The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #163536 Message #3903355
Posted By: Joe Offer
02-Feb-18 - 02:34 AM
Thread Name: Lyr Req:The Image of God (One Miner's Life insert)
Subject: ADD:The Image of God (One Miner's Life insert)
OK, so here's my attempt at a transcription of the Battlefield Band recording. Questionable parts marked with question marks
ONE MINER'S LIFE / THE IMAGE OF GOD (Ed Pickford / Joe Corrie)
Now you are born, another to feed Small are your wants lad, but great is your need For the work is scarce, your dad's on the dole And they want no more men 'cause they've got too much coal
Now you're a lad, you play in the street Fish in [Fishin'] the burn and performin' great feats While the pitheaps stand [pithead stands??], markin' the graves Of miners and sons and the lives that they gave
CHORUS Who knows who you're crying for Who knows who made us so poor Who knows what you're going to do Who knows what's in store for you
Now you've left school, a man at thirteen Your mother is grim as she looks at the scene As she makes your bait [bed?], you're off down below And away to the pit with your father you go
CHORUS
Now you're a man, you work in the mine With fightin' and strugglin', you're old 'fore your time For the work is hard, conditions are bad And you promised your sons all that you've never had
CHORUS
Crawlin' aboot like a snail in the mud, Covered wi' clammy blae, ME, made after the image o' God - Is that no' laughable, tae.
Howkin' away at a mountain o' stane, Gaspin' for want o' air, The sweat makin' streams doon my bare back-bane, And my knees a' hauckit and sair.
Strainin' and cursin' the hale shift through, Half-starved, half-blin', half-mad, And the gaffer he says, "Less dirt in that coal Or ye go up the pit, my lad."
So I gie my life tae the Nimmo squad For eicht and fower a day. Me! Made after the image o' God - Is that no' laughable, tae.
With the muck in my nails and a lungful of dust I work in the dark all the day So pardon me then if I don't gi' a smile I'm made in His image, you see.
Now you are old, you've worked all you can But they're closin' the pits and it's part of their plan It's to cut out the waste, make the mines pay So to hell wi' you now lad, best be on your way