1. |
Ranting Lads [Live]
03:24
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RANTING LADS
Here come the ranting lads
Three cheers for the ranting lads
Here come the ranting lads
Bringing those times back here again
Ranting happy or ranting sad
We'll bring those times back here again
Will those times come back here again?
Young at heart with bodies old
Bringing those times back here again
But memories of the purest gold
We'll bring those times back here again
Will those times come back here again?
Here come the ranting lads
They've got the whole world in their hands
Happy as the collier lads
The canny ranting lads
Ranting by the light of the moon
The ranting lads will come too soon
Bugger me I'm on the town
All night with the ranting lads
Here come the ranting lads
Three cheers for the ranting lads
Life goes on though dreams pass by
Bringing those times back here again
So raise a smile through tear-drenched eyes
We'll bring those times back here again
Will those times come back here again?
Set them up for one last round
Bringing those times back here again
For all we've lost and all we've found
We'll bring those times back here again
Will those times come back here again?
Here come the ranting lads
They've got the whole world in their hands
Happy as the collier lads
The canny ranting lads
Ranting by the light of the moon
The ranting lads will come too soon
Bugger me I'm on the town
All night with the ranting lads
Here come the ranting lads
Three cheers for the ranting lads
(Gary Miller)
Copyright © 1996 Gary Miller / Whippet Records
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2. |
Widows Of Hartley [Live]
03:06
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WIDOWS OF HARTLEY
“What was it there on Hartley Heap
Caused the mother and child to weep”
(George Cooke)
Cold January’s gripped our throbbing hearts
And torn them
Still the sea rolls on
The earth’s bowels stink
Of our loved one’s deaths
The air tastes foul
Still the sea rolls on
They don black gloves
Drag out the bodies one by one
The death-stained faces seem to smile
Still the sea rolls on
We are the widows of Hartley
Our men and boys are dead
Our lives cracked open
Damp corpses in our beds
Still the sea rolls on
We clutch cold messages
From dukes and queens
We wipe the coal dust
From our widowed eyes
The coffin-makers heavy hammers beat
Keep time with lapping parlour clocks
And still the sea rolls on
We are the widows of Hartley
Our men and boys are dead
Take away your stumbling words
And give us bread
(lyrics: Keith Armstrong / music: Gary Miller)
Copyright © 1995 Keith Armstrong / Gary Miller / Whippet Records
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3. |
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EVERYBODY’S GOT LOVE BITES BUT ME
In this two-bit town
It’s once bitten twice shy
Chewing streets up and down
My tongue’s asking “Why?”
My teeth are on edge
No work and no necking
Just sucking this ledge
No future worth wrecking
Nothing to say
No reason to pray
Wish something lovely would hit me
Everybody’s got love bites but me
In the back of my mouth
There’s a taste of success
And word has it down south
You can talk oral sex
But in this dingy town
My lips are all cracked
Speechless at home
All sleepless and sacked
Nothing to say
No reason to pray
Wish something lovely would hit me
Everybody’s got love bites but me
(lyrics: Keith Armstrong / music: Gary Miller)
Copyright © 1995 Keith Armstrong / Gary Miller / Whippet Records
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4. |
This Village [Live]
06:07
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THIS VILLAGE
This village draws me
I hear it calling me back through the years
Its people are its life-blood
I am its joy; I am its tears
Makers were forged here
To forge a bond no cruel hands could destroy
Artists' hands seized it
Lost lovers grieved for it
Builders have reached for its skies
Poets have captured its beauty
They speak of its sad beauty now
This village haunts me
Its whispering hurt tears at my soul
Why did I forsake you?
Welcome me back welcome me home
A sacred bond exists here
Between the land and the people it owns
It grants no escape from the realms of its fate
It reaps the crops we have sown
This village has made me all that I am
This village is calling me home
(Gary Miller)
Copyright © 1996 Gary Miller / Whippet Records
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5. |
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ALICE IN WONDERLAND
First she dries the dishes then she dries her eyes
'Though her tears could fill an ocean, her own river's running dry
She's moved to Dead End Street from Opportunity Rise
Where the spirits of dead dreams haunt the back lanes of her mind
Sometimes he shows affection in a way that makes her proud
But mostly he can't stand her; she's just a stupid cow
To one who doesn't love her or respect her anyhow
And cares nothing for their future just his own here and now
So come on now, get your head out of the sand
You're just like Alice dreaming of a wonderland
But yours could be reality if you just take a hand
Think positive! Think confidence! Think, "I am in command!"
Time is a prison time is our own Hell
Time is the destroyer; it's the fire in which we burn
And on this one-way ticket, which offers no return
Time never heals is something you will learn
And as time slips away, it seems such a crime
To see one so young growing old before their time
Life offers too few chances don't let them pass you by
For perhaps the greatest crime is never to have tried
So come on now, get your head out of the sand
You're just like Alice dreaming of a wonderland
But yours could be reality if you just take a hand
Think positive! Think confidence! Think, "I am in command!"
So come on now, get your head out of the sand
Don’t waste your whole life trapped in dreams of wonderland
The reality could be yours if you just make a stand
Think positive! Think confidence! Think, "I am in command!"
Think positive! Think confidence! Think, "I am in command!"
Think positive! Think confidence! Think, "I am in command!"
(Gary Miller)
Copyright © 1996 Gary Miller / Whippet Records
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6. |
Success Express [Live]
06:32
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SUCCESS EXPRESS
[Instrumental]
(Gary Miller)
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7. |
Side By Side [Live]
02:46
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SIDE BY SIDE
Mother close the curtains
Kiss me on the brow
Wish me "Good-night and God bless" before you go
Your eyes full of pride
For each little child
Where did it all go?
Where did it all go?
Blood on our noses
Blood on our knees
But flowing thicker than water in our veins
Fighting with each other
Then fighting for each other
Where did it all go?
Where did it all go?
Side by side we will fight
Belief our strength, truth our might
From despair our hope will rise
Stand or fall, side by side
Together we will survive
Instead of doubling our trouble
We can double our score
Turn our differences around
With a passion shared
Two is better than one
The battle still goes on
The battle still goes on
Stand or fall, side by side
Together we will survive
(Gary Miller)
Copyright © 1998 Gary Miller / Whippet Records
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8. |
Song For Ewan [Live]
03:49
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SONG FOR EWAN
Hello precious one, so small and frail
May you grow to be strong and may your strength never fail
'Though you enter a world of sorrow and pain
May you find peace and may wisdom be your reign
Go forward with laughter and joy in your heart
Be positive in everything you do
Always believe in what you seek to achieve
And I will believe in you
This whole world is yours to paint and explore
May your colours be vibrant, may your canvas be broad
May each path you choose be sure and bold
May the secrets of the universe be yours to unfold
May your journey be exciting, may you reach for the stars
May all your dreams come true
Should you walk on Mars or through war-torn lands
May your aim always be true
The love I feel is deep and real
It's pouring down on you
My heart is on my sleeve for all to see
As I sing this song for you
But hush for now, may your life bring joy
And may you find happiness too
And when I am blessed with a child of my own
May he or she be beautiful like you
(Gary Miller)
Copyright © 1998 Gary Miller / Whippet Records
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9. |
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A BETTER MAN THAN YOU
He's a better man than you will ever be
His heart is a lion his soul is free
He exudes the greatest triumph with the purest dignity
He's a better man than you will ever be
His voice is louder than yours will ever be
He says more in a moment than your whole life can achieve
He captures people's lives and hearts with words of great beauty
In a louder voice than yours will ever be
And if through trouble he should falter
I will be there to break his fall
I will be his comfort, his shelter from the storm
I will be his flower among them all
He's a stronger man than you will ever be
Fighting with such passion for all that he believes
Against prejudice, injustice, deceit and apathy
He's a stronger man than you will ever be
And if he's prone to break my heart sometimes
I know that he still cares for me
For I know he hides a deeper sensibility
He's a better man than you will ever be
He's a nobler man than you will ever be
Giving so much of himself with a natural selfless ease
And should disaster strike, he will face it gallantly
He's a nobler man than you will ever be
And if you doubt the measure of this man
You need look no further than me
For I am his and I know he's the one for me
He's a better man than you will ever be
He's a better man than you will ever be
He's a better man than you will ever be
(Gary Miller)
Copyright © 1998 Gary Miller / Whippet Records
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10. |
Workhorse [Live]
04:03
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WORKHORSE
Out across the cold grey fields
Like a monument to the damned
He ploughs the fields and scatters
The good seed on the land
And in the evening when the sun goes down
And the whole world is asleep
He carries on with one last shift
To earn his mind some peace
He suffers all the taunts and jibes
Of the cruel ploughboy lads
As they idle all their time away
Though there's money to be had
He carries on regardless
Though his back is bruised and sore
His heart beats faster than a train
And his lungs are clogged and slow
This old workhorse will work 'til he drops
When his work is all done, he refuses to stop
When he's put out to pasture will he finally be free
Will his body and mind at last feel relief
He no longer heeds the danger signs
He no longer hears the warning chimes
Deaf, dumb and blind, just the straight line ahead
Driving him on 'til he drops down dead
Out across the cold grey fields
Like a monument to the damned
He ploughs the fields and scatters
The good seed on the land
And in the evening when the sun goes down
And the whole world is asleep
He carries on with one last shift
To earn his mind some peace
Now who will hold him close and weep
In their deepest thoughts his love to keep
And ease his body from dusk 'til dawn
This self-made martyr with his crown of thorns
(Gary Miller)
Copyright © 1996 Gary Miller / Whippet Records
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11. |
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BLACKLEG MINING MAN
Who is that blackleg mining man?
Who is that blackleg mining man?
He’s the one who helps the boss
Nail his brothers to the cross
Who is that blackleg mining man?
Where was that blackleg mining man?
Where was that blackleg mining man?
He was nowhere to be seen
When they killed young Jones and Green
Where was that blackleg mining man?
He was that blackleg mining man
He was that blackleg mining man
He was deep down in the mine
Gone through the picket line
He was that blackleg mining man
Why does that blackleg mining man?
Why does that blackleg mining man?
Dig the blackleg coal
Puts his marrers on the dole
Why does that blackleg mining man?
Someday that blackleg mining man
Someday that blackleg mining man
Will rue what he has done
When there’s no work for his son
Someday that blackleg mining man
One day that blackleg mining man
One day that blackleg mining man
Will realise he’s sold his soul
For a tub of blackleg coal
One day that blackleg mining man
He’ll see that blackleg mining man
He’ll see that blackleg mining man
When he looks into his glass
A traitor to his class
He’ll see that blackleg mining man
Who is that blackleg mining man?
Who is that blackleg mining man?
He’s the one who helps the boss
Nail his brothers to the cross
He is that blackleg mining man?
(Jock Purdon)
Copyright © Jock Purdon / Pit Lamp Press
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12. |
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WHEN THE WIND BLOWS, BILLY BOY
Where have you been all the day Billy Boy
Now you have put away all of your toys
I wish I had known you when you were a boy
But that's all gone now
I'll never forget when I first put you now
You were dancing all round the town
With your shoes all scuffed and your curly hair brown
But that seems such a long time ago now
When the wind blows you've got time on your hands
But when the time comes it blows by so fast
I'll dream of the days that are coming at last
When the wind blows Billy Boy
You in your innocence were such a sweet little thing
Now that's gone forever flown like birds on the wing
Did you ever regret it did you lose anything
Now it's all in the past Billy Boy
Where have you been all the years Billy Boy
You threw them away like you didn't know how
All for the sake of just living for now
Well I still love you Billy Boy
Now you and your sweetheart will walk hand in hand
You and the world and his wife make a stand
For all that we've ever held at our command
As you count down the years Billy Boy
Now the wind's blown all the time from your hands
Now the time's come will you blow by so fast
Or welcome the days that are here at last
When the wind blows Billy Boy
(Gary Miller)
Copyright ©1994 Gary Miller / Whippet Records
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13. |
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GRANDFATHA’S FATHA
When I was a young lad and had never known a job
I would visit my grandfather once a week
And I’d listen to his tales whilst sitting on his knee
But of his days at work he’d never speak
I found out that his father had died long ago
When granda was a young lad like mysel’
It was down the pit he died whilst working on the gang
There was a big explosion so they tell
They were cut off from the world
When the big cage doors were closed
They sang and talked to keep their spirits high
Then his father told the tale
Of when he’d met Old Nick Himself
And then he joked he’d see them all in Hell
They’d both left home together
They were both on the same long shift
And with the other men they piled into the cage
But the clanging of machinery as they descended down
Was warning them “you’re going to your graves”
When the cage reached the bottom
All the men clambered out
And like tiny ants they laboured in the gloom
Then an almighty bang rent the air
As the men began to shout
And the roof caved in to seal them in their tomb
No one knew what had happened
Until the dust began to settle
It looked like there’d been a battle
With the Devil down in Hell
My grandfather had been knocked unconscious
By a beam that had grazed his skull
While his father just lay lifeless where he fell
They’d brought him to the surface
By the time that he’d come round
Someone said “Son forget what happened
To you down there in the dark”
But his mind could never escape the horror
Of seeing his poor father die
In that dark hole that was called his place of work
(Gary Miller)
Copyright © 1988 Gary Miller / Whippet Records
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14. |
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THE OAKEY STRIKE EVICTIONS
It was in November I never will forget
The polisses and the candymen at Oakey Houses met
Johnny the bellman he was there squinting round about
And he put three men at every door to turn the pitmen out
And what would I do if I had the power mesel'
I would hang the twenty candymen and Johnny who carries the bell
They went from house to house and they put things in the road
But mind they didn't hurt themselves by carrying heavy loads
One would carry the poker out the fender or the rake
But if he carried two at once it was a big mistake
And what would I do if I had the power mesel'
I would hang the twenty candymen and Johnny who carries the bell
Some of the dandy candymen were dressed up like a clown
Some had caps without a flipe and some without a crown
One had no laps on his coat but there was one chap worse
And every time he had to stoop it was a laughable farce
And what would I do if I had the power mesel'
I would hang the twenty candymen and Johnny who carries the bell
There was one chap had no sleeves or buttons upon his coat
And another had a bairn's ribbon wrapped around his throat
One chap wore a pair of breeks belonging to a boy
One leg was a sort of tweed the other was corduroy
And what would I do if I had the power mesel'
I would hang the twenty candymen and Johnny who carries the bell
Well next there comes the masters and I think they should be shamed
For depriving wives and families of a comfortable home
And when they shift from where they live I hope they go to Hell
Along with the twenty candymen and Johnny whe carries the bell
And what would I do if I had the power mesel'
I would hang the twenty candymen and Johnny who carries the bell
(lyrics: Tommy Armstrong / music: Trad. arr. The Whisky Priests)
Copyright © 1989 Gary Miller / Glenn Miller / Whippet Records
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15. |
Mother, Waiting [Live]
12:15
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MOTHER, WAITING
Mother is waiting in the candlelit quiet
For her soldier-boy son to come home
Fireflies swarm in the fallen night
Beneath the black mountain a river seeks rest
As this mother waits on in her charcoal country
Knitting at her nails
The tears that stream from an ancient agony
Hiss like rain on the grate
She is a scrapbook of ancient cuttings
The pregnant wishes the bleeding sketches
The stretch-marks that etch her path
All draw her to damned pictures like these
A mother is waiting waiting waiting
Her thunder stolen from such lightning
As a blinding passion, flesh on heat
And her hands demanding ways
Such a wait on this night
The burden of a life
A soldier she sweated skin for
Lies felled by a blow to the Nation
And over the fields she knows she knows
A letter is coming coming slowly
From a mad king who has killed much time
And killed her gentle son
(lyrics: Keith Armstrong / music: Gary Miller)
Copyright © 1995 Keith Armstrong / Gary Miller / Whippet Records
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16. |
Car Boot Sale [Live]
03:48
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CAR BOOT SALE
I went to the car boot sale
At the racecourse one fine June
I had nothing else better to do
On a boring afternoon
There were cars and stalls and people obsessed
As far as the eye could see
But there wasn't a fucking horse in sight
At the sale of the century
Oh me lads, you should've seen them gannin'
Millin' around like flies 'round shite
With no real sense of plannin'
Hagglin' and fussin', hustlin' and bustlin'
In search of the Holy Grail
Some folks' rubbish is other folks' gold
At the car boot sale
There were people arriving while others were leaving
A lot of them pushing prams
I hope the ones that had just been bought
Were the unoccupied ones
Amidst the clamour you could hear a man cry
"Everything fifty pence!"
But you wouldn't have bothered to look in his box
If you had any sense
There were second-hand clocks and watches
With a history to tell
They might have been worth a fortune
If they told the time as well
Broken toys, torn books, scratched records
Electrical goods of every degree
Finding they don't work when you get home
Is your only guarantee
There was Mister Softee ice cream
Next to a burger van from Hell
In a cone or a tub with monkey's blood
Next to people with no sense of smell
I was trying to find one of those
Backward-facing baseball caps
'Cos no matter how hard I've looked
I've only seen forward ones in the shops
So if you're bored or depressed
With the National Lottery
Come along for a grand day out
With the shell-suit family
Grab a piece of the action
Of this latest national craze
Rogues by the score amid bargains galore
At your local car boot sale
Oh me lads, you should've seen them gannin'
Millin' around like flies round shite
With no real sense of plannin'
Hagglin' and fussin', hustlin' and bustlin'
In search of the Holy Grail
You might find it for a couple of quid
At the car boot sale
(Gary Miller)
Copyright © 1998 Gary Miller / Whippet Records
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Gary Miller Durham, UK
Gary Miller first rose to international prominence with folk-punk/rock pioneers The Whisky Priests (1985-2002), founded with his twin brother Glenn - “the Joe Strummer and Mick Jones of Folk Music". He now performs as a solo artist and with his new band 'Gary Miller's Big Picture' whose debut album is coming soon. ... more
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