John Tams
Harry Stone (Hearts of Coal)
Harry Stone was a miner born
He worked to win his wages
Riding down the cages
And raging at the seams
He worked his stall from dusk till dawn
Sweet sweat and raw endeavour
Black diamonds bound together
By a strong and simple means
He met a girl from Ironville
He promised he would love her
He'd put no-one above her
At last they went to town
He promised he would love her
Til the blackbirds stopped their singing
The mission bell stoppеd ringing
And they closed the coal pit down
Whеre are you tonight now we need you
Left out in the cold, cold
Where are you tonight now we need you
They broke the hearts of coal
Hearts of coal
They raised their children chapel proud
The lamb and the flag to guide them
They each strove to provide them
With a sense of right from wrong
And when the strikes and lock-outs came
And bare-foot hunger tried them
All hopes were denied them
Their unity held strong
Where are you tonight now we need you
Left out in the cold, cold
Where are you tonight now we need you
They broke the hearts of coal
Hearts of coal
Forty years of coal-dust
Is a lot of pain to carry
It made a cripple out of Harry
But his family came and took up his tools
And they faced the Orgreave cavalry
While the world looked on and wondered
Their right to work was plundered
By the statesman-ship of fools
Where are you tonight now we need you
Left out in the cold, cold
Where are you tonight now we need you
They broke the hearts of coal
Hearts of coal
The 'Enemy Within' they cried
And the boney finger pointed
Dripping gold from the anointed
At the beggar and her bowl
And just like the Union said he would
The axe-man came in dancing
His psychopathic prancing
Chopped out the hearts of coal
Where are you tonight now we need you
Left out in the cold, cold
Where are you tonight now we need you
They broke the hearts of coal
Hearts of coal
He promised he would love her
Til the blackbirds stopped their singing
The mission bells stopped ringing
And they closed the coal pit down