Pound A Week Rise (Cover) by Seth Staton Watkins
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Originally written in 1962 by Ed Pickford, who was a miner in the Durham Coalfield, the song criticises Lord Robens and the low wages paid to coal miners during Robens's reign. His song One Miner's Life refers to the widespread pit closures. This song is part of the Union Songs collection and my favorite rendition is by Siobhan Miller. Ed notes that it is largely thanks to the efforts of Dick Gaughan that the song still survives to this day.
Lyrics:
Oh 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
In 19 and 60 a few years ago
The mineworkers' leaders to Lord Robens 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."
Chorus:
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
Well up spoke Lord Robens and he made this decree
He said "When the out-put rises, then with you I'll 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"
Chorus:
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
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 went to ask Lord Robens for their pound a week rise
Robens 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!"
Chorus:
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
So come all you colliers, take heed what I say
Don't believe Lord Robens 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
Chorus x2:
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