This is a song which draws in some of Nottinghamshire’s (almost) lost mining language. It takes you on a journey down the mine with the ‘powder monkey’. All he really wants to do is get back above ground, enjoy a good pint of ale and a dance with ladies … the lyrics are notated in Nottinghamshire mining dialect.
lyrics
Dance of The Miner (Taylor)
Put mi snap in mi tin Ma I'm gooin dahn t’ mine
I'll put a chock in the seam boys, lets hope it’s all fine
I'll tek mi Monday hammer and mi elephants tab
By the time it’s Wednesday … no energy I'll ‘av
I need pahnds in mi pocket, cos we’re gooin dahn t' goose fair
I’ll spend all mi money on loose women and beer
A powder monkey is what thi’ call me
If I get aht this mine luv, a miracle twill be
(BREAK)
CHORUS I
Oh I'll … spend all mi money on women and beer
This life is for living, I'll bid y' good cheer
That's why on a Friday in't pub y'll find me
Drinking good ale and dancin’ so free
CHORUS II
Oooooh … dance away to the sweet melody
Pick out y’ partner … step one, two, three
When a miner is dancin’ he's never so free
Pick out y’ partner … step one, two, three (BREAK)
Well he dun’t even know if that shift he'll survive
If he’ll keep his good health, if he’ll gerraht alive
There's many a miner, gone dahn that dark ‘ole
Left a poor lass all scratin at ‘ome
That’s why he imagines birds in the trees
The sweet caress of a soft summer breeze
Oh n’ he longs for the women he's aching t’ please
He’s always dancing, though he's dahn on his knees
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