english people suck a scrummy gutless cowardly lot thank goodness britain lost their empire!!!!! the end of the nazi and english imperialist was a truly good thing for the world's civilization
@atfatw what a stupid comment, i see your an american,,without our empire ,you wouldnt have america mate, and be speaking either french or spanish, and why did america want an end to our empire, so america could move in with their influence , it took you 2 years to get involved in ww2,cowardly lot haha , look at americas invovement in civilisation, since ww2 , korea,vietnam their obsession in defeating communisim, interferring in south america, propping up right wing juntas ,a good thing???
@atfatw a good thing ? you say, tell that to the victims of agent orange and every other country were you stuck your nose in,,get off your high horse , bloody hell , you only have to look at your govenments involvement in breaking strikes, your countries treatment of the blacks , your the biggest imperialists of the lot , you use your banks when you dont use your army. have you seen detriot lately , the motor city without a motor industry ,like us all your industry has gone abroad for profit
Both of My Grandfathers died because of the coal mines. One in a cave in, the other of black lung. Also an Uncle in a cave in. All in the Lackawana Coal Mines in Scranton, Pa. USA. This song strikes a raw nerve in my soul!! WELL DONE!!
Tricky subject, but as usual with comment on such provocative YT Vids, the majority are sensibly correct, and the ignorant should shut up and learn. Im a professional historian, and I think it a great shame that however democratic, Youtube is besieged with ignorant and repugnant comment. If you dont know what you are talking about, keep it shut, listen, absorb, reflect, balance against existing knowledge (if any), then speak/type. Please try to use the English language when communicating.
First off, this is hardly a Steeleye Span song. This song is an old English folk song. Secondly, this isn't about how bad it sucks to be a miner: it's a song about a scab ("blackleg") miner who breaks a strike to go hew the coal. The point of the song is that union-breakers are the worst, and the whole society hates them.
A Blackleg miner is the non union miner. It has nothing to do with towns not liking miners. Whole towns were made up of miners and mining kept them all fed so no one was mean about it. The lyrics, which are traditional, depict the aggressive stance against strikebreakers adopted by collectivised strikers - the term blackleg being an older word for scab. (Britain's mining sector was always heavily unionised and strikes could cause bitterness both within and between pit communities
That's total bullshit dadswizz! So middleclass people shouldn't sing folk songs? Steeleye do a fantastic version of this and through it's popularity have given publicity to the situation
best version i can find, this song is about Cornish strike breakers being murdered and thrown down the old pit shaft at seaton delaval, during the 1884 strike in seghill, delaval, cramlington which was a bitter fight that led to the riot act being read out in front of the hastings arms (seaton delaval) the miners eventually returned to work, starved,for less pay and more hours, the local Methodist chapel preyed for the death of the scabs in the chapel, and held night meetings in the fields ,
It's actually set in the North East, which is where Seaton Delaval is. Seghill is also mentioned in the song, and this is also a Northumrian mining village.
steel eye span should never have touched this. they are middle class and come from the sorts of places where we were not welcome, the intelligentsia sat on the fence, stay there for me.
You got the artists wrong.! This is early (pre Martin Carthy) days of STEELEYE SPAN, either from Hark; The Village Wait, or Please to See The King album. --- Sounds like Tim Hart singing. --- PS--- Dont make me look out my original albums.
Yes it 'from "Hark the village wake". Terry and Gay Woods used to do it with "The Woods Band" before they joined Steeleye. It is a very strong song full of hatred suprissing you don't hear it more often
immigrants could be classed as blackleg workers in certain circumstances.... they have driven down the wage of working men, they do work in conditions we would not , and work for pay we would not work for.
they are being used and abused by the labour goverment.
Love this song - and I didnt even realise until I watched it here that it was so local (seghill/seaton delaval) - I live in North Shields :)
My grandparents were northumbrian miners, and their families/parents too, so its very relevant to me, makes me think how tough they had it - thanks so much for posting :)
It can still be relevant. It is more than a song about strikebreakers, it is a historical document and a piece of history. Besides, together with the images in the video I'd say that the video is about life in the mining communities, the poverty, the hard work, but it also shows love, as shown by the lady with the child, and together with the hate of the lyrics I think it makes this video a really great work of art.
I agree with you wholeheartedly. Many farmers and workers on production lines of all sorts are often thrown into a harsh, disparaging light, and unfairly at that. As to the issue of these jobs going to "immigrants", I wonder if the previous commentor is referring to the Welsh? In any event, I remain an ardent fan of Steeleye Span.
This is not just about British Labor history, it's about labor history period. Read about the Molly McGuires and the United Mine Workers of America led by the magnificent John L. Lewis. From a proud daughter of a member of the United Steel Workers of America, AFL-CIO. Solidarity Forever, For the Union Makes Us Strong
Arthur Scargill called in the 11th Commandment: 'Thou shalt not cross a picket line'.
And when Ken Livingstone advised rail workers to cross picket lines in 2004 during a London Underground strike, he forever severed his links with militant working people.
The song dates from the 19th century - conditions were deadly: by fire, explosion, pit collapses or slowly by breathing coal dust.
However many instances of union violence you count for this time there were far more instances of people and families devastated by workers spines (and other bones) broken at work, lungs clogged up or just dismissed for having the effrontery of joining a trade union or taking part in politics of the time. Life is rarely as black and white as your soundbite.
The song dates from the 19th century - conditions were deadly: fire, explosion, pit collapses or more slowly by the workforce breathing coal dust.
Instances of picket line violence were tiny compared to the people/families devastated by workers spines (and other bones) broken at work, lungs clogged up or those just dismissed for having the effrontery of joining a trade union or taking any progressive political stance. Life is (and was) rarely as black and white as you have pitched it here.
Bloody awesome video - very well put together and the song and pictures match perfectly.
The only addition you could make to it would be to put some pictures of the Union struggling with the police - afterall, this song is about Unions near the end. Anyway, just a suggestion! It still is a fine piece of work.
Terry and Gay woods you never lost it God theres a memory thank you for the post
padraigpurseal 8 months ago
Love the shots of the kids and the miners at work. Solid, solid people.
Anekantavad 8 months ago
A good production, well done.
Thanks for posting it.
edsternet 9 months ago
most scabs and blacklegs still live in nottingham
Welshman2008 10 months ago 2
most scabs come from Nottingham.
Welshman2008 10 months ago
most scabs come from nottingham
Welshman2008 10 months ago
english people suck a scrummy gutless cowardly lot thank goodness britain lost their empire!!!!! the end of the nazi and english imperialist was a truly good thing for the world's civilization
atfatw 11 months ago
@atfatw what a stupid comment, i see your an american,,without our empire ,you wouldnt have america mate, and be speaking either french or spanish, and why did america want an end to our empire, so america could move in with their influence , it took you 2 years to get involved in ww2,cowardly lot haha , look at americas invovement in civilisation, since ww2 , korea,vietnam their obsession in defeating communisim, interferring in south america, propping up right wing juntas ,a good thing???
TheMightOfTheEnglish 10 months ago
@atfatw a good thing ? you say, tell that to the victims of agent orange and every other country were you stuck your nose in,,get off your high horse , bloody hell , you only have to look at your govenments involvement in breaking strikes, your countries treatment of the blacks , your the biggest imperialists of the lot , you use your banks when you dont use your army. have you seen detriot lately , the motor city without a motor industry ,like us all your industry has gone abroad for profit
TheMightOfTheEnglish 10 months ago
fucking scab bastards, the scum of the earth.
yetiflicker 1 year ago 3
@yetiflicker i thought scabs were miners who wouldnt strike when most ppl did?
3tangle3 1 year ago
@3tangle3 Hi, " blackleg" is an older word for a scab.
23018484 10 months ago
@yetiflicker i agree mate if it was not for the scabby cunts the pits would still be open,hope thatcher suffers a painfull death.
petertownend 8 months ago 5
Well said Sacuv.
gloorbit 1 year ago
amazing. FUCK SCABS
imcjl88 1 year ago
use of local words "duds" = trousers. "hoy"= throw.
heliotropezzz333 1 year ago
Both of My Grandfathers died because of the coal mines. One in a cave in, the other of black lung. Also an Uncle in a cave in. All in the Lackawana Coal Mines in Scranton, Pa. USA. This song strikes a raw nerve in my soul!! WELL DONE!!
albatross7677 1 year ago
a real shame that maddy pryor won't retire as she sounds so nasty now that she lost all her talent. goal for 2011 MAKE MADDY RETIRE!
atfatw 1 year ago
@atfatw You are an idiot!!
albatross7677 1 year ago
fuck the dirty strike breaking scabs.......
yetiflicker 1 year ago 2
i've just started reading robert tressel's book "the ragged trousered philanthropists".
great stuff. go socialism!!!!
olafbigandglad 1 year ago 2
Tricky subject, but as usual with comment on such provocative YT Vids, the majority are sensibly correct, and the ignorant should shut up and learn. Im a professional historian, and I think it a great shame that however democratic, Youtube is besieged with ignorant and repugnant comment. If you dont know what you are talking about, keep it shut, listen, absorb, reflect, balance against existing knowledge (if any), then speak/type. Please try to use the English language when communicating.
Sacuv 1 year ago
First off, this is hardly a Steeleye Span song. This song is an old English folk song. Secondly, this isn't about how bad it sucks to be a miner: it's a song about a scab ("blackleg") miner who breaks a strike to go hew the coal. The point of the song is that union-breakers are the worst, and the whole society hates them.
GodofReapers 1 year ago
The video really brings this song to life.
A good movie on the subject of coal mining is "Margaret's Museum".
Sammicsno 1 year ago
I love the banjo in this arrangement. Very unique. Been a fan since the early 70's.
EmpressOfWyoming58 1 year ago
Maddy and Tim Hart
missjakey 1 year ago
... Tim Hart ... RIP ...
surreal12 1 year ago
... Tim Hart ... RIP ...
surreal12 1 year ago
A Blackleg miner is the non union miner. It has nothing to do with towns not liking miners. Whole towns were made up of miners and mining kept them all fed so no one was mean about it. The lyrics, which are traditional, depict the aggressive stance against strikebreakers adopted by collectivised strikers - the term blackleg being an older word for scab. (Britain's mining sector was always heavily unionised and strikes could cause bitterness both within and between pit communities
Gimmer3 1 year ago 2
Mr Elliot, ou know what they say about pumpkins and tha'
blackmore56 1 year ago
That's total bullshit dadswizz! So middleclass people shouldn't sing folk songs? Steeleye do a fantastic version of this and through it's popularity have given publicity to the situation
Bobbo293 2 years ago
I love this song (I just prefer Ewan MacColl's version)!
Chomuno 2 years ago
not so easy in the real world familys to keep and life to live
billytomorrow 2 years ago
Dave Mattacks double back beat on the bass drum are super great! excellent!!!
xrcjpx 2 years ago 2
best version i can find, this song is about Cornish strike breakers being murdered and thrown down the old pit shaft at seaton delaval, during the 1884 strike in seghill, delaval, cramlington which was a bitter fight that led to the riot act being read out in front of the hastings arms (seaton delaval) the miners eventually returned to work, starved,for less pay and more hours, the local Methodist chapel preyed for the death of the scabs in the chapel, and held night meetings in the fields ,
dadswizz 2 years ago 2
It's actually set in the North East, which is where Seaton Delaval is. Seghill is also mentioned in the song, and this is also a Northumrian mining village.
WatTyler13 2 years ago
can you please tell me what a scab and a blackleg..is...THANK YOU FOR THE ANSWER UP FRONT!!
thcthc 2 years ago
Both refer to people who break the strike and go to work , thus undermining (haha) the leverage for the remaining strikers.
OneAndOnlyGRMBLFJX 2 years ago
dadwizz,
not murdered merely killed rather clever the boss must have thought they tripped fell down the shaft and broke their necks
atfatw 2 years ago
steel eye span should never have touched this. they are middle class and come from the sorts of places where we were not welcome, the intelligentsia sat on the fence, stay there for me.
dadswizz 2 years ago
there are still scabs from 84-85 in the seatondelaval area. they get crossed off my list as they die, not many of them now ! !
leighs90 2 years ago
AOK; Just did a "refresh", and it came up with on artist at all, just the name of the song. --- hmm-- strange things;---
viking1au 2 years ago
You got the artists wrong.! This is early (pre Martin Carthy) days of STEELEYE SPAN, either from Hark; The Village Wait, or Please to See The King album. --- Sounds like Tim Hart singing. --- PS--- Dont make me look out my original albums.
viking1au 2 years ago
I ripped this off 'A Stack of Steeleye Span' you are correct it is pre Carthy. Line up : Hart,Prior, Hutchings, Woods and Woods
Foxburg 2 years ago
@viking1au
This is off theyre first album. they have a drummer...no drummer on Please To See the King. Also Martin Carthy plays on PTSTK.
fairydollymixtures 1 year ago
@fairydollymixtures
Yes it 'from "Hark the village wake". Terry and Gay Woods used to do it with "The Woods Band" before they joined Steeleye. It is a very strong song full of hatred suprissing you don't hear it more often
padraigpurseal 1 year ago
immigrants could be classed as blackleg workers in certain circumstances.... they have driven down the wage of working men, they do work in conditions we would not , and work for pay we would not work for.
they are being used and abused by the labour goverment.
yetiflicker 2 years ago
spot on
Caveej 2 years ago
Now this is good music.
HeinzHarz 2 years ago
Maddy Pryor's harmonising on the line 'Don't Wait till your dying day' is absolutely brilliant.
EdjKent 2 years ago 2
mr eliot talks a lot of crap
WEEDYJ1994 2 years ago
Who is Mr Eliot?
Foxburg 2 years ago
is this Jack Weedy ?
BlackJackDaveeeeyyy 2 years ago
Greta song,great performance...Still English as
Only Northerners are...Lovely banjo,too.
the13thmoon 3 years ago
great song try one miners life another great track
buns5833 3 years ago
Love this song - and I didnt even realise until I watched it here that it was so local (seghill/seaton delaval) - I live in North Shields :)
My grandparents were northumbrian miners, and their families/parents too, so its very relevant to me, makes me think how tough they had it - thanks so much for posting :)
TheThumps 3 years ago
Were they strikebreakers?
If not, it isn't that relevant to them.
vulnerabledonkey 3 years ago
It can still be relevant. It is more than a song about strikebreakers, it is a historical document and a piece of history. Besides, together with the images in the video I'd say that the video is about life in the mining communities, the poverty, the hard work, but it also shows love, as shown by the lady with the child, and together with the hate of the lyrics I think it makes this video a really great work of art.
king0thebritons 3 years ago
I agree with you wholeheartedly. Many farmers and workers on production lines of all sorts are often thrown into a harsh, disparaging light, and unfairly at that. As to the issue of these jobs going to "immigrants", I wonder if the previous commentor is referring to the Welsh? In any event, I remain an ardent fan of Steeleye Span.
JunKueen 2 years ago
Comment removed
king0thebritons 3 years ago
the scab worker deserves all it gets.
yetiflicker 3 years ago 2
Legend song :) geordie, song
II2DII 3 years ago
This is not just about British Labor history, it's about labor history period. Read about the Molly McGuires and the United Mine Workers of America led by the magnificent John L. Lewis. From a proud daughter of a member of the United Steel Workers of America, AFL-CIO. Solidarity Forever, For the Union Makes Us Strong
Constantlibrarian 3 years ago
Great song, and interesting video, too.
BardofCornwall 3 years ago
Arthur Scargill called in the 11th Commandment: 'Thou shalt not cross a picket line'.
And when Ken Livingstone advised rail workers to cross picket lines in 2004 during a London Underground strike, he forever severed his links with militant working people.
redword2007 3 years ago 4
So you are against "Black legs" what are immigrants who work or less and with no labour rights?
Dont they undermine the 100yrs+ sacrifice of the nativeworking class?
You play with two faces.
You ought to stand in a picket line or work in heavy industry then talk your shite!
ObamaBornInKenya 3 years ago
"So you are against "Black legs" what are immigrants"
You obviously do not know what the term 'blackleg' means in this song!!!!
katherine232 3 years ago 11
I'd rather die than scab! We've never had a scab in our family. That's how we've been brought up and that's how we've brought up our kids.
Freeloading scab scum!
Larkin1907 3 years ago 3
Great people great song, this Paddy worked arounnd the north-east, sad to see those police scum beat you up during the strike.
lorgain2 3 years ago 3
Well Paddy, it doesn't matter if we're Geordie, Paddy, Taffy, Scouse, Manc or Cockney to the bastard with the truncheon.
It's always been us against the mate!
Larkin1907 3 years ago
nice to hear seghill get a mention
SomewhereSeghill 3 years ago
Salt of the earth.
slobjob13 3 years ago
fucking scab bastard.... strike breaking black leg scum.... would sell their own grannys.
yetiflicker 3 years ago
you have to love this song it means somthing...
part ou our history
folkiefreek 3 years ago
yea get that stinking blackleg
FotoNathan1 3 years ago
yea get that dirty blackleg, scum! bet he'd take the pay rise the union had fought for
FotoNathan1 3 years ago
try scum for the wont of a better word
jjones868 3 years ago
try reading Zola's "Germinal" - 1866 northern France coalminers' strike - great stuff
Rick000888 3 years ago
At his funeral the people kept shouting "Germinal, Germinal, Germinal."
robmanic44 3 years ago
Great clip.. Well done.
drongo1947 3 years ago 6
do you get what a blackleg is yeah?
dregmaster 3 years ago
A strike breaker. A dog. The lowest of the low.
redword2007 3 years ago
check out the richard thompson version, on his '1000 years of popular music'
love steeleye span still too!
3bu8 4 years ago
great song and story cuz if it wasnt 4 them ware woulldwe b today?
ruthclough 4 years ago
if it wasant 4 old blacklegs whare would we b today ?
still they wont teach u it @ skol!!!!!!
great bit of work guys
ruthclough 4 years ago
do they teach you how to spell at school?
Foxburg 4 years ago
@Foxburg i bet your daddy buys everything for you. you pansy.i would love to beat the shit out of you , if i had one minute in the ring with you
thcthc 1 year ago
Oh, Delaval is a terrible place,
They rub wet clay in the blackleg's face...
They grabbed his duds, his picks as well,
And they haul them down the pit of hell,
Down you go and fare thee well..
You dirty blackleg miner!
BRILLIANT! One of their best.
GrandPrix55 4 years ago
Oh, Delaval is a terrible place,
They rub wet clay in the blackleg's face...
They grabbed his duds, his picks as well,
And they hauled them down the pit of hell,
Down you go and fare ye well..
YOU DIRTY BLACKLEG MINERRRRRR
Brilliant song and tune. One of my fave Steeleye's!
GrandPrix55 4 years ago
The Union forever
defending our rights
Down with the blackleg
all workers unite
With our brothers and our sisters
from many far-off lands
There is power in a Union
spiritualmonkey 4 years ago 2
Aren't communists sweet! Breaking spines and all.
pigeatinginfidel 3 years ago
The song dates from the 19th century - conditions were deadly: by fire, explosion, pit collapses or slowly by breathing coal dust.
However many instances of union violence you count for this time there were far more instances of people and families devastated by workers spines (and other bones) broken at work, lungs clogged up or just dismissed for having the effrontery of joining a trade union or taking part in politics of the time. Life is rarely as black and white as your soundbite.
Paul1834 3 years ago
The song dates from the 19th century - conditions were deadly: fire, explosion, pit collapses or more slowly by the workforce breathing coal dust.
Instances of picket line violence were tiny compared to the people/families devastated by workers spines (and other bones) broken at work, lungs clogged up or those just dismissed for having the effrontery of joining a trade union or taking any progressive political stance. Life is (and was) rarely as black and white as you have pitched it here.
Paul1834 3 years ago 6
Standing, clapping and cheering, Paul.
Constantlibrarian 3 years ago 4
the girl in this vid has such a beautiful face.
alwaysbon 4 years ago 2
Bloody awesome video - very well put together and the song and pictures match perfectly.
The only addition you could make to it would be to put some pictures of the Union struggling with the police - afterall, this song is about Unions near the end. Anyway, just a suggestion! It still is a fine piece of work.
hepps17 4 years ago
Actually, the whole song is about unions, not just the end bit. In modern terms, a "blackleg miner" would be called a "scab", or strikebreaker.
coopjoseph 4 years ago 2
Where I'm from, blackleg and scab are used synonymously.
westphalianprinz 4 years ago