The Accident at Bradford Colliery Tuesday February 28th 1956
Words: Peter Ivan Fryman Music: Chris Neale
Mining is the only industry from which the absentee figures are regularly published.
Being usually preoccupied with telling the public of the fabulous wages miners are supposed
to earn not much interest is shown in the conditions under which they are actually earned,
but occasionally the press finds it can enhance its circulation by printing disaster news and
making a fortune out of misfortune
(Repeat last line of each verse, rather than italic version, when singing harmony. Bass for
that line is: C , D, B. Sing 4th verse only when there is no instrumental solo)
As I made my way down the street to the colliery
As I to my work was making my way
I heard the bad news, I heard the men talking
Young Anthony Riley has worked his last day
I shook my head and found nothing to say
Old Emlyn Williams lies dead in the fan house
The roof has caved in and the sides did give way
It's in the newspapers splashed over the headlines
What a big coup the news hounds will pocket this day
All they see in the story is another day’s pay
Willing hands to the rescue of our poor stricken comrades
To lift the big rocks and discover their fate
When comes the next pay day there’ll be a big collection
Not a newspaper owner will be there to donate
No press baron’s money is found on the plate
It's in the newspapers splashed over the headlines
A capital story upon the front page
But there's blood on the girders in Old Parker Fan house
While weeping dependants go with the cortege
They’ve lost so much more than a man’s weekly wage
When the coal merchant calls and you pay your good money
Count well the bags as he lays them aside
You'll be counting the cuts and the knocks and the bruises
- You'll be counting the lives of the men who have died
You'll be counting the lives of the men who have died
You'll be counting the lives of the men who have died