Lyr Req: Three Foot Seam (from Gary & Vera Aspey)

Subject: Lyr Req: Workin in the three foot seam
From: Mr Happy
Date: 13 Dec 02 - 08:08 AM

hi all

anyone have the rest of these words?

the chorus goes:

'workin in the 3ft seam,
well i tell you boys that life is not a dream
theres no joy to be found when you'tre 2ft underground
and you're workin in the 3ft seam'

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Workin in the three foot seam
From: Banjo-Flower
Date: 13 Dec 02 - 08:53 AM

Is this the one recorded by Gary & Vera Aspey if so i'll try to find them for you

Gerry

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Workin in the three foot seam
From: GUEST,paulo
Date: 13 Dec 02 - 11:30 AM

I don't know all the words - but shouldn't the third line given be "when your 2 miles underground"

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Workin in the three foot seam
From: Bobert
Date: 13 Dec 02 - 12:18 PM

Well, this may or may not help but there is a song entitled "Thirty Inch Coal" about men who enter mine shafts on the bob sled kind of thing that rides on rails and takes miners deep into the coal mines and the coal is brought out thru the same 30" openings...

I know that Sparky and Rhonda Rucker do the song. If you don't have any luck, PM me and I will give you their email address and you can ask Sparky...

Bobert

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Workin in the three foot seam
From: GUEST,Q
Date: 13 Dec 02 - 01:53 PM

Heard the song, but can't locate yet.
The song about the Thirty-Inch Coal is in thread 11738: Thirty-Inch Coal

Some good coal song at this site (but not the one you want): Coal Mine Songs

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Workin in the three foot seam
From: GUEST,Q
Date: 13 Dec 02 - 01:59 PM

Here is one of the ballads, by Ewan McColl; The Springhill Disaster: Springhill Disaster
Guitar tabs included

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Workin in the three foot seam
From: GUEST,Q
Date: 13 Dec 02 - 02:07 PM

By leaving out the e in guitaretab, we got the commercial site. Try again (www.guitaretab.com/m/mccoll-ewan/11509.htm): Springhill Disaster

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Workin in the three foot seam
From: GUEST,Q
Date: 13 Dec 02 - 02:22 PM

Peggy Seegar worked a version with Ewan McColl: Spring Hill

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Workin in the three foot seam
From: Mr Happy
Date: 14 Dec 02 - 07:52 AM

Banjo-Flower,



yes, its the Gary & Vera Aspey song i'm looking for. thanks.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Workin in the three foot seam
From: Banjo-Flower
Date: 14 Dec 02 - 09:49 AM

Mr Happy

I'm nearly sure i've got it on vynyl tucked away in the dusty attic somewhere However I've got a very busy weekend on so if you could be patient i'll get back to you

Gerry

Subject: Lyr Add: THE THREE FOOT SEAM
From: RolyH
Date: 14 Dec 02 - 04:39 PM

THE THREE FOOT SEAM (trad Aspey)

Chorus
Working in a three foot seam
Well I'll tell you boys this life is not a dream
There's no joy to be found
When you're two miles underground
And you're working in a three foot seam

Now don't you think they're making you a gift
They pay a bloody pittance for a shift
While you're sweating out your soul
And for every ton of coal
There's a ton of dirt and rock you have to shift

Chorus

Up above the ground the weather may be fine
But you're stuck there where the sun don't ever shine
And you're crawling like a rat
And in your heart you're wishing that
You were any place except down in the mine

Chorus

Bad conditions have prevailed for far too long
So join the unions then we cannot be far wrong
And together we can tell
The bosses GO TO HELL
For the unions voice is many thousands strong

Chorus

From the album 'From the North' Gary and Vera Aspey (12TS255)

Sleeve notes
The song is said to have been written at the time when the Lancashire Miners Federation was just being formed,1893-6,though other reports have dated it as far back as 1866.Our thanks to John Smethurst and Chris Cheetham,our sorce for this song.

I can't find any record of this album being released on CD,so it is probaly unavialable until Topic decide differently.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Workin in the three foot seam
From: Mr Happy
Date: 14 Dec 02 - 05:01 PM

RolyH [&Banjo-Flower]


thankyou, thankyou, thankyou, so much!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Workin in the three foot seam
From: RolyH
Date: 14 Dec 02 - 05:26 PM

Just trying to save Banjo-Flower a trip up the attic.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Workin in the three foot seam
From: Mr Happy
Date: 14 Dec 02 - 05:39 PM

cheeers- thanks 2 u both again! 8-]

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Workin in the three foot seam
From: Banjo-Flower
Date: 14 Dec 02 - 07:09 PM

Well thats me redundant again best wishes to you both

Gerry

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Workin in the three foot seam
From: Gareth
Date: 14 Dec 02 - 07:12 PM

Mmmm ! a 3 foot seam !!! Old colliers might think it a blessing.

Thread drift warning

Many years ago, on my 18th Birthday, me father and I were drinking in a Miners Welfare in Pontypriddd, many of me old mans old buttys were with us (He had gotten out of the pits by then) - and in the conversation and the beer I remarked that I "had never been below" (copyright Max Boyce).

The beer had flown, I was drunk, and sure enough Emlyn Hughes, an NUM official, said he would take me down the "Lady Windsor" at Ynysybwl in two days time.

It was interesting. This was not the tourist tour, all the tricks were played, including haveing the stone dust fire traps dropped on me.

Emlyns happiest moment was making me crawl down a 2 1/2 foot seam, and I was a lot fitter and slimmer in those days. It hurt. The only thing missing was the trick of sending the cutter down the face after me.

I learnt afterwards that my father had given Emlyn strict instructions that I was to bve given the works to cure me of any romantic feelings about the life of a collier. It worked.

3 foot seams ?? This Catter has wriggled down a 2 and a half foot seam. And has no intention of doing it for a living.

NB 2 1/2 is the distance roof to floor, the props and lining account for another 3 to 6 inches.

These days?? The Lady Windsor is closed, and is a trading estate with factory units to let. And Emlyn died, coughing, the dust had him.

Gareth.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Workin in the three foot seam
From: Big Tim
Date: 15 Dec 02 - 03:13 PM

Matt McGinn's "Coorie Doon" also has the line "working in a three foot seam".

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Workin in the three foot seam
From: Mr Happy
Date: 15 Dec 02 - 03:47 PM

three foot seam?- LUXURY!! we had to work in seams only 2ft high! 8-]

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Workin in the three foot seam
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 16 Dec 02 - 10:39 AM

2ft seams? BLOODY luxury. When I was a lad we had to work in seams so small we had t'take our arms legs and heads off to just get in 'em. We had to work 42 hours a day with no breaks, retire at 176 and pay t'pit owner for the right to work! Pit head baths? HAH! All we had were a small stoat to lick us clean wi'it's tongue.

Tell the kids nowadays and they don't belive yer...

Cheers

Dave the Gnome

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Workin in the three foot seam
From: paulo
Date: 16 Dec 02 - 12:35 PM

I've got a vague memory of this song being on an album by the Ian Campbell Folk Group (about early '60s) but I would have to go in the attic to check.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Workin in the three foot seam
From: RolyH
Date: 16 Dec 02 - 05:59 PM

I've gotta get one of these here 'attics'

The only mining tracks I can find by The Ian Campbell Folk Group are

'Down in the Coal Mine' on 'This is the Ian Campbell Folk Group' (TRA 110)
'The Collier Laddie' on 'Across the Hills' (TRA 118)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Workin in the three foot seam
From: Gareth
Date: 16 Dec 02 - 06:16 PM

Ahh Dave, nice to know the spirit of the Union of 'Democratic' Miners is still alive.

Gareth

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Workin in the three foot seam
From: Suffet
Date: 16 Sep 06 - 01:35 PM

Greetings:

I am bringing this ancient thread back to life to let everyone know that I just recorded Three Foot Seam, a song I learned from my good friend Anne Price. Anne's own version is on her most recent CD, Remember Me. My version will be on my next CD, I've Been Up On the Mountain, scheduled for release March 10, 2007, at the Peoples' Voice Cafe in New York City. Until then, you are welcome to listen to it on-line or download it for free from my SoundClick music page. Here's a link. It's the first song up.

That's me on the Appalachian dulcimer and Gina Tlamsa on the fiddle. The chorus is made up of People's Music Network members Chris Lang, Ray Korona, Jody Kolodzey, Heather Lev, Bruce Markow, Joel Landy, Eric Levine, and, of course, Anne Price.

Enjoy!

--- Steve

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Workin in the three foot seam
From: Rumncoke
Date: 16 Sep 06 - 05:43 PM

In 'The Dalesman's litany' there is a mention of Barnsley pits, where the seams were so tight that there was no room to use a shovel.

The coal was moved on sams. They are a sort of scoop.

Hence 'I sammed up coals in Barnsley pits with muck up to my knee'

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Workin in the three foot seam
From: GUEST,Susanne (skw), temporarily cookieless
Date: 17 Sep 06 - 05:34 AM

Who was here with a mile of rock above him,
Three foot seam in the darkeness crouching
Stinging sweat in his eyes,
Powdered rock in his spittle
One hundred minutes to the hour?

(from Ewan MacColl, Kilroy Was Here)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Workin in the three foot seam
From: Suffet
Date: 17 Sep 06 - 11:50 PM

So, has anyone listened to my new recording of Three Foot Seam yet? Comments and suggestions are welcome before the engineer does the final mixing, which should be some time this coming week. See message of 16 Sep 06 - 01:35 PM for a clickable link.

Thanks.

--- Steve

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Workin in the three foot seam
From: Suffet
Date: 18 Apr 07 - 05:31 PM

You can also find my version Three Foot Seam on Mark Gregory's Union Songs website based in Australia. Just click here.

--- Steve

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Workin in the three foot seam
From: Jim Lad
Date: 18 Apr 07 - 05:51 PM

You were lucky. We used to hear tales of 3ft seams where I worked as a lad. "Down in Yorkshire or Newcastle" they used to say "Coal seams there as high as 3ft.. Can you imagine that?" The biggest I worked in was 26 inches. True story.
Jim

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Three Foot Seam (from Gary & Vera Aspey)
From: 2581
Date: 30 Sep 11 - 04:44 PM

In addition to the versions by Anne Price & Steve Suffett, I have a fine a cappella version by The Johnson Girls - from their album "Fire Down Below". And there are plenty of three foot seams still being worked in eastern Kentucky...