Lyr Add: Between The Wars (Billy Bragg)

Subject: Lyr Add: BETWEEN THE WARS (Billy Bragg)
From: Rt Revd Sir jOhn from Hull
Date: 15 Mar 03 - 08:30 PM

BETWEEN THE WARS
(Billy Bragg)

I was a miner
I was a docker
I was a railwayman
Between the wars
I raised a family in times of austerity
with sweat at the foundry
Between the wars

I paid the union and as times got harder
I looked to the government to help the working man
And they brought prosperity down at the armoury
We're arming for peace, me boys
Between the wars

I kept the faith and I kept voting
Not for the iron fist but for the helping hand
For theirs is a land with a wall around it
And mine is a faith in my fellow man
Theirs is a land of hope and glory
Mine is the green field and the factory floor
Theirs are the skies all dark with bombers
Mine is the peace we knew
Between the wars

Call up the craftsmen
Bring me the draftsmen
Build me a path from cradle to grave
And I'll give my consent to any government
That does not deny a man a living wage

Go find the young men never to fight again
Bring out the banners from the days gone by
Sweet moderation
Heart of this nation
Desert us not,we are
Between the wars

[Written & sung by Billy Bragg}

JE

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VVEf9NefHAo

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Between The Wars
From: michaelr
Date: 15 Mar 03 - 09:21 PM

Thanks for posting this, John, I hadn't heard it before.

"Sweet moderation... desert us not" -- a notable concept!

Cheers,
Michael

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Between The Wars
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 16 Mar 03 - 08:01 PM

Great song - but those lines

"And I'll give my consent to any government
That does not deny a man a living wage"

I'd sooner if it was

"And I'll give no consent to any government
If it denies a man a living wage"

To deserve "consent" to a government, there'd surely be more you'd need than that alone.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Between The Wars
From: Rt Revd Sir jOhn from Hull
Date: 04 Sep 03 - 10:30 PM

i'm not sure exactly when this song was writren , 1980's?
But it's perhaps a reference to the government of the day, abolising the Minimum Wage Legislation?

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Between The Wars
From: Beardy
Date: 05 Sep 03 - 06:53 AM

Written in 1984 in response to Thatcherism's disregard of the working man and to the militaralism evident after the 1982 Falklands conlict and during the 1984 Miners strike. Released on Go Disc on 28 Feb 1985.

Stewart

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Between The Wars
From: Rt Revd Sir jOhn from Hull
Date: 11 Sep 03 - 11:58 AM

Thamks for the info Beardy.john

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Between The Wars
From: Alio
Date: 11 Sep 03 - 12:30 PM

Don't Strawhead sing this one on their Silver Anniversary album?

Ali

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Between The Wars
From: Rt Revd Sir jOhn from Hull
Date: 05 Aug 04 - 08:11 PM

refresh

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Between The Wars
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 05 Aug 04 - 08:34 PM

Good work John.

Has somebody got the tune/chords?

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Between The Wars
From: The Borchester Echo
Date: 05 Aug 04 - 08:45 PM

Back To Basics

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Between The Wars
From: Rt Revd Sir jOhn from Hull
Date: 10 Nov 04 - 10:48 PM

refresh for foolstroup,[and anyone else that wanted chords].

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Between The Wars
From: The Borchester Echo
Date: 11 Nov 04 - 02:46 AM

Oi, I posted the chords on 5 August!

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Between The Wars (Billy Bragg)
From: Scabby Douglas
Date: 11 Nov 04 - 10:01 AM

This song was the subject of an excellent BBC Radio Scotland programme called "Songlines" a month or so ago.

It's not available online (www.bbc.co.uk/radioscotland) any more, but this series was thought-provoking and memorable, featuring among other songs: "Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?", The Freedom Come-All-Ye, and the Billy Bragg song.

If it ever crops up anywhere else on BBC, make sure to listen. It's the best sort of radio- educational, entertaining, absorbing.

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https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0074s75

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Between The Wars (Billy Bragg)
From: Scabby Douglas
Date: 11 Nov 04 - 10:06 AM

Actually - I just checked - it was probably longer ago than a "month or so"...

Subject: ADD: Between The Wars (Billy Bragg)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 23 Nov 19 - 12:21 AM

Here's my transcription. Same words as John posted, but lined up differently for the Rise Again Songbook.

BETWEEN THE WARS
(Billy Bragg)

I was a miner, I was a docker
I was a railwayman Between the wars
I raised a family in times of austerity
With sweat at the foundry Between the wars

I paid the union and as times got harder
I looked to the government to help the working man
And But they brought prosperity down at the armoury
We're arming for peace, me boys Between the wars

I kept the faith and I kept voting
Not for the iron fist but for the helping hand
For theirs is a land with a wall around it
And mine is a faith in my fellow man

Theirs is a land of hope and glory
Mine is the green field and the factory floor
Theirs are the skies all dark with bombers
Mine is the peace we knew Between the wars

Call up the craftsmen, Bring me the draftsmen
Build me a path from cradle to grave
And I'll give my consent to any government
That does not deny a man a living wage

Go find the young men never to fight again
Bring out the banners from the days gone by
Sweet moderation, Heart of this nation
Desert us not, we are Between the wars

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VVEf9NefHAo

Recording by (Bruce) Molsky's Mountain Drifters: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1UMXZP8n5OM

The four-song Between the Wars EP was released by Billy Bragg in 1985. The title track was inspired by the UK miners' strike (1984–1985). The proceeds from sales of the record were donated to the striking miners' fund.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Between The Wars (Billy Bragg)
From: GUEST,Gerry
Date: 23 Nov 19 - 10:35 PM

Nicely recorded by The Young'uns on their 2015 CD, Another Man's Ground.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Between The Wars (Billy Bragg)
From: Mick Pearce (MCP)
Date: 24 Nov 19 - 07:02 AM

A couple of minor corrections Joe:

v1 l3 time not times

v4 l4 And mine is the peace not Mine is the peace

And one more serious change:
v2 l3 But they brought not And they brought, which alters the emphasis considerably.

Mick

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Thanks, Mick. Your third change, but they brought, made it to print, but not the other two.