WORKING CLASS HEROES

by David Tristram

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joseph1968
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joseph1968 I can relate to the theme of this song as my ancestors, while not in the Black Country, worked in the spinning mills of Lancashire, the steel mills in Sheffield, the lead and coal mines in Derbyshire or tenant farmers in Staffordshire. They too were heroes.
jax7
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about

This song is my tribute to the working class heroes of yesteryear - the women chainmakers of Cradley who worked in such appalling conditions, and who eventually fought for the right to a living wage for everyone.

But I wanted to give it a modern-twist, by dedicating the song to their modern-day counterparts – people who just get on with their job, no matter how tough,– no fuss, no drama, no street riots – they just go the extra mile - usually to help others, rather than themselves. I'm sure we all know some working class heroes like that.

If you like the song, please download it. Thank you.

lyrics

There were no safe spaces
For the coal-blackened faces
Of the men who lined up in the mines
No retreat from the searing blast furnace heat
As the foundrymen beat out their metal in lines
While the women enslaved by nails and chain
Dulled their pain with work chants and rhyme,
Hammer and tongs, to the rhythm of songs,
Forged by Heroes… of their time.

WORKCHANT CHORUS:

Hey la ho-la
Hey la ho-la, etc

Where are you now?
Where are all my heroes?
Though you may be gone your story will live on….
Farewell my heroes
Farewell my friends
Though you may be gone your story never ends.

Hey la ho-la
Hey la ho-la, etc

So there’s really no mystery
After centuries of history
Why Black Country folk stand, side by side
Common goals, common values, common-sense dreams,
When there was work to be done, they’d never hide
Hardship their playground, Black humour their friend,
Our Black Country heroes, laughed till the end
They all stood together, side by side.
They all stood together, with pride.

We all will stand together.
Stand, strong and true
Coz Heroes are, as heroes always do
We stand together.
We see it through.
Heroes are, as heroes always do.
Farewell my heroes (“We stand together”)
Farewell my friends (“We see it through”)
Heroes are, as heroes do.

SPOKEN:
In 1910, after years of untold hardship, the women chainmakers in Cradley, led by Mary Macarthur, finally laid down their tools in their back yard forges, to strike for a living wage.
In their hundreds, they stood together, strong and true, and focused the world’s attention on the plight of Britain’s low-paid workers.

After ten long weeks they won the dispute. And their victory forged the way to making the principle of a national minimum wage a reality, as they doubled their earnings to 11 shillings a week.

They were the Black Country’s… working class heroes.

credits

released May 18, 2021
Working Class Heroes was written & produced by David Tristram.

Special thanks to Dave Lowe for his epic guitar solo, Beth Belle for her early help with vocals, and of course to Jess Silk for the lead vocals.

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LAZY COW Dudley, UK

Lazy Cow Music is a quirky and eclectic mix of songs for indie movies and theatre. All tracks were written and produced by David Tristram.

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