Seven Nations - The Pound a Week Rise lyrics

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The Pound a Week Rise

(E. Pickford)

Come all you colliers who work down the mine

From Scotland to south Wales from Teesdale to Tyne

I'll sing you a song about the pound a week rise

And the men who were fooled by the government's lies

And it's down you go

Down below, Jack

Where you never see the skies

And you're workin' in a dungeon

For your pound a week rise

In 19 and 60 a few years ago

The mineworkers' leaders to Lord Robbins did go

Sayin' "We work very hard, every day we risk our lives,

And we ask you here and now for a pound a week rise."

Well up spoke Lord Robbins and he made this decree

He said "When the out-put rises, with you I will agree

I'll raise up all your wages, I'll give to you fair pay

For I once a miner and I worked hard in my day"

The miners they went home, they worked hard and well

Their lungs filled with coal dust in the bosom of hell

The out-put rose by fifteen, eighteen percent and more

And when two years had passed and gone it rose about a score

The miners they went, to get their hard earned prize

They asked Lord Robbins for their pound a week rise

Robbins wouldn't give a pound he wouldn't give ten bob

He gave 'em seven and six and saing "Now get back to your jobs!"

So come all you colliers, take heed what I say

Don't believe Lord Robbins when he says he'll give fair pay

He'll tell you to work hard and make the out- put rise

But you'll get pie in the sky instead of a pound a week rise