Hi Sol:

We took some liberties with the song "When the Breakers Go Back on Full Time" whick I believe is included in the George Korson book "Minstrels of the Mine Patch."    Our friends "The Irish Balladeers" kept closer to the original lyrics, but we opted for a more "politically correct" version.

I understand that the original was written as a conversation between two miner's wives discussing the rumor of a return to full time work, to wit: "...Me calico skirt I will trow in the dirt..."

Our version goes:

Chorus:
And it's ah, sure if the news is true,
Me store bill's the first thing I'll pay.
A stuffed parlor suite and a lounge I will buy,
And an organ for Celia(1), hurray!
Me calico shirt I will t'row in the dirt,
In a silk one won't I cut a shine?
And the very first chance, we'll put Patrick (2) in pants,
When the breaker goes back on full time.

Our troubles are o'er Mr. Murphy,
For the ditchman next door tells me straight,
That the mines will start full time on Monday,
That's phat he tells me t'any rate.
Sure the boss he says told him this mornin',
As he was 'bout entrin' the mine,
That the coal is quite scarce around Philly,
So the rumors is work full time.

(Chorus)

I'll ne'er stick me fist in a washtub,
The Chinee man he'll have me trade,
I'll ne'er pick the coal off the slate bank,
We'll buy everything ready made.
We'll dress up our children like gentry(3),
We'll build up a house big and fine,
And we'll move away from our shanty,(4)
When the breakers go back on full time.

(Chorus)

(1) "Celia" is my mother
(2) "Patrick" is a band member's son.
(3) Originally "fairies"
(4) Originally "the Roundheads"

We also omitted the verse:

The Roundheads won't work with me, Paddy,
They say "Too much no good dis place."
They always lose time after payday,
"Tis meself sure that ne'er like that race.
They won't load their cairs off the livel,
They want runnin' chutes, do ye mind?,
But we'll chase them away to the divil,
When the breakers go back on full time.

I've also heard it sung "The Hungaries won't work wit me Paddy..."

We'll be performing at The Anthracite Museum at McDade Park in Scranton at 2:00 on January 23rd to commemorate the 45th annivesary of the Knox Mine disaster. Hope you can make it.

- Ray