Songs about Aberfan (1966 mining disaster)

Subject: RE: Songs about Aberfan (1966 mining disaster)
From: Tug the Cox
Date: 26 Oct 10 - 07:35 PM

Haven't searched the whole thread, but when I was a kid, there some really sick parodies of then current pop tunes.

Subject: Lyr Add: ABERFAN (David Ackles)
From: Reinhard
Date: 27 Oct 10 - 01:54 AM

Ther is a David Ackles blog that has the lyrics of his song Aberfan, but with a few small errors. I think the lyrics are:

It was rainy in the morning as the men left for the mine,
Past the schoolyard in the morning.
At the colliery production charts read, “Men, we're doing fine,”
As the rain fell in the morning.
The cold board said your number seven tip will stay in line,
It's been two years this morning.
But no-one told the children of Aberfan.

One hundred and sixteen caps and shawls
Danced the halls of the school-house.
While the grown-up inspectors drank their tea
In the safe, dry lee of the tool-house
As the rain fell in the morning on Aberfan.

Did no-one hear the stones move when the tip began to fall?
Did no-one feel the slag shake? Was no-one there at all?
They were on the phone for Swansea taking orders for more,
They were going about their business, minding the store,
And five minutes later, they were asking, “What for?”

The call for silence hushed the crowd
Who searched the clouds for answers.
While they listened for life and held their breath
The sound of death held the dancers
As the rain fell in the morning on Aberfan.

But no-one told the children,
But no-one told the children.
And it's always the children.

By the way, Ackles' LP Five & Dime was reissued in 2004 by Raven Records as Five & Dime ...Plus with some additional cover versions by e.g. Martin Carthy and The Hollies.

Subject: RE: Songs about Aberfan (1966 mining disaster)
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 27 Oct 10 - 09:50 AM

I have read the summary of the Aberfan slide at Wikipedia. It seems to be an accurate and well-written account.

The horror of the landslide is terrible. What's even worse is the arrogance of the National Coal Board - its careless handling of the mine spoil and its refusal to listen to protests.

I don't think that either of these things can or should be covered in a song. Some things are just too awful to write a song about.

Subject: RE: Songs about Aberfan (1966 mining disaster)
From: richd
Date: 27 Oct 10 - 08:09 PM

Yup.
I think you right leenia

I think you can write sings about what your reactions are to it & how it affected you personally
but beyond that I think it is profound arrogance.

'Caps and shawls' F*** me thats crap. Trying to write like you were there is just so wrong.

"past the schoolyard in the morning"- only if they lived in the Grove and walked along the bank.

'The dancers...' where to start, oh boy.

"phone to Swansea" eh? What's swanea got to do with it. Swansea got its own problems.

Pretend you are making a good old fashioned documentary film and check out what you write. It's not like it's a hundred years ago.

It matters.

PS whats worse was the money they took to clear the tips. Not long paid back- by the Welsh Assembly Government.

Subject: RE: Songs about Aberfan (1966 mining disaster)
From: GUEST,Warwick Slade
Date: 28 Oct 10 - 08:10 AM

I may make myself unpopular here but I think to say that a song writer who writes a song about a current (then) disaster is profoundly arrogant is profoundly arragant. There are so many songs throughout history that cover mine disasters, fishing disasters and the like, many are inaccurate in their facts, but they are not questioned and enjoyed for what that are-songs. They are definatly not documentary accounts. There is a thing called poetic licence which has been used by all the great poets and songsters.
I feel some people are so far up their oral tradition they forget other people see things in a different and equally relevant way.
It's good to know the Folk Police are there to tell us how to think.

Subject: RE: Songs about Aberfan (1966 mining disaster)
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 28 Oct 10 - 11:04 AM

I agree with you, Slade. I wouldn't call that song arrogant.

Foolish, bratty, smug, cliche-ridden - yes. Arrogant, no.

It was the National Coal Board and its employees whose arrogance led to the tragedy. And they don't even get a mention in the song.

Subject: RE: Songs about Aberfan (1966 mining disaster)
From: GUEST,Dave Collins
Date: 08 Dec 10 - 06:13 PM

My song is now posted on Utube. Just search for 'Dave Collins, Aberfan' and you'll find it.

Subject: RE: Songs about Aberfan (1966 mining disaster)
From: GUEST,Don Wise
Date: 26 Jan 13 - 03:52 AM

I'll admit to writing a song about Aberfan...I felt it wasn't up to scratch so it eventually landed on the waste tip...

Subject: Lyr Add: BUFFALO CREEK & ABERFAN (Peter Britton)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 06 May 13 - 12:25 PM

This song relates Aberfan to another disaster with a similar cause:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buffalo_Creek_Flood


BUFFALO CREEK & ABERFAN
as sung by Peter Britton on "Coal Train to Amos"
and by The By God Geezers on "HollowGirl" (I believe it is the same recording.)

1. The impoundment's up there tickin', slidin' down through time.
Trees an' rocks an' dirt an' coal create a toxic slime.
Gravity's the enemy for the angle of repose,
Just waitin' on the deluge to obliterate the rose(rows? roads?).

CHORUS: Buffalo Creek and Aberfan—
Think on them if you can.
They're no mistake, no act of God,
Just tactics of the new coal-minin' man.

2. Up and down this valley, they're failing as we speak,
Starting in to slump and creep and fart and belch and leak.
When they do let go, they'll kill us folks and schools.
Now they spit right in your face, those fat-cat toxic goons(ooze?).

BRIDGE: They're playin' with a fire that could kill our children dead,
Arrogance and ignorance, manipulating dread.

REPEAT CHORUS.

Subject: Lyr Add: ABERFAN (Filthy Thieving Bastards)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 06 May 13 - 01:20 PM

I inserted dashes to indicate pauses in the lyrics that go on for a beat or more—something I usually don't do, but in this song I think you might have a hard time fitting the lyrics to the tune if you don't know where the pauses come.


ABERFAN
As sung by Filthy Thieving Bastards on "A Melody of Retreads and Broken Quills" (2001)

1. [We've] suffered in our valleys—these valleys of hard toil,
Witnessed gross injustices—that cause men's blood to boil,
Seen those blue-scarred faces, those emblems of the mine,
And lived with death and tragedy every day—in our time.

2. Buried many comrades—young victims of the dust,
Who gave their lives for families—just to earn a daily crust,
Comforted the little ones whose hearts were on the rack,
Mourning for a father who went—and came not back.

3. Seen faces burnt to cinders—and limbs torn apart,
Shared the grief and sorrow—of many a broken heart,
But now those coal diamonds have done their darkest deed
And made little children pay the price—for lust and greed.

4. A fumarole of industry stood on the mountainside.
The black and deadly killer—waits for its deadly slide,
Waiting for its victims to enter into class,
To crush their little bodies 'neath the nine tons** of morass.

5. Eighty* little innocents—were laid beneath the clay.
Their only sin in life—was bein' young and gay,
Put to rest together beneath a giant cross of flowers,
And the tears will form in all our eyes for many—many hours.

[* I don't know why he says only 80. Actually, 116 children and 28 adults were killed.]
[** 9 tons sounds like a ridiculously low estimate—or am I mishearing something?]

Subject: Lyr Add: ABERFAN (Laura Siersma)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 06 May 13 - 01:37 PM

ABERFAN
As sung by Laura Siersma on "Love Flows Like the Blood of a River" (2003)

In the small Welsh town of Aberfan for days the rain did fall.
Down on the heart of Aberfan the mountain began to crawl.
Little children of Aberfan were in their school that day
When the big coal mountain above them high began to rumble and sway.

CHORUS: When the big coal mountain of rock and slag began to rumble down,
It buried the children in the ground in a town called Aberfan,
In a town called Aberfan.

They worked with their picks all through the day, dug with their shovels and hands,
Kept on diggin' all through the night, in a town called Aberfan.
They dug two trenches for their graves, placed green bracken round.
The dead they numbered eighty and one, and they laid them in the ground. CHORUS

No more do the meadows ring with song; no laughter fills the air.
Autumn days are gray with gloom; no children are playin' there.

Subject: RE: Songs about Aberfan (1966 mining disaster)
From: GUEST,Lavengro
Date: 07 May 13 - 07:11 AM

Being from this neck of the woods (south Wales) I have written some songs about its industrial heritage including mining. But I just couldn't bring myself to put ink to paper about Aberfan.

Not sure why? Because it was mostly children lost? (there have been plenty of children killed in mining disasters). Because it is too close to home (hasn't stopped me before)Because I worked many years after with a survivor of that day? (not sure)

I think it is probably fear of doing a dis-service to the many survivors and relatives of those lost. I think I could only do it by completing the song and then doing the rounds to those involved to get their blessing, or otherwise. So I understand some of the comment above. Far easier to write about something 200 years plus ago isn't it?

Subject: Lyr Add: DAVEY'S DREAMS (Greg & Val Hastings)
From: Bugsy
Date: 08 May 13 - 03:21 AM

Here's the words to "Davey' Dreams" a beautiful song about the Aberfan disaster, written by Greg Hastings.

DAVEY'S DREAMS

'Twas a cold October morning
The air is was so clear
The children playing in the street
Were free from care and fear
"Davey hurry on boy,
Or again you will be late"
As the wind brought sounds of ringing bells
From Pantglas' stone gate

He hurried through the schoolyard
Through chattering voice and screams
Wondering what today would bring
And of tomorrows dreams
His school work had just started
When that black hill broke away
And with a roar a deathly roar
Brought to an end that day.

For his dreams, they have gone
His dreams, they have gone away


It rumbled down the hillside
The school lay in its path
They may have heard it coming
Tut were powerless to move
It cut its way through tree and fern
Covering the grass
Until it met the walls
Of little Pantglas

The sturdy school walls crumbled,
They had no time to run
Davey's dreams were ended
That day in Aberfan
There did not seem a reason
or time to qwuestion why
Fate had destined Davey
To bid his dreams goodbye

For his dreams, they have gone
His dreams, they have gone away

'Twas a cold October morning
The air was so still
But for the sound of shovels
Upon that blackened hill
A weeping mother with bleeding hands
Clawed at that coal so black
A million tears and all her prayers
won't bring her wee son back

To take one so young Oh God
To take him now from me
A scar will be left here
For all eternity
I stood there on that morning
And my tears flowed free
For little Davey's mother
And the dreams he would not see

For his dreams, they have gone
His dreams, they have gone away.

Cheers

Bugsy


From the 1985 album
WINDSTORM SP001
Greg & Val Hastings
(C) Sweetpea Musical Promotions

Subject: RE: Songs about Aberfan (1966 mining disaster)
From: GUEST,Mobo
Date: 19 Dec 13 - 05:21 PM

Hi

I always remember the really moving song I think some people keep referring to. My dad told me all about the disaster when I was young. As a child I kept replaying the song on his vinyl as it evoked something within me. I can't find an original audio copy worse luck but the album it's from is:

Bryn Yemm GATEWAY TO SONG with the Morriston Orpheus Choir - Aberfan

Hope this helps

Mobo

Subject: RE: Songs about Aberfan (1966 mining disaster)
From: GUEST,Mobo
Date: 19 Dec 13 - 05:33 PM

Just found its available for MP3 download:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Aberfan/dp/B004PCUX24/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1387491846&sr=8-3-fkmr0&keywords=bryn+yemm+gateway+o+song


Cheers

Subject: RE: Songs about Aberfan (1966 mining disaster)
From: GUEST,Alison Johnson
Date: 21 Oct 15 - 02:04 PM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MWy3tRrF1xE

Subject: RE: Songs about Aberfan (1966 mining disaster)
From: Leadfingers
Date: 22 Oct 18 - 03:47 AM

I shall sing Bernie Fairlamb's song tonight at Herga !

Subject: RE: Songs about Aberfan (1966 mining disaster)
From: The Sandman
Date: 23 Oct 18 - 04:54 AM

Palaces of Gold was originally written by Leon Rosselson in response to the Aberfan Disaster of 1966 in which a coalmine's spoilheap collapsed on to a school

Subject: RE: Songs about Aberfan (1966 mining disaster)
From: GUEST,Marion
Date: 13 Sep 19 - 11:52 AM

Can't you hear the rain is falling
From the sky so full of sorrow.
Clouds are weeping for the children,
Children of Aberfan.

There must be more, but that's the only extra bit I can remember at the moment.

Subject: RE: Songs about Aberfan (1966 mining disaster)
From: GUEST,Starship
Date: 14 Sep 19 - 11:00 PM

Dave Collins’ song about the giant which comes to life is far more potent when watched. It shows workers digging in the wreckage of the school where 116 children died, passing pails of rubble along a human chain, a police officer bringing outa child’s body and then the Aberfan cemetery.The “Children of Aberfan” is even more graphic: it shows the grim faces of the families watching the bodies being carried out from the wreckage, men, some wearing miner’s hats digging in the wreckage, a class photo of the children in the school and then a long open grave filled with a row of tiny coffins and finally the row of tombstones on the hillside.The words like a television script not describing what happening but bringing meaning to the visuals:

What is the noise from round the mountain?
Voices of the men who toil with their hands
Scratching in the wet mud, searching for the children,
Children of Aberfan

Can you hear the rain is falling?
From the skies all full of sorrow,
clouds are weeping for the children,
Children of Aberfan.

That is from

https://ziladoc.com/download/music-for-remembering-words-and-images-of-mass_pdf

Subject: RE: Songs about Aberfan (1966 mining disaster)
From: GUEST
Date: 14 Sep 19 - 11:26 PM

Dave Collins' "Children of Aberfan"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JLNSLjeGm3g

Subject: RE: Songs about Aberfan (1966 mining disaster)
From: GUEST,Dennis
Date: 02 Dec 19 - 09:04 PM

The Strawbs - Not all the flowers grow. It doesn't mention the town but the song is definitely about the disaster
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UdRwmoPyBU8

Very touching song, can't even imagine the horror of that day.

Subject: RE: Songs about Aberfan (1966 mining disaster)
From: GUEST,Harper
Date: 01 Nov 23 - 05:25 PM

Sorry if this breaks etiquette by reviving an ancient thread, but someone asked about Bernie, he passed away some time ago, I used to work with him. Sadly I don't know the exact date, as I happened only to enquire if anyone remembered him in a meeting a year or so ago. He moved to America.

I also have an album of his 'Life's Work', where there's a recording of his version of Aberfan.

Subject: RE: Songs about Aberfan (1966 mining disaster)
From: GeoffLawes
Date: 01 Nov 23 - 07:33 PM

Link to post SONGS ABOUT THE ABERFAN DISASTER in Mudcat Thread Any October Songs?     /mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=170379&messages=181#aberfan:~:text=Subject%3A%20RE%3A%20Any%20October%20Songs%3F%0AFrom%3

Subject: RE: Songs about Aberfan (1966 mining disaster)
From: GUEST,Harper
Date: 01 Nov 23 - 05:25 PM

Sorry if this breaks etiquette by reviving an ancient thread, but someone asked about Bernie, he passed away some time ago, I used to work with him. Sadly I don't know the exact date, as I happened only to enquire if anyone remembered him in a meeting a year or so ago. He moved to America.

I also have an album of his 'Life's Work', where there's a recording of his version of Aberfan.

Subject: RE: Songs about Aberfan (1966 mining disaster)
From: GeoffLawes
Date: 01 Nov 23 - 07:33 PM

Link to post SONGS ABOUT THE ABERFAN DISASTER in Mudcat Thread Any October Songs?     /mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=170379&messages=181#aberfan:~:text=Subject%3A%20RE%3A%20Any%20October%20Songs%3F%0AFrom%3