Listen to The Testimony of Patience Kershaw by The Unthanks

The Testimony of Patience Kershaw

The Unthanks

Contemporary Folk

Apple Music Note

OVERVIEW

LYRICS

Credits

PERFORMING ARTISTS

The Unthanks

Performer

Adrian McNally

Performer

Niopha Keegan

Performer

Andre Swanepoel

Andre Swanepoel

Violin

Iona Brown

Violin

Mike Gerrard

Viola

Rosie Biss

Cello

COMPOSITION & LYRICS

Adrian McNally

Composer

Becky Unthank

Composer

Chris Price

Songwriter

Frank Higgins

Composer

Niopha Keegan

Composer

Rachel Unthank

Composer

PRODUCTION & ENGINEERING

Adrian McNally

Producer

Lyrics

It's good of you to ask me, sir

To tell you how I spend the day

Well in the coal-black tunnel, sir

I hurry corves to earn my pay

The corves are full of coal, kind sir

I push them with my hands and head

It isn't ladylike, but sir

You've got to earn your daily bread

I push them with my hands and head

And so my hair gets worn away

You see this baldy patch I've got

It shames me like I just can't say

A lady's hands are lily white

But mine are full of cuts and segs

And since I'm pushing all the time

I've great big muscles on my legs

I try to be respectable

But sir, the shame, God save my soul

I work with naked sweating men

Who curse and swear and chew the coal

The sight, the smell, the sound, kind sir

Not even God could sense my shame

I say my prayers but what's the use?

Tomorrow will be just the same

Now sometimes, sir, I don't feel well

My stomach's sick, my head it aches

I've got to hurry best I can

My knees feel weak, my back near breaks

And then I'm slow and then I'm scared

These naked men will batter me

They can't be blamed, for if I'm slow

Their families will starve, you see

All the lads they laugh at me

And sir, the mirror tells me why

Pale and dirty, can't look nice

It doesn't matter how I try

Great big muscles on my legs

A baldy patch upon my head

A lady, sir? Oh no, not me

I should've been a boy instead

I praise your good intentions sir

I love your kind and gentle heart

But now it's 1842

And you and me we're miles apart

A hundred years or more will pass

Before we're walking side by side

But please accept my grateful thanks

God bless you sir, at least you tried

Written by: Adrian McNally, Becky Unthank, Chris Price, Frank Higgins, Niopha Keegan, Rachel Unthank

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