Union Songs

Farewell Johnny Miner

A Song by Ed Pickford©Ed Picford 1970

Johnny Miner, you were born
Never to see the rising dawn
Now it's time that you were gone
Farewell Johnny Miner!

Chorus:
And farewell Durham, Yorkshire too
Nottingham, the same to you
Scotland, South Wales, say Adieu
Farewell Johnny Miner

They've promised you the earth sometimes
To get coal from their stinkin' mines
Now the justice for their crimes
Is Farewell, Johnny Miner!

You've battled with the sliding scale
Lungs turned black & faces pale
Now your body's up for sale
Farewell Johnny Miner!

And Farewell John, don't take it hard
Unemployment isn't bad
They'll treat you well in the knackers' yard
Farewell Johnny Miner!

Notes

Many thanks to Ed Pickford for permission to add this song to the Union Songs collection.

Ed writes:
'Miners have always moved to seek work but now there is no mining work. County Durham has no mines at all. When I was a child in the 1940’s there were 150. This song has been recorded by a lot of people now - The Battlefield Band, AlistairRussell - who gave me permission to use his version on my website - the great Bob Davenport and a high energy Durham group called Whiskey Priests'.

Find more Ed Pickford songs on this site.

Visit Ed Pickford's website at http://www.ed-pickford.co.uk/

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union songs..........a selection by mark gregory