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Lyr Req: Blue Murder (Alistair Hulett)

16 Sep 02 - 09:35 AM (#785056)
Subject: Blue Murder, an Australian Mining Song
From: GUEST,Crazy Eddie

I heard a very powerful song recently, called "Blue Murder".
It is an Australian song, told from the point of view of a miner.
"Every day they drive us harder
...............................
They're gettin' away with blue murder"
Above is the only fragment of the lyrics I can remember.

Can anyone provide lyrics, or info on who wrote/ recorded it? Thanks in advance

16 Sep 02 - 10:26 AM (#785094)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Blue Murder, an Australian Mining Song
From: Sonnet

Refer to Ola's CD, 'The Animals Are in the West.'

JMcS

16 Sep 02 - 10:41 AM (#785110)
Subject: Lyr Add: BLUE MURDER (Alistair Hulett)
From: GUEST

BLUE MURDER was written by Scottish singer-songwriter Alistair Hulett in the (lengthy) period when he was living in Australia.

I have the words on a tape by Kate Delaney and Gordon McIntyre and can put them up tomorrow (it's well after midnight and I'm tired). Might as well do them now-

They say it's easy money
In a full-page ad in the local rag,
Always nice and sunny.
Come on, lad, and pack your bag.

CHORUS: Day in, day out, every day they drive us harder.
Day in, day out, they're getting away with blue murder.

It's off to West Australia.
Leave the old hometown behind.
Be a winner, not a failure.
Money to be made in the Wittenoom mine. CHORUS

They took me to my quarters,
A stinking bed in an old tin shed.
Got my working orders,
A lamp, and a tin hat on my head. CHORUS

I feel my health is failing
Working down in the thick blue dust.
The kids play in the tailings.
The boss says work and work I must. CHORUS

The thick blue dust refers to asbestos and Alistair wrote a companion piece "He Fades Away" about the miner dying of asbestosis (however it's spelled).

Sandra

HTML line breaks added. --JoeClone, 20-Sep-02.

16 Sep 02 - 10:44 AM (#785113)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Blue Murder, an Australian Mining Song
From: GUEST,sandra in sydney

ps. the guest above is me

Sandra in Sydney (dunno why I am identified as a guest!!)& it's too late to try & fugure it out.

17 Sep 02 - 12:07 AM (#785741)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Blue Murder, an Australian Mining Song
From: Bob Bolton

G'day Sandra,

I think Mudcat might have got picky last night (Aust. time) ... I had to reset my cookie as well.

Anyway: The Asbestos Removal text on my desk says:

"crocidolite (blue asbestos)

Crocidolite is considered to be the most dangerous type of asbestos ... although all types are treated as being equally hazardous."

Regards,

Bob Bolton

17 Sep 02 - 06:49 AM (#785884)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Blue Murder, an Australian Mining Song
From: GUEST,Crazy Eddie

G'day folks, Thanks Sandra. This is definitely the same song. However, I think there were one or two more verses ( one about his girlfriend??)

If anyone has any additional it would be much appreciated.

17 Sep 02 - 08:13 AM (#785938)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Blue Murder, an Australian Mining Song
From: Hrothgar

The disease is mesothelioma (hope that's spelt correctly), and it's caused by the microscopically fine fibres of asbestos, especially blue asbestos, penetrating the mesothelium, which the Macquarie Dictionary defines as the "epithelium of mesodermal origin which lines the body cavities" especially the lungs.

There was a long battle for compensation between the mining company and the men who contracted the disease. The less charitable might say that the mining company dragged it out as long as they possibly could so that more of the claimants could die before they collected, but surely no reputable company could take that approach?

17 Sep 02 - 09:36 AM (#785964)
Subject: Lyr Add: HE FADES AWAY (Alistair Hulett)
From: Sandra in Sydney

Hello, folks.

Crazy Eddie: Would the following companion song be what you are remembering? They belong together.

Alistair has a website - www.folkicons.co.uk - & there might be more info there on his songs.

HE FADES AWAY
(Alistair Hulett)

There's a man in my bed. I used to love him,
And his kisses used to take my breath away.
There's a man in my bed. I hardly know him
As I wipe his face and hold his hand
And watch him as he slowly fades away.

CHORUS: And he fades away,
Not like leaves that fall in autumn, turning gold against the grey.
He fades away
Like the blossoms on the pillowcase that I wash everyday.
He fades away.

There's a man in my bed. He's on a pension
Even though he's only 50 years of age.
The lawyer says we might get compensation
In the course of due procedure,
But he couldn't say for certain at this stage. CHORUS

And he's not the only one
Who made the trip so many years ago,
To work the Wittenoom mine.
So many young men old before their time,
And dying slow.
They fade away,
A wheezing bag of bones, with lungs half clogged and filled with clay.
They fade away.

There's a man in my bed. They never told him
The cost of bringing home his weekly pay.
When the courts decide how much they owe him,
How will he spend his money
When he lies in bed and coughs his life away? CHORUS

..........

Hrothgar - you are a cynic.

Sandra (cookie reset!!)

17 Sep 02 - 02:09 PM (#786055)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Blue Murder, an Australian Mining Song
From: Bullfrog Jones

..no, a realist!
BJ

18 Sep 02 - 12:07 AM (#786393)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Blue Murder, an Australian Mining Song
From: Bob Bolton

G'day Hrothgar,

Yes ... mesothelioma is the (invariably fatal) malignant tumour which may follow asbestosis ... which is "merely" the inflammation of the lungs caused by breathing asbestos dust.

In the song Blue Murder the protagonist could be said to be suffering from asbestosis ... in He Fades Away the man described is dying of mesothelioma.

Regards,

Bob Bolton

18 Sep 02 - 09:11 AM (#786609)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Blue Murder, an Australian Mining Song
From: Sandra in Sydney

thanks, Bob

13 Jan 10 - 11:48 AM (#2810990)
Subject: Lyr Add: BLUE MURDER (Alistair Hulett)
From: GUEST,Mark

Not sure if these are exact, but I think they are pretty close:

BLUE MURDER

They say it's easy money
A full page ad in the local rag,
Always nice and sunny.
Come on lad, and pack your bag.

Day in, day out, everyday they drive us harder.
Day in, day out, they're getting away with blue murder.

It's off to West Australia.
Leave the old hometown behind.
Be a winner, not a failure.
There's money to be made in the Wittenoom Mine.

Day in, day out, everyday they drive us harder.
Day in, day out, they're getting away with blue murder.

They took me to my quarters,
A stinking bed in an old tin shed.
Got my working orders,
With a lamp, and tin hat on my head.

Day in, day out, everyday they drive us harder.
Day in, day out, they're getting away with blue murder.

My girl she's a cook and a cleaner.
Works all day in the canteen hall.
Six days since I've seen her.
Some don't have no girl at all.

Day in, day out, everyday they drive us harder.
Day in, day out, they're getting away with blue murder.

Sweeps the fine blue dust up.
Tips it into an old wool pack.
Never had a check-up.
If she did she'd get the sack

Day in, day out, everyday they drive us harder.
Day in, day out, they're getting away with blue murder.

I feel my health is failing
Working down in the thick blue dust.
The kids play in the tailings.
The boss says work, and work I must.

Day in, day out, everyday they drive us harder.
Day in, day out, they're getting away with blue murder.

13 Jan 10 - 03:41 PM (#2811170)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Blue Murder (Alistair Hulett)
From: GUEST,ifor

Alistair is a wonderful songwriter....he has also written a marvellous set of songs about John McClean and the Industrial unrest in Scotland towards the end of the First World War. His songs about working class life are superb...and many have a hard political edge.
ifor

13 Jan 10 - 04:48 PM (#2811219)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Blue Murder (Alistair Hulett)
From: akenaton

Here's Alistair singing in his days wi' Roarin Jack

Ally Hoolitt

13 Feb 10 - 06:23 PM (#2838518)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Blue Murder (Alistair Hulett)
From: GUEST,Gerry

A small correction to the lyrics given above for He Fades Away; in the chorus, "blossoms" should be "bloodstains".

14 Mar 11 - 08:36 AM (#3113409)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Blue Murder (Alistair Hulett)
From: cloudstreet

An arrangement of this great song:

Blue Murder at the Australian Folk Song A Day site.

John

16 Aug 16 - 08:58 PM (#3805468)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Blue Murder (Alistair Hulett)
From: GUEST,LorriRamsey

Re he fades away chorus...

Not like leaves that fall in autumn, turning gold against the grey.
He fades away
Like the blossoms on the pillowcase that I wash everyday.
He fades away.

I heard is with a slight difference in steam of blossoms it was blood stains..

Not like leaves that fall in autumn, turning gold against the grey.
He fades away
Like the blood stains on the pillowcase that I wash everyday.
He fades away.