Lyr Req: Close the Coalhouse Door (Alex Glasgow)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Close the Coalhouse Door (Alex Glasgow)
From: Paul Burke
Date: 01 Nov 11 - 04:14 PM

BBC2 Wedneday Play: Close The Coalhouse Door
Transmitted : 22nd October 1969
Script : Alan Plater from a story by Sid Chaplin
Director : Bill Hays
This episode enjoyed a repeat broadcast on September 23rd, 1970.

I can't remember whether I saw the 1969 or 1970 transmission.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Close the Coalhouse Door (Alex Glasgow)
From: GUEST
Date: 01 Nov 11 - 02:21 PM

I just hunted for this after listening to the hauntingly beautiful version by the Unthanks on their latest album - 'Last'. It's wonderful.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Close the Coalhouse Door (Alex Glasgow)
From: Dennis the Elder
Date: 25 Sep 11 - 06:56 AM

What I consider to be the best version of this song is by New Heritage (Keith Marsden and Brian Senior) on their album "All Manner of Things"

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Close the Coalhouse Door (Alex Glasgow)
From: GUEST,P Wilson
Date: 25 Apr 11 - 02:41 AM

I heard this at a folk night in Durham in 1982, not as a song but as a poem. The lad that recited it said his dad had told him it as a boy and that it was about the Trimdon mining disaster (http://www.durhamrecordsonline.com/literature/TrimdonDisaster.html). His rendition was so moving I searched for over 25 years to find the words. I love the Internet for this alone!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Close the Coalhouse Door (Alex Glasgow)
From: GUEST,
Date: 09 Apr 11 - 05:57 AM

In case this thread is still active - there is a gorgeous verion of this song on the new cd 'Last' by The Unthanks who also played it when I saw them in Liverpool this week. Extremely moving.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Close the Coalhouse Door (Alex Glasgow)
From: Roughyed
Date: 06 Mar 11 - 10:55 AM

It was on the television in the late sixties which is when I remember the song from because it moved me so much I found it again years later when I began performing. I would estimate it would have been around 1968 when it was on the BBC but I could be a couple of years out either way.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Close the Coalhouse Door (Alex Glasgow)
From: Richard Mellish
Date: 05 Mar 11 - 04:21 PM

GUEST,docmolo said
"I saw the original BBC play and it shook me to the core."

I don't know when it could have been seen.

I heard most of it as a radio play, early in 1972. I missed the beginning, so I wasn't sure at first quite what I was listening to. Also on that very day my parents were helping me pack up to move house, so I was more than somewhat occupied. If I had known in advance not only that it was going to be on but how good it was, I might have taped it. Just one of the many missed opportunities that life is full of.

The bit that stuck most in my mind was not one of the serious themes but the repeated trotting out of a list of names, near the end of which came (I think) Mickey Mouse and (certainly) Pluto, a name which sounds wonderful in a Geordie accent.

Richard

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Close the Coalhouse Door (Alex Glasgow)
From: GUEST,organick
Date: 05 Mar 11 - 09:17 AM

Brilliant new version of this song by the Unthanks on their new album"Last"

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Close the Coalhouse Door (Alex Glasgow)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 05 Nov 10 - 08:26 PM

MIDI added.
Also see Jon Boden's A FolkSong a Day.

---

Click to play

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Close the Coalhouse Door (Alex Glasgow)
From: GUEST,Anne
Date: 16 Oct 10 - 11:45 AM

The Wilsons sang it at the mining songs concert at Whitby folk festival this year, Fantastic!!!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Close the Coalhouse Door (Alex Glasgow)
From: GUEST,docmolo
Date: 15 Oct 10 - 07:26 PM

I saw the original BBC play and it shook me to the core.

I wish I could find a copy of it.

In answer to an early comment in this thread, the play and the song pre-dated Abervan by a long time, I believe.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Close the Coalhouse Door (Alex Glasgow)
From: Rumncoke
Date: 12 Oct 09 - 06:05 PM

My father's mother was a Wilson - but they were steam engine tenterers, no one in my immediate family has been a miner - yet when I hear the siren go in those old pit disaster films all my hair stands on end.

I was brought up in Barnsley, South Yorkshire as it is now.

Anne Croucher

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Close the Coalhouse Door (Alex Glasgow)
From: GUEST,jessy246
Date: 12 Oct 09 - 05:49 PM

just buy the book of the play. Its all in there. Try eBay or Amazon etc. About £8 I think

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Close the Coalhouse Door (Alex Glasgow)
From: Surreysinger
Date: 24 Jul 09 - 08:39 AM

How strange - my friend only mentioned yesterday that she remembered the Fagans singing this in Sidmouth Parish Church at the festival a few years ago, and wanted the tune (and words). However, she wanted the notation of the tune (not a midi), which doesn't seem to be on here. Does anyone have a link to it at all?

Subject: Chords Add: CLOSE THE COALHOUSE DOOR (Alex Glasgow
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 23 Jul 09 - 05:16 PM

(Am)Close the (G)coalhouse (Am)door, (Dm) lad.

There's (Am)blood in(G)si(Am)de,

(Am)Blood from broken (Em)hands and (Dm)feet,

(Am)Blood that's dried on (Em)pit-black (Dm)meat,

(Am)Blood from hearts that (Em)know no (Dm)beat.

(Am)Close the (G)coalhouse (Am)door, (Dm)lad.

There's (Am)blood in(G)si(Am)de.




I learned it from a recording of the Elliott Family.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Close the Coalhouse Door (Alex Glasgow)
From: GUEST,Bob
Date: 23 Jul 09 - 11:12 AM

Hi Sam, check out the Wilson Family website www.thewilsonfamilyalbum.co.uk Thier new album 'A Grey Lock Or Two' has 'Close The Coal House Door' on it.
Bob.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Close the Coalhouse Door (Alex Glasgow)
From: GUEST,Ben Godwin
Date: 22 Jul 09 - 12:37 PM

Nice to see there's still some activity on this thread! My family were miners (3 generations back) and my father acted in this play in the 70s. I rearranged the tune for use with my band- does anyone know how I would go about getting permission to use the words in a recording? [e-mail]

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Close the Coalhouse Door (Alex Glasgo
From: Weasel
Date: 01 May 09 - 06:36 PM

I've just noticed how old this thread is! Sorry, I thought it was recent.

Cheers,

Weasel

Subject: Chords Add: CLOSE THE COALHOUSE DOOR (Alex Glasgow
From: Weasel
Date: 01 May 09 - 03:51 PM

Right, the spacing hasn't worked so the chords are in the wrong place. Let's try again. the chord changes on the syllable following the chord symbol.


(Am)Close the (C)coalhouse (G)door, lad. There's (Am)blood inside,

(Am)Blood from broken (G)hands and feet,

(Am)Blood that's dried on (G)pit-black meat,

(Am)Blood from hearts that (G)know no beat.

(Am)Close the (C)coalhouse (G)door, lad. There's (Am)blood inside.


Hope this works better.

Cheers

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Close the Coalhouse Door (Alex Glasgo
From: Weasel
Date: 01 May 09 - 03:48 PM

I Can't remember what key it was in but this was the chord sequence in the script of the play I used to borrow from our local library back in the early 70s.


Am         C       G                  Am
Close the coalhouse door, lad. There's blood inside,
Am                G
Blood from broken hands and feet,
Am                   G
Blood that's dried on pit-black meat,
Am                      G
Blood from hearts that know no beat.
Am         C         G                Am
Close the coalhouse door, lad. There's blood inside.

Cheers

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Close the Coalhouse Door'
From: TheBigPinkLad
Date: 28 Apr 06 - 12:08 PM

Can anyone offer chords?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Close the Coalhouse Door'
From: jojofolkagogo
Date: 28 Apr 06 - 11:08 AM

RICHARD

DONT YOU DARE CHANGE A THING !!!

Hope to hear it tonight (Fri 29/04) at Sweeps   (at GI)

Thanks Richard

Jo-Jo

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Close the Coalhouse Door'
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 28 Apr 06 - 01:39 AM

Those extra words are useful: I do somethimes sing this and have been asked todo it this Sweeps Fest, and I have an idea for a alight variation of those extra verses. Many thanks!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Close the Coalhouse Door'
From: stallion
Date: 27 Apr 06 - 03:23 PM

Saw the play at the Newcastle Playhouse 1974, had the programme until recently, there were some great songs in it, a really funny one about Stanley Baldwin, as I recall it ended up more like a concert with several encores for the songs!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Close the Coalhouse Door'
From: GUEST,Gerry
Date: 26 Apr 06 - 10:14 PM

There was a chilling recording of this on the Kitchen Dance CD by the Australian group, the Fagans.

Subject: ADD Verses: 'Close the Coalhouse Door'
From: GUEST,Jonathan Rhodes
Date: 26 Apr 06 - 03:53 AM

The 1994 version of the play had, as a last two verses at the end of the play, the following - sung by a solo unaccompanied voice:

Close the coalhouse door,lad,
The Tory way.
On the slag-heap we've been hoyed
And Maggie Thatcher's overjoyed
Another million unemployed
Close the coalhouse door, lad,
The Major way.

Close the coalhouse door, lad
And stay outside.
Geordie's crawed out of his hole
Geordie's standing at the dole
Geordie's paid the price of coal
So close the coalhouse door, lad
There's blood inside,
There's bones inside,
There's bairns inside,
So stay...outside.

(A silence, a pause and then everybody turns quickly towards the pithead. They bow their heads in homage........................
...................A fade to blackout)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Close the Coalhouse Door'
From: Dave Sutherland
Date: 24 Apr 04 - 04:38 PM

All the songs from "Close The Coalhouse Door" plus "The Tyne Slides By" and many others can be found on the CD "Songs of Alex Glasgow 1&2"MWM CDSP 14

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Close the Coalhouse Door'
From: Gareth
Date: 24 Apr 04 - 02:46 PM

"Close the coalhouse door, lad. There's bairns inside,
Bairns that had no time to hide,
Bairns that saw the blackness slide,
Bairns beneath the mountainside.
Close the coalhouse door, lad. There's bairns inside.

Was an addition ( See other threads )

Gareth

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Close the Coalhouse Door'
From: GUEST,J
Date: 24 Apr 04 - 07:47 AM

I just got the Close The Coalhouse Door CD while at an adaption of the original play, it was similar but had an extra bit near the end to carry on the history which couldn't be in the original as it hadn't happend it yet.

If you are interested in the lyrics of the songs or anything, just e-mail me at [e-mail] :)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Close the Coalhouse Door'
From: MMario
Date: 11 Jun 02 - 12:53 PM

Thank you, Malcolm!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Close the Coalhouse Door'
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 11 Jun 02 - 12:47 PM

Oh, alright. From notation in the abovementioned book:

Close the Coalhouse Door (midi)

Words and music by Alex Glasgow; © Robbins Music Corp. Ltd., London.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Close the Coalhouse Door'
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 11 Jun 02 - 12:30 PM

"Originally entitled The Price of Coal. But when Alan Plater, Sid Chaplin and Alex Glasgow got together to to write a play on the history and struggles of North East pitmen the chorus from this song suggested a fitting title."

Information from The Big Red Songbook (1977).

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Close the Coalhouse Door'
From: MMario
Date: 11 Jun 02 - 12:26 PM

and since it has been refreshed - tune???

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Close the Coalhouse Door'
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 11 Jun 02 - 12:22 PM

I don't remember this from Aberfan, but I do remember it from a BBC tv show about colliers. Anyone remember the program title ?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Close the Coalhouse Door'
From: Sam Hudson
Date: 29 Sep 98 - 02:28 AM

Duly cut & pasted, Ewan - thanks very much!

Cheers

Sam

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Close the Coalhouse Door'
From: Alan of Australia
Date: 28 Sep 98 - 08:58 PM

G'day,
It also helps with the format if you type <br> (line break) at the end of each line. Copy (ctrl-c) and paste (ctrl-v) will help you speed this up.

Cheers,
Alan

Subject: Lyr Add: CLOSE THE COALHOUSE DOOR (Alex Glasgow)
From: Ewan McV
Date: 28 Sep 98 - 06:25 PM

I just got told on a new thread how to do it. Here goes.

True enough, stanza three is Aberfan.

CLOSE THE COALHOUSE DOOR
(Alex Glasgow)

Close the coalhouse door, lad. There's blood inside,
Blood from broken hands and feet,
Blood that's dried on pit-black meat,
Blood from hearts that know no beat.
Close the coalhouse door, lad. There's blood inside.

Close the coalhouse door, lad. There's bones inside,
Mangled, splintered piles of bones,
Buried 'neath a mile of stones,
Not a soul to hear the groans.
Close the coalhouse door, lad. There's bones inside.

Close the coalhouse door, lad. There's bairns inside,
Bairns that had no time to hide,
Bairns that saw the blackness slide,
Bairns beneath the mountainside.
Close the coalhouse door, lad. There's bairns inside.

Close the coalhouse door, lad, and stay outside.
Geordie's standin' at the dole,
And Mrs Jackson, like a fool,
Complains about the price of coal.
Close the coalhouse door, lad, there's blood inside.
There's bones inside. There's bairns inside, so stay outside.

---

Note: this is an exact transcription of the song titled "Close the Coal-House Door," by Alex Glasgow, as printed on page 94 of The Big Red Songbook [compiled by Mal Collins, Dave Harker, and Geoff White - Pluto Press, London - 1981 enlarged edition]
-Joe Offer-

---

Click to play

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Close the Coalhouse Door'
From: Ewan McV
Date: 27 Sep 98 - 01:17 PM

I carefully typed the lyric off line, copied to the clip[board, now find I can't paste it here!

It seems hard news to have to type away on line!

Anyone know a better way?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Close the Coalhouse Door'
From: Ewan McV
Date: 27 Sep 98 - 11:55 AM

The lyrics are in the Big Red Songbook. I'm a slow typist, but if no-one else posts it I'll hammer it out for you.

By the way, the BRS makes no reference to Aberfan, just to a 'play on the history and struggles of NE pitmen'.

Subject: Lyr Req: 'Close the Coalhouse Door'
From: Sam Hudson
Date: 27 Sep 98 - 09:27 AM

I'm looking for the lyrics to this Alex Glasgow song; tried searching the database to no avail. It's about the Aberfan disaster and I heard it sung by the Wilson Family here in England but they haven't recorded it. Any ideas, anyone?

Regards Sam