Farewell, Johnny Miner
by Ed Pickford
Johnny Miner, you were born
Never to see the rising dawn,
Now it's time that you were gone,
So farewell, Johnny Miner.
Chorus:
Farewell Durham, Yorkshire, too,
Nottingham, the same to you
Scotland, South Wales, bid adieu,
And farewell, Johnny Miner.
You struggled hard with slate and shale,
Lungs turned black and faces pale,
Now your body's up for sale,
And farewell, Johnny Miner.
Chorus
They promised you the earth some time
To work down in their stinkin' mine,
Now the justice for their crime
Is farewell, Johnny Miner.
Chorus
Cheer up John, it won't be bad:
Unemployment isn't hard -
They'll treat you well in the knacker's yard,
So farewell, Johnny Miner.
Chorus
Johnny Miner, you were born
Never to see the rising dawn,
Now it's time that you were gone,
So farewell, Johnny Miner.
