The North England Blues

from The Puppet Master and Other Folk Songs by Ryan Fox

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lyrics

This is the case of the north England blues
About the things you might have and the things you might lose
The life that I’ve lived no one can deny
Make a hard Herod weep or a cruel Nero cry

The story begins at Kellingley mine
The overman stopped us at quarter to nine
Clear out your lockers, the pit is to close!
The cause of our hardship he would not disclose

This is the case of the north England blues
This is the case of the north England blues

Shafted by Maggie, bulldozed by Blair
Thrown to the wolves in a pit of despair
With our useless skills the jobs were none
No means to provide for my wife and my son

No work at my age in the grocery store
My wife couldn’t bear me at home any more
After three years of struggle she finally left
Cold nights alone. Abandoned. Bereft

This is the case of the north England blues
This is the case of the north England blues

My boy was expelled for a fight or two
He got into drugs cos there was nothing to do
His future’s bleak now they locked him away
He won’t let me visit to see if he’s okay

So what should you make of the north England blues?
It’s not up to me, they’re your thoughts to choose
I don’t mean to alarm or intend to confuse
But this was the case of the north England blues

credits

from The Puppet Master and Other Folk Songs, released January 31, 2016

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about

Ryan Fox London, UK

Ryan Fox is a roots/folk singer-songwriter from Kent, UK. His gentle, smart, poetic lyrics and sweet, well-crafted melodies are inspired by Bob Dylan, Pete Seeger, Woody Guthrie, Joni Mitchell, Donovan, Dylan Thomas, Percy Shelley, Johnny Cash, Hank Williams, John Lennon, The Animals, The Byrds, Eagles, Bruce Springsteen, Elton John, The Beatles, Cast, Noel Gallagher and the Nashville TV series. ... more

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