5.15 a.m.
snow laying all around
a collier cycles home
from his night shift underground
past the silent pub
primary school, workingmens club
on the road from the pithead
fis
then beneath the bridge
he comes to a giant car
a mark ten jaguar
he thought the man was fast asleep
silent, still and deep
both dead and cold
fis
came north to fill his boots
came up from cockneyland
cash cows in all the pubs
H7
nineteen sixty-seven
bandit men in birdcage heaven
la dolce vita, sixty-nine
all new to people of the tyne
who knows who did what
somebody made a call
they said his hands
fis
that he?d been skimming hauls
fis
drives his giant jag
fis H7
came north to fill his boots
came up from cockneyland
came up the great north road
up to geordieland
seams blew up or cracked
black diamonds came hard won
generations toiled and hacked
for a pittance and black lung
fis
how the young and old
fis H7
eighteen sixty-seven
my angel?s gone to heaven
he?ll be happy there
sunlight and sweet clean air
they gather round the glass
tough hewers and crutters
child trappers and putters
the little foals and half-marrows
who pushed
cis
the hod boys
and the rolleywaymen
5.15 a.m.