To Thread - Forum Home

The Mudcat Café TM
https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=6740
40 messages

Lyr Req: Close the Coalhouse Door (Alex Glasgow)

27 Sep 98 - 09:27 AM (#39615)
Subject: Lyr Req: 'Close the Coalhouse Door'
From: Sam Hudson

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


27 Sep 98 - 11:55 AM (#39623)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Close the Coalhouse Door'
From: Ewan McV

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'.


27 Sep 98 - 01:17 PM (#39636)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Close the Coalhouse Door'
From: Ewan McV

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?


28 Sep 98 - 06:25 PM (#39768)
Subject: Lyr Add: CLOSE THE COALHOUSE DOOR (Alex Glasgow)
From: Ewan McV

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


28 Sep 98 - 08:58 PM (#39791)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Close the Coalhouse Door'
From: Alan of Australia

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


29 Sep 98 - 02:28 AM (#39844)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Close the Coalhouse Door'
From: Sam Hudson

Duly cut & pasted, Ewan - thanks very much!

Cheers

Sam


11 Jun 02 - 12:22 PM (#727614)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Close the Coalhouse Door'
From: Nigel Parsons

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


11 Jun 02 - 12:26 PM (#727616)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Close the Coalhouse Door'
From: MMario

and since it has been refreshed - tune???


11 Jun 02 - 12:30 PM (#727620)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Close the Coalhouse Door'
From: Malcolm Douglas

"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).


11 Jun 02 - 12:47 PM (#727640)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Close the Coalhouse Door'
From: Malcolm Douglas

Oh, alright. From notation in the abovementioned book:

Close the Coalhouse Door (midi)

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


11 Jun 02 - 12:53 PM (#727648)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Close the Coalhouse Door'
From: MMario

Thank you, Malcolm!


24 Apr 04 - 07:47 AM (#1169635)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Close the Coalhouse Door'
From: GUEST,J

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 joshtek@hotmail.com :)


24 Apr 04 - 02:46 PM (#1169841)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Close the Coalhouse Door'
From: Gareth

"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


24 Apr 04 - 04:38 PM (#1169913)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Close the Coalhouse Door'
From: Dave Sutherland

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


26 Apr 06 - 03:53 AM (#1727672)
Subject: ADD Verses: 'Close the Coalhouse Door'
From: GUEST,Jonathan Rhodes

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)


26 Apr 06 - 10:14 PM (#1728454)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Close the Coalhouse Door'
From: GUEST,Gerry

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


27 Apr 06 - 03:23 PM (#1729022)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Close the Coalhouse Door'
From: stallion

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!


28 Apr 06 - 01:39 AM (#1729132)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Close the Coalhouse Door'
From: Richard Bridge

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!


28 Apr 06 - 11:08 AM (#1729179)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Close the Coalhouse Door'
From: jojofolkagogo

RICHARD

DONT YOU DARE CHANGE A THING !!!

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

Thanks Richard

Jo-Jo


28 Apr 06 - 12:08 PM (#1729232)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Close the Coalhouse Door'
From: TheBigPinkLad

Can anyone offer chords?


01 May 09 - 03:48 PM (#2622794)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Close the Coalhouse Door (Alex Glasgo
From: Weasel

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


01 May 09 - 03:51 PM (#2622798)
Subject: Chords Add: CLOSE THE COALHOUSE DOOR (Alex Glasgow
From: Weasel

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


01 May 09 - 06:36 PM (#2622879)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Close the Coalhouse Door (Alex Glasgo
From: Weasel

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

Cheers,

Weasel


22 Jul 09 - 12:37 PM (#2685353)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Close the Coalhouse Door (Alex Glasgow)
From: GUEST,Ben Godwin

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? karmafarm@gmail.com


23 Jul 09 - 11:12 AM (#2686023)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Close the Coalhouse Door (Alex Glasgow)
From: GUEST,Bob

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.


23 Jul 09 - 05:16 PM (#2686330)
Subject: Chords Add: CLOSE THE COALHOUSE DOOR (Alex Glasgow
From: Richard Bridge

(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.


24 Jul 09 - 08:39 AM (#2686742)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Close the Coalhouse Door (Alex Glasgow)
From: Surreysinger

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?


12 Oct 09 - 05:49 PM (#2744451)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Close the Coalhouse Door (Alex Glasgow)
From: GUEST,jessy246

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


12 Oct 09 - 06:05 PM (#2744461)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Close the Coalhouse Door (Alex Glasgow)
From: Rumncoke

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


15 Oct 10 - 07:26 PM (#3008104)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Close the Coalhouse Door (Alex Glasgow)
From: GUEST,docmolo

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.


16 Oct 10 - 11:45 AM (#3008457)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Close the Coalhouse Door (Alex Glasgow)
From: GUEST,Anne

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


05 Nov 10 - 08:26 PM (#3024768)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Close the Coalhouse Door (Alex Glasgow)
From: Joe Offer

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

Click to play


05 Mar 11 - 09:17 AM (#3107416)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Close the Coalhouse Door (Alex Glasgow)
From: GUEST,organick

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


05 Mar 11 - 04:21 PM (#3107684)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Close the Coalhouse Door (Alex Glasgow)
From: Richard Mellish

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


06 Mar 11 - 10:55 AM (#3108104)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Close the Coalhouse Door (Alex Glasgow)
From: Roughyed

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.


09 Apr 11 - 05:57 AM (#3131802)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Close the Coalhouse Door (Alex Glasgow)
From: GUEST,

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.


25 Apr 11 - 02:41 AM (#3142011)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Close the Coalhouse Door (Alex Glasgow)
From: GUEST,P Wilson

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!


25 Sep 11 - 06:56 AM (#3228658)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Close the Coalhouse Door (Alex Glasgow)
From: Dennis the Elder

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"


01 Nov 11 - 02:21 PM (#3248624)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Close the Coalhouse Door (Alex Glasgow)
From: GUEST

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


01 Nov 11 - 04:14 PM (#3248719)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Close the Coalhouse Door (Alex Glasgow)
From: Paul Burke

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.