Seacoalers
d*** the wind, d*** the weans, d*** the weather
as ye harness up old Betsy in the rain,
for yer knuckles are so cold ye can barely work the leather
so ye blow upon yer hands and start again.
Mind the pony's hooves upon the shingle.
Mind ye catch the turning o' the tide
and if ye find the load never let her harness jingle
or you'll lose it tae the lads on either side.
Seacoalers! On the water! Miner's sons and tinker's daughters!
Pick and shovel, mare and foal! Seacoal!
Ye're waiting for the sea tae bring your livin',
for the leavin's o' the colliers o'er the bay.
Dusky diamonds in the foam, that's a' that you've been given
tae keep yer children fed another day.
But now ye're cursing Lady Luck and a' her sisters
for there's barely half a bargain that you've won
and can ye meet yer lassie's eyes when ye know ye havnae kissed her
since the price went down by thirty bob a ton?
Seacoalers! Hard drinkers! d*** the lot of them for tinkers!
Catch the waves as they roll! Seacoal!
Arthur Scargill says the miners give no quarter
Auld McGregor says the miners for the dole
Gie them pick, gie them pony, stand them baith out in the water,
and tell me wha's the first tae find the coal.
Seacoalers! Hell mend ye! Where's the union tae defend ye
when the waters take their toll! Seacoal!
||: Coal in the water, coal in the sea. Coal in the sea, Seacoal. :||
Seacoalers! In the brakers! Fight the tide or meet yer maker!
Make a bargain for yer soul! Seacoal!
Seacoalers! Moonlighters! Bonny men and better fighters!
Tae the Devil wi' yer dole! Seacoal!
d*** the wind, d*** the weans, d*** the weather
as ye harness up old Betsy in the rain,
for yer knuckles are so cold ye can barely work the leather
so ye blow upon yer hands and start again.
Mind the pony's hooves upon the shingle.
Mind ye catch the turning o' the tide
and if ye find the load never let her harness jingle
or you'll lose it tae the lads on either side.
Seacoalers! On the water! Miner's sons and tinker's daughters!
Pick and shovel, mare and foal! Seacoal!
Ye're waiting for the sea tae bring your livin',
for the leavin's o' the colliers o'er the bay.
Dusky diamonds in the foam, that's a' that you've been given
tae keep yer children fed another day.
But now ye're cursing Lady Luck and a' her sisters
for there's barely half a bargain that you've won
and can ye meet yer lassie's eyes when ye know ye havnae kissed her
since the price went down by thirty bob a ton?
Seacoalers! Hard drinkers! d*** the lot of them for tinkers!
Catch the waves as they roll! Seacoal!
Arthur Scargill says the miners give no quarter
Auld McGregor says the miners for the dole
Gie them pick, gie them pony, stand them baith out in the water,
and tell me wha's the first tae find the coal.
Seacoalers! Hell mend ye! Where's the union tae defend ye
when the waters take their toll! Seacoal!
||: Coal in the water, coal in the sea. Coal in the sea, Seacoal. :||
Seacoalers! In the brakers! Fight the tide or meet yer maker!
Make a bargain for yer soul! Seacoal!
Seacoalers! Moonlighters! Bonny men and better fighters!
Tae the Devil wi' yer dole! Seacoal!