Old king coal
John Howarth vocal; Gerry Kearns chorus & guitar; Larry Kearns chorus & whistle
In a dark, dark land so weird and stern
The old king held his throne
His pillows were twined by the lady fern
And reared on the granite stone
And the fossil shells around him lay
From the ancient ocean’s roll
So dark and grim, from the vast sea spray
Was born our old King Coal.
Chorus
Then here’s to King Coal. That merry old soul
We’ll give it with three times three
His eye is bright, may its merry light
Wink always sly at me
Now old King Coal has left his land
A – conquering far and near
The steamship is his battle horse
The railway train his car
The bell which swing in the steeple high
The sword by the soldier’s side
And the needles which beauty’s fingers ply
And the crown of the monarch’s pride.
Chorus
Were shaped by the aid of old King Coal
What a merry old soul is he
His eye is bright, may its merry light
Wink always sly at me.
But most I love the old King Coal
For he’s a friend to me
He sits between me and my life
When we sit down to tea
And he leers on us both with a roguish eye
And he laughs like a dear old soul
And embraces us both right royally
This neighbourly old King Coal
Chorus
Then here’s to King Coal. That merry old soul
We’ll give it with three times three
His eye is bright, may its merry light
Wink always sly at me
In a dark, dark land so weird and stern
The old king held his throne
His pillows were twined by the lady fern
And reared on the granite stone
And the fossil shells around him lay
From the ancient ocean’s roll
So dark and grim, from the vast sea spray
Was born our old King Coal.
Chorus
Then here’s to King Coal. That merry old soul
We’ll give it with three times three
His eye is bright, may its merry light
Wink always sly at me
Now old King Coal has left his land
A – conquering far and near
The steamship is his battle horse
The railway train his car
The bell which swing in the steeple high
The sword by the soldier’s side
And the needles which beauty’s fingers ply
And the crown of the monarch’s pride.
Chorus
Were shaped by the aid of old King Coal
What a merry old soul is he
His eye is bright, may its merry light
Wink always sly at me.
But most I love the old King Coal
For he’s a friend to me
He sits between me and my life
When we sit down to tea
And he leers on us both with a roguish eye
And he laughs like a dear old soul
And embraces us both right royally
This neighbourly old King Coal
Chorus
Then here’s to King Coal. That merry old soul
We’ll give it with three times three
His eye is bright, may its merry light
Wink always sly at me
OLD KING COAL
Obviously based on the nursery rhyme, ‘Old King Coal’ is a tribute to the mineral without which Lancashire’s industrial society, and indeed industrial feats of other areas, could never have been achieved. Charles Chilton, the famous author, historian and collector of historical songs, introduced the Oldham Tinkers to this regal personification of coal in 1968.
Traditional
Arrangement © Oldham Tinkers
Obviously based on the nursery rhyme, ‘Old King Coal’ is a tribute to the mineral without which Lancashire’s industrial society, and indeed industrial feats of other areas, could never have been achieved. Charles Chilton, the famous author, historian and collector of historical songs, introduced the Oldham Tinkers to this regal personification of coal in 1968.
Traditional
Arrangement © Oldham Tinkers
First published by TOPIC Records 1979
That Lancashire Band LP 12TS399stereo
The Oldham Tinkers
First published by TOPIC Records 1979 by John Brierley, Cargo Recording Studio, Rochdale, April 1979. Notes by Larry Kearns / Sleeve illustration and design by John Atkinson
Produced by Tony Russell
Re-released on C.D. by Pier Records in 2000 under licence from Topic Records Ltd, England.
The C.D. The Oldham Tinkers, ‘That Lancashire Band’ PIERCD 504
The classic Lancashire folk album from 1979, available for the first time on CD, with three bonus tracks, full song notes and a sleeve note introduction from B.B.C. presenter Andy Kershaw.
That Lancashire Band LP 12TS399stereo
The Oldham Tinkers
First published by TOPIC Records 1979 by John Brierley, Cargo Recording Studio, Rochdale, April 1979. Notes by Larry Kearns / Sleeve illustration and design by John Atkinson
Produced by Tony Russell
Re-released on C.D. by Pier Records in 2000 under licence from Topic Records Ltd, England.
The C.D. The Oldham Tinkers, ‘That Lancashire Band’ PIERCD 504
The classic Lancashire folk album from 1979, available for the first time on CD, with three bonus tracks, full song notes and a sleeve note introduction from B.B.C. presenter Andy Kershaw.