Pound a Week Rise

Come on all you colliers who work down the mine From Scotland to South Wales from Teesdale to Tyne I'll sing you a song of the pound a week rise And the men who were fooled by the government's lies In 19 and 60 a few years ago The mineworkers' leaders to Lord Robbins did go Saying "We work very hard, every day we risk our lives And we ask you here and now for a pound a week rise" And it's down you go Down below, Jack Where you never see the skies And you're working in a dungeon For your pound a week rise Well up spoke Lord Robbins and he made this decree "When the out-put rises, then with you I will agree I'll raise up all your wages, and give you fair pay For I was once a miner and I worked hard in my day" And it's down you go Down below, Jack Where you never see the skies And you're working in a dungeon For your pound a week rise 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 above a score The miners they went home, to get their hard-earned prize They went to ask Lord Robbins for their pound a week rise Robbins wouldn't give a pound he wouldn't give ten bob He gave them seven and six and said "Now get back to your jobs!" And it's down you go Down below, Jack Where you never see the skies And you're working in a dungeon For your pound a week rise So come on all you colliers, take heed to what I say Don't believe Lord Robbins when he said he'll give fair pay He'll tell you to work hard and make the output rise You'll get pie in the sky instead of a one pound rise And it's down you go Down below, Jack Where you never see the skies And you're working in a dungeon For your pound a week rise It's down you go Down below, Jack Where you never see the skies And you're working in a dungeon For your pound a week rise