The Pound a Week Rise
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(E. Pickford)
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Come all you colliers who work down the mine
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From Scotland to south Wales from Teesdale to Tyne
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I'll sing you a song about the pound a week rise
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And the men who were fooled by the government's lies
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And it's down you go
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Down below, Jack
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Where you never see the skies
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And you're workin' in a dungeon
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For your pound a week rise
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In 19 and 60 a few years ago
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The mineworkers' leaders to Lord Robbins did go
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Sayin' "We work very hard, every day we risk our lives,
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And we ask you here and now for a pound a week rise."
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Well up spoke Lord Robbins and he made this decree
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He said "When the out-put rises, with you I will agree
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I'll raise up all your wages, I'll give to you fair pay
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For I once a miner and I worked hard in my day"
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The miners they went home, they worked hard and well
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Their lungs filled with coal dust in the bosom of hell
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The out-put rose by fifteen, eighteen percent and more
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And when two years had passed and gone it rose about a score
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The miners they went, to get their hard earned prize
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They asked Lord Robbins for their pound a week rise
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Robbins wouldn't give a pound he wouldn't give ten bob
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He gave 'em seven and six and saing "Now get back to your jobs!"
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So come all you colliers, take heed what I say
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Don't believe Lord Robbins when he says he'll give fair pay
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He'll tell you to work hard and make the out- put rise
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But you'll get pie in the sky instead of a pound a week rise
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The Pound a Week Rise
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| Seven Nations |
