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