Firstly, happy new year and I hope you are all lucky in your pursuit of pleasure this year.
Secondly, I would like to draw everyone's attention to a song that I did not know existed until today. It is Ironmasters by the Men They Couldn't Hang.
OK, they're not Welsh, and strictly speaking Liverpool isn't in Wales either (although Wales is most certainly present in Liverpool), but I've never heard a song in popular music that lamented Welsh towns and cities in this way. Nothing like a recession to bring the old anthems out!The link and the lyrics are as follows:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8zVmx709Nrg
Oh this is an old story that's rarely ever told the raping of the country, of the valley the men who came to reap with a musket and a bible they wanted to take the valley the valley! the valley! they wanted to take the valley and oh the ironmasters, they always get their way
and so far a pittance all the people worked the land all the men and the women and the children and on sundays it was down to the chapel in the town the preacher said give generously! give generously! give generously! the people they gave generously and oh the ironmasters, they always get their way
the union met in secret on the dark side of the hill by the light of a thousand candles their pay had been cut, all the people come on out and by scores they were joining Rebecca Rebecca! Rebecca! the people were joining Rebecca and oh the ironmasters, they always get their way
riot!
ironmaster, call the army call the hungry from the irish sea ironmaster, call the parliament it's no sin to fight to be free!
from the smokey stacks of merthyr to the hills of Ebbw vale from Swansea docks to Merseyside and Liverpool with the union leaders crushed and the union quickly smashed they blackend the face of the country the country! the country! they blackend the face of the country and oh the ironmasters, they always get their way
now on a hill in Brecon is Crawshay's ruined house and it blackens out the green of the valley and on the battered grave is the epitaph they gave it stands there, god forgive him! forgive him! forgive him! and all who rot in hell with him and oh the ironmasters, they always get their way
riot!
ironmaster, call the army call the hungry from the irish sea ironmaster, call the parliament it's no sin to fight to be free!
and oh the ironmasters, they always get their way and oh the ironmasters, they still get their way!
A Happy New Year to you as well Old Radnorian.
ReplyDeleteBlwyddyn newydd dda i'r hen foi !!
ReplyDeleteFirstly, happy new year and I hope you are all lucky in your pursuit of pleasure this year.
ReplyDeleteSecondly, I would like to draw everyone's attention to a song that I did not know existed until today. It is Ironmasters by the Men They Couldn't Hang.
OK, they're not Welsh, and strictly speaking Liverpool isn't in Wales either (although Wales is most certainly present in Liverpool), but I've never heard a song in popular music that lamented Welsh towns and cities in this way. Nothing like a recession to bring the old anthems out!The link and the lyrics are as follows:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8zVmx709Nrg
Oh this is an old story that's rarely ever told
the raping of the country, of the valley
the men who came to reap with a musket and a bible
they wanted to take the valley
the valley! the valley!
they wanted to take the valley
and oh the ironmasters, they always get their way
and so far a pittance all the people worked the land
all the men and the women and the children
and on sundays it was down to the chapel in the town
the preacher said give generously!
give generously! give generously!
the people they gave generously
and oh the ironmasters, they always get their way
the union met in secret on the dark side of the hill
by the light of a thousand candles
their pay had been cut, all the people come on out
and by scores they were joining Rebecca
Rebecca! Rebecca!
the people were joining Rebecca
and oh the ironmasters, they always get their way
riot!
ironmaster, call the army
call the hungry from the irish sea
ironmaster, call the parliament
it's no sin to fight to be free!
from the smokey stacks of merthyr
to the hills of Ebbw vale
from Swansea docks to Merseyside and Liverpool
with the union leaders crushed
and the union quickly smashed
they blackend the face of the country
the country! the country!
they blackend the face of the country
and oh the ironmasters, they always get their way
now on a hill in Brecon is Crawshay's ruined house
and it blackens out the green of the valley
and on the battered grave is the epitaph they gave
it stands there, god forgive him!
forgive him! forgive him!
and all who rot in hell with him
and oh the ironmasters, they always get their way
riot!
ironmaster, call the army
call the hungry from the irish sea
ironmaster, call the parliament
it's no sin to fight to be free!
and oh the ironmasters, they always get their way
and oh the ironmasters, they still get their way!