A Miner's Life Lyrics And Chords
The melody of this song is similar to the the Welsh hymn ‚Calon Lân’ Recorded by Siwsann George and also by Billy Bragg. It's a parody of the american gospel song "Life is Like a Mountain Railway" (1875) that was penned in the USA in 1890 or thereabouts. It has since been taken up by UK union movements from the 1970s and 1980s.
Miner's (C)life is (G)like a (C)sailor's
(F)'Board a ship to cross the (C)wa(G)ves;
Every (C)day his (G)life's in (F)danger,
Still he (C)ventures (G)being (C)brave.
Watch the (C)rocks, they're falling (G)daily,
Careless (G7)miners always (C)fail;
Keep your (F)hand u(G)pon your (Am)wa(G)ges
And your (C)eyes u(G)pon the (C)scale.
Chorus
Union (C)miners, stand to(G)gether,
Do not (G7)heed the owner’s (C)tale;
Keep your (F)hand u(G)pon your (Am)wa(G)ges
And your (C)eyes u(G)pon the (C)scale.
Soon this (C)trouble (G)will be (C)ended,
Union (F)men will have their (C)ri(G)ghts,
After (C)many (G)years of (F)bondage,
Digging (C)days and (G)digging (C)nights.
Then by (C)honest weight we (G)labor,
Union (G7)miners never (C)fail;
Keep your (F)hand u(G)pon your (Am)wa(G)ges
And your (C)eyes u(G)pon the (C)scale.
Chorus
Let no (C)union (G)men be (C)weakened
By news(F)papers' false re(C)po(G)rts;
Be like (C)sailors (G)on the (F)ocean,
Trusting (C)in their (G)safe life(C)boats.
Let your (C)lifeboat be Je(G)hovah
Those who (G7)trust Him never (C)fail.
Keep your (F)hand u(G)pon your (Am)wa(G)ges
And your (C)eyes u(G)pon the (C)scale.
Chorus
You've been (C)docked and (G)docked a(C)gain boys,
You've been (F)loading two for (C)o(G)ne;
What have (C)you to (G)show for (F)working
Since your (C)mining (G)days be(C)gun?
Worn out (C)boots and worn out (G)miners
Lonesome, (G7)sole and children (C)pale
Keep your (F)hand u(G)pon your (Am)wa(G)ges
And your (C)eyes u(G)pon the (C)scale.
Chorus
In con(C)clusion, (G)bear in (C)memory,
Keep the (F)password in your (C)mi(G)nd.;
God pro(C)vides for (G)every (F)worker,
When in (C)union (G)they com(C)bine.
Stand up (C)now and link to(G)gether,
Victo(G7)ry for you’ll pre(C)vail,
Keep your (F)hand u(G)pon your (Am)wa(G)ges
And your (C)eyes u(G)pon the (C)scale.
(F)'Board a ship to cross the (C)wa(G)ves;
Every (C)day his (G)life's in (F)danger,
Still he (C)ventures (G)being (C)brave.
Watch the (C)rocks, they're falling (G)daily,
Careless (G7)miners always (C)fail;
Keep your (F)hand u(G)pon your (Am)wa(G)ges
And your (C)eyes u(G)pon the (C)scale.
Chorus
Union (C)miners, stand to(G)gether,
Do not (G7)heed the owner’s (C)tale;
Keep your (F)hand u(G)pon your (Am)wa(G)ges
And your (C)eyes u(G)pon the (C)scale.
Soon this (C)trouble (G)will be (C)ended,
Union (F)men will have their (C)ri(G)ghts,
After (C)many (G)years of (F)bondage,
Digging (C)days and (G)digging (C)nights.
Then by (C)honest weight we (G)labor,
Union (G7)miners never (C)fail;
Keep your (F)hand u(G)pon your (Am)wa(G)ges
And your (C)eyes u(G)pon the (C)scale.
Chorus
Let no (C)union (G)men be (C)weakened
By news(F)papers' false re(C)po(G)rts;
Be like (C)sailors (G)on the (F)ocean,
Trusting (C)in their (G)safe life(C)boats.
Let your (C)lifeboat be Je(G)hovah
Those who (G7)trust Him never (C)fail.
Keep your (F)hand u(G)pon your (Am)wa(G)ges
And your (C)eyes u(G)pon the (C)scale.
Chorus
You've been (C)docked and (G)docked a(C)gain boys,
You've been (F)loading two for (C)o(G)ne;
What have (C)you to (G)show for (F)working
Since your (C)mining (G)days be(C)gun?
Worn out (C)boots and worn out (G)miners
Lonesome, (G7)sole and children (C)pale
Keep your (F)hand u(G)pon your (Am)wa(G)ges
And your (C)eyes u(G)pon the (C)scale.
Chorus
In con(C)clusion, (G)bear in (C)memory,
Keep the (F)password in your (C)mi(G)nd.;
God pro(C)vides for (G)every (F)worker,
When in (C)union (G)they com(C)bine.
Stand up (C)now and link to(G)gether,
Victo(G7)ry for you’ll pre(C)vail,
Keep your (F)hand u(G)pon your (Am)wa(G)ges
And your (C)eyes u(G)pon the (C)scale.
