgett
Date: 03 Mar 10 - 07:45 PM

Dennis no I havent got round to listening and transcribing this song sung by Bob Fox I think!

Dont tell anyone that I have recorded it to listen to will you!!

Ray

Subject: RE: BBC Radio 2 Ballad of the Miners Strike
From: Dennis the Elder
Date: 04 Mar 10 - 04:24 AM

It will be our secret Ray

Subject: RE: BBC Radio 2 Ballad of the Miners Strike
From: Singing Referee
Date: 04 Mar 10 - 06:49 AM

Couldn't see one anywhere else, so here's a link to the iplayer page

Subject: RE: BBC Radio 2 Ballad of the Miners Strike
From: EnglishFolkfan
Date: 04 Mar 10 - 12:34 PM

Excellent programme indeed, and when the BBC sorts out the current debacle on what Radio stations they intend to keep, change, whatever let us hope the increased emphasis on words intended for Radio 2 means many more programmes in the Ballads format .

I, like many others, have recorded the programme so the songs and words can be repeatedly enjoyed just in case it doesn't make it onto the Radio Ballads website or tragically that website becomes one of those the BBC plan to axe in the planned cutbacks.

Subject: RE: BBC Radio 2 Ballad of the Miners Strike
From: GUEST,Ian Cameron
Date: 05 Mar 10 - 02:06 AM

I listened to and enjoyed the programme very much indeed - really nice to hear so many regional accents that one way and another "normally" get airbrushed into oblivion. Would be really helpful to have posted somewhere in due course all the titles of the nine songs that featured. The lyrics would be helpful too especially for senile eldely ex activists like myself - well not entirely "ex" -not yet. I agree with some points made above about late night transmission etc., With the death of Ian Tomlinson last April for daring to walk home from work in the vicinity of the Boys In Blue their thuggish murderous fun and games are still going on. And no rush tom justice either ... 11 months later and still no charges or court appearences by Tomlinson's killers. Time for a "BALLAD OF TOMLINSON'S G20 MURDER".

Subject: RE: BBC Radio 2 Ballad of the Miners Strike
From: GUEST,John Wintersgill
Date: 05 Mar 10 - 04:43 AM

What a brilliant programme! Does anybody know how (or if) you can get hold of the songs from the programme?

Subject: RE: BBC Radio 2 Ballad of the Miners Strike
From: GUEST,Ed
Date: 05 Mar 10 - 04:53 AM

Does anybody know how (or if) you can get hold of the songs from the programme?

You could record it....

Subject: RE: BBC Radio 2 Ballad of the Miners Strike
From: GUEST,Ralphie
Date: 05 Mar 10 - 04:55 AM

Hi John W
Don't know when (or if) The Miners Strike Radio Ballad is going to be made available for purchase. But, you can get the first 6 on CD. (Just Google Radio Ballads).
If you liked the format of Tuesdays show. then you'll certainlay enjoy the series broadcast a couple of years ago.
Subjects like, The Steel industry, Shipbuilding, HIV, etc. All reflecting life as it is now.
Many of the artists that are on the Miners project can be found there too...
Hope you have a large wallet!

Subject: RE: BBC Radio 2 Ballad of the Miners Strike
From: GUEST,padgett
Date: 05 Mar 10 - 05:36 AM

Check out BBC folk chat for singers and writers etc and the programme is still available on Radio 2 playback, but not for long

Ray

Subject: RE: BBC Radio 2 Ballad of the Miners Strike
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 05 Mar 10 - 08:03 AM

I shall enjoy it more when I have edited out scargill's voice. That man and livingstone whipped up the crowd at the Jubilee Park festival in June 1984, resulting in a gang of skinheads attacking the Hank Wangford Band, badly hurting BJ Cole and smashing equipment.

Subject: RE: BBC Radio 2 Ballad of the Miners Strike
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 05 Mar 10 - 12:49 PM

I missed it but will catch up shortly. I would echo Ralphie, the other recent Radio Ballads were also excellent. Jez Lowe etc really do write some great songs. Seeger, MacColl, Parker et al a very hard act to follow but Jez and the others did, IMHO, just as well. I guess they had good teachers?

L in C

Subject: RE: BBC Radio 2 Ballad of the Miners Strike
From: Geoff the Duck
Date: 05 Mar 10 - 01:22 PM

Skinheads never needed any excuse for violence.
Quack!
GtD.

Subject: RE: BBC Radio 2 Ballad of the Miners Strike
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 05 Mar 10 - 05:08 PM

Mmmmmmm just can't get rid of scargill completely without losing music. Mostly done though!

Subject: RE: BBC Radio 2 Ballad of the Miners Strike
From: Dennis the Elder
Date: 05 Mar 10 - 07:34 PM

Geoff the Duck, you obviously live in an unusual world. The miners strike was nothing to do with skinhead violence, your attitude and obvious knowledge of the situation worries me.
However, on a more positive note, I have transcribed from the radio broadcast the sond which I have called "It'll all be over in a fortnight", not sure what it is actually called!.
It'll all be over in a fortnight

It'll all be over in a fortnight,
Together strong and true
And it'll all be over in a fortnight
Give or take a day or two

We thrashed their team away from home
They won't give us much trouble
We won the game last time we met
Now were going for the double

It'll all be over in a fortnight,
Together strong and true
And it'll all be over in a fortnight
Give or take a day or two

We scuppered Ted Heath's dinghy
And beached him on the sand
Now they think they break the Union
But united we will stand

It'll all be over in a fortnight,
Together strong and true
And it'll all be over in a fortnight
Give or take a day or two

Now the grocer's daughter she's stepped up
She's heading for a shock
Our women don't like bullies
Specially ones who wear a frock

It'll all be over in a fortnight,
Together strong and true
And it'll all be over in a fortnight
Give or take a day or two

It'll all be over in a fortnight,
They'll have to listen when we speak
And it'll all be over in a fortnight
Or perhaps another week.

I love this song and intend, all being well to sing it at the Wath Folk Club on Sunday. It also appears to be an easy song to sing with my limited singing talent.
Ray - this will save you the trouble, if you transcribe any of the other songs please let me know.
Any one else who transcribes any of the other songs this is a good place to post them.

Subject: RE: BBC Radio 2 Ballad of the Miners Strike
From: Joe G
Date: 05 Mar 10 - 07:42 PM

Geoff - maybe wise to explain your comment to avoid misinterpretation

Subject: RE: BBC Radio 2 Ballad of the Miners Strike
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 06 Mar 10 - 07:14 AM

My point was that scargill was a troublemaker, and had a silly hairstyle!

Subject: RE: BBC Radio 2 Ballad of the Miners Strike
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 06 Mar 10 - 07:22 AM

Thsi is dangerous talk, his wife was a hairdresser

Subject: RE: BBC Radio 2 Ballad of the Miners Strike
From: Dave Hanson
Date: 06 Mar 10 - 10:40 AM

You wouldn't think Arthur Scargill was a trouble maker if he was fighting to save YOUR job.

Dave H

Subject: RE: BBC Radio 2 Ballad of the Miners Strike
From: Stu
Date: 06 Mar 10 - 10:54 AM

And less face it, he was right in a sense - the sense being he vastly underestimated the decimation the coal industry was about to suffer.

Subject: RE: BBC Radio 2 Ballad of the Miners Strike
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 06 Mar 10 - 10:59 AM

But coal was finished as a power source. You lose your job, you learn a new trade, you write letters - 100s of them, I did both times I was made redundant. I heard a great deal of working class bigotry and inverted snobbery in that programme!

Subject: RE: BBC Radio 2 Ballad of the Miners Strike
From: GUEST,Ralphie
Date: 06 Mar 10 - 11:08 AM

Interesting Bonzo Old Chap.
Don't recall many songs from that era extolling the virtues of Margaret Thatcher and her policies....?
Did I miss something.

To quote.

There is a green field far away, that used to be a pit.
But know it's just a grassy bank, where picnic parties sit.
And deep beneath their Quiche Lorraine, the ghosts of miners sing.
The politics of selfish gain, has ruined everything.

I thought that the programme was well balanced, and reflected the thoughts and emotions of the people involved at the time. Arthur Scargill, like him or not, was a pivotal participant in those events. You can airbrush him out of history if you want to. Others won't.

Subject: RE: BBC Radio 2 Ballad of the Miners Strike
From: GUEST,Ralphie
Date: 06 Mar 10 - 11:22 AM

Bonzo/Boko...Whoever.
If it's all working class bigotry, and inverted snobbery, why on earth did you bother to listen to it in the first place?
Ah, get it now....You're a fan of the "Home Service". the band , not the Radio station! (and wish you could download recordings of same...(It's called stealing where I come from!)
Sorry to inform you Boko/Bonzo.
The company that performed the music for this programme that you so despise, on the whole have first hand connections with what was the mining industry. They were there...Where were you?
And at the end of the day, It was a fitting resume of the feelings of ordinary people/workers at the time.
I'd get back to campaigning for Mr Cameron if I were you. (or are you off on another trip to sunnier climes?)

Subject: RE: BBC Radio 2 Ballad of the Miners Strike
From: Mavis Enderby
Date: 06 Mar 10 - 12:38 PM

"but coal was finished as a power source"

I don't think that's even remotely true. Maybe it was viewed that way in the eighties with an accountant's eye but I don't think it's finished by a long way - it's too useful a fuel to ignore. As oil and gas become increasingly expensive mines will be re-opened. I can see it happening in my lifetime. It would of course have been easier to have kept an eye on the long term and left the mines open in the first place....

Back on topic, I thought the Ballad of the Miners Strike was excellent and I hope there are more modern radio ballads on the way.

Pete.

Subject: RE: BBC Radio 2 Ballad of the Miners Strike
From: The Sandman
Date: 06 Mar 10 - 01:30 PM

My father put up a number of Kent miners,for 6 months,during the strike.
   did Arthur Scargill,make the right decision? maybe not
but the scabs of the democratic miners didnt save their jobs either.
Thatcher planned this confrontation, as a result of the defeat of the 1974 mining strike.,so Scargill didnt [imo] have much choice.Thatcher was out to smash the NUM
Deputies were part of the mining establishment,they are on the side of the mine owners.

Subject: RE: BBC Radio 2 Ballad of the Miners Strike
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 06 Mar 10 - 02:58 PM

Scargill was fighting the whole of the 'State Machine' - the government, the law, the police, the right wing press. He did have a choice?

Once Notts had decided not to fight it was only time to the defeat.

Her children are on the rise again and if/when they get back the will make the poorest suffer again.

L in C

Subject: RE: BBC Radio 2 Ballad of the Miners Strike
From: akenaton
Date: 06 Mar 10 - 03:09 PM

Scargill was a good man.

The bastards tried everything, even character assasination to discredit him.......he never lost his nerve, but almost everyone around him did, including some of the guys he was fighting for.

Arthur Scargill should be a hero for the left.....but of course, there's no "left" left....Ake

Subject: RE: BBC Radio 2 Ballad of the Miners Strike
From: Dennis the Elder
Date: 06 Mar 10 - 03:24 PM

We can argue about the pros and cons of the miners' strike and Arthur Scargill forever. I was not particularly in favour of the strike or against it, what I was and still am is for the people who were miners and their rights. I stated in a previous post that I live in a pit Town, was born in a Pit Village, in a Pit house and both granddads worked down pits all their working lives", I could be nothing but pro miner. I also know that working down a pit was not a wonderful and easy place to work, but it was a place to work. Unemployment in the town where I live is still way above the national average and this was originally due to the demise of the mining industry and demoralisation of families, where well paid jobs were lost. I had many friends who actually, worked in the mines then and very few now, although quite a few friends who are ex miners.
I do not believe that Arthur Scargill, who I have met, was or is the nicest person in the world, but the theories he quoted then have, in the majority, been proved to be true, unlike the words of the politicians of the time, which have again in the majority been shown to be the opposite.   Living in a mining town was, believe it or not, a good place to live, with a very strong sense of community. The town is the same, but the kindredship and the community have been much reduced. It will never be the same. I know who I blame for this and it is not Arthur Scargill. The main thing that he was guilty of was underestimating the cunning of Margaret Thatcher. He was drawn into a strike at the wrong time of the year and well before it should have started.
I think we should perhaps draw a line under our differences of opinion and concentrate on the wonderful songs that have been the result of the programme. Congratulations to all involved.

Subject: RE: BBC Radio 2 Ballad of the Miners Strike
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 06 Mar 10 - 05:00 PM

You wouldn't think Arthur Scargill was a trouble maker if he was fighting to save YOUR job.

Nobody fought to save my job in 1992 when I was made redundant from Binder Fucking Hamlyn - Chartered Fucking Accountants thankyou very much.

Subject: RE: BBC Radio 2 Ballad of the Miners Strike
From: Bainbo
Date: 06 Mar 10 - 06:34 PM

Well you should have joined a union then, shouldnt you?