Well, friends, hereby hangs a tale
The year was nineteen thirty-one
A good job digging for the king
While there's so many on the bum
I'd done my time across in France
Fought at Moreaux and at Vimy
Done my service for my country
Thought I'd put the guns behind me
I should have known it from the start
Peace may be signed between two nations
But for protection of your rights
My friends, it's always battle stations
And so it was the union boys
Set up shop there in the coalfields
Said that they would be our voice
Said that they would be our shield
They said just a little march
Across the town and past the station
Some fine strong speakers and a band
A fairly peaceful congregation
Let them know that we were strong
Show them we could be united
Show them we had found our voice
And that we would not be frightened
I should have known it from the start
Workers marching makes them nervous
I saw no menace in our group
Peaceful of heart and stout of purpose
The local peelers were forewarned
It's sure as hell they were forearmed
How could we cause them any trouble?
How could they be so alarmed?
Armed with truncheons and with guns
They took their line across the road
Their faces cast in stone
I heard the call to aim and load
Saw the deadly muzzle flash
Saw the people drop around me
Took a bullet to the leg
My friends, and that is how they found me
I should have known it from the start
Should have seen the trouble coming
Seen the ugly twist of fate
Turned my tail and started running
Known when push has come to shove
And it's a heavy hand that feeds you
That the job that was your life
Becomes the job that slowly beats you
No use, no use, for the ranting of the government men
No use, for their fine print and their fountain pen
No use, no use in me denying
This small rebellion's over, but I'm leaving here unbowed
And when the dust had finally cleared
When all dissent had been put down
I packed my life in two worn bags
Caught the train and left the town
In this case justice sure was blind
At least blind to human suffering
They said they'd put us in our place
And I guess they weren't bluffing
I should have known it from the start
It's not the truth that really matters
The real world tramples on such things
Leaves your mental state in tatters
Makes the blowing prairie dust
Seem like it is stationary
Makes the proudest person humble
And the strongest person wary
Makes the proudest person humble
And the strongest person wary