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Blackhill​.​.​. and Back

by Chris Swinney

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1.
2.
1959 03:12
I just don’t believe it Have you heard the news? Seems they’ve told everyone What we’re going to lose And the chill of December It turned into ice and snow They’re pulling the plug On the life that we made And though we’re not alone It still feels that way Looks like they decided That we’d be the last to know As we raise a glass to our friends And we pray for a better time There’s a way we’ll remember the end Forever more Fifty nine They made their decision And just closed their eyes But we still have a vision And the means to survive If only they’ll listen We’ll keep this whole place alive As we raise a glass to our friends And we pray for a better time There’s a way we’ll remember the end Forever more Fifty nine
3.
The mountain’s getting higher Like the one we need to climb They say there’s less demand And now we’re only marking time So why without a warning When they must have had a clue Did they have to wait until our fate was overdue Let’s get our heads together Show them what we’re gonna do We’re running out of time But there’s the will to see it through Everyone’s behind us Except the powers that be They’ll try to bind us And remind us it’s too late We can’t escape bureaucracy We can make it ours We can turn it all around Make it pay in this old town again We can make it ours Take a look at what we’ve found A plan that has to save us from the end One cold night in The Borders So many people came To listen to the rescue plan And help us fight our claim Everyone’s behind us Except the powers that be But now the press have got it wrong For everyone to see We can make it ours We can turn it all around Make it pay in this old town again We can make it ours Take a look at what we’ve found A plan that has to save us from the end
4.
New Horizon 04:00
I stood and watched as the wheels went round Another shift heading underground A silhouette of a landmark of our time Everything that we have revolves Around a world where the light dissolves Into the shadows we all will leave behind But it looks as though a change has come And our days are numbered one by one ‘Til the lights go out across this town We’re looking at a new horizon Beneath the cooling towers They’re giving us a new horizon And telling us the future will be ours We stood in line on the final day And watched our world as it slipped away There’s nothing here to take its place Everything that we have revolves Around a world where the light dissolves Into the shadows we all will leave behind And it looks as though we’re moving on Though it’s not goodbye to everyone As the lights go out across this town We’re looking at a new horizon Beneath the cooling towers They’re building us a new horizon And telling us the future will be ours This time next year Not a clue where I’ll be But I’ll carry on Just as long as you’re waiting there for me (Instrumental) And it looks as though we’re moving on Though it’s not goodbye to everyone As the lights go out across this town We’re looking at a new horizon Beneath the cooling towers They’re giving us a new horizon And telling us the future will be ours A new horizon Beneath the cooling towers They’re building us a new horizon And telling us the future will be ours
5.
Looks like it’s over We did our best But it was us against the rest It was cut and tied up Right from the start Now here we stand Against the hardest part What will we do now? There’s nothing else And we never brought it on ourselves This world we worked in Will turn to rust They just don’t care what becomes of us And when the lights go out We’re on our own But we’ll find another way Some other place to stay Tomorrow brings a better day I will be there for you We’ll make it through the night I will take care of you It’s hard to see But it’s gonna be alright Looks like it’s over But it’s just begun We’ll do our best for everyone This world we’re leaving Holds nothing but doubt But I still believe it’ll all work out
6.
Everyone gather round Have you heard the news from a northern town They’re making a stand and a plan to deliver They’re gonna take their cause To the men on high Who plan on leaving them high and dry In the blink of an eye They’ve been sold down the river It’s very clear That something special’s going down I have an idea To put this on the screen I’ll capture it all on this machine When I’ve worked out what it means I’m gonna make my way to Screamers Town And find out for myself I’m gonna call them up and write it down We’ll show it all in light and sound What will they think when I turn up With my reels of film and a different voice? What will they say around the town When I’m driving around in my old Rolls Royce? So everyone gather round Have you heard the news from a northern town They’re making a stand and a plan to deliver They’re gonna take their cause To the men on high Who plan on leaving them high and dry In the blink of an eye They’ve been sold down the river It’s very clear That something special’s going down I have an idea To put this on the screen I’ll capture it all on this machine When I’ve worked out what it means I’m gonna make my way to Screamers Town And find out for myself I’m gonna call them up and write it down This story we will tell I’m gonna make my way to Screamers Town And find out for myself I’m gonna call them up and write it down We’ll show it all in light and sound
7.
This Journey 02:54
God how I hate this journey Will it ever end? A day in the deep and dark Then back again It’s so hard to shift this black cloud When each day is the same Tonight I’ll try and wash away the pain There’s light at the end of this road So I’ll keep holding on But it feels like a million years Before we’re gone And God how I hate this journey It’s so hard to see past To the place where we’ll be settling at last So wake me as we’re arriving And again when we’re home I’ll try to dream it’s the last time I’ll make it alone Just waiting for the day to dawn And flood this endless night They’re building us a new home We’ll be leaving soon There’s nothing else that I can do So it’s a new tomorrow I know that we can see it through So wake me as we’re arriving And again when we’re home I’ll try to dream it’s the last time I’ll make it alone Just waiting for the day to dawn And flood this endless night
8.
A warm summer’s evening The church bells would chime We stood around waiting for opening time Just five more minutes And we’ll drink our worries away The life we were given Is the one we have kept It’s a whole way of living You learn to accept Bring in some money Then do this all over again But oh Isn’t it strange How overnight changes occur And then you’re the stranger Visiting where you once were We used to stand gazing Out over the fields Now covered in concrete It looks so unreal Suppose I feel grateful That now I’m not part of the deal This was a dead-end street The day that we moved in Strange neighbours either side And either side again Seemed pretty normal then It was all I knew Some nights a crazy bitch Would put our windows through I made the grade that paved the way to something good But couldn’t wait to see the day I really understood Why those dreams they seemed so sure they’d realise Got no assistance from the dreamer to survive Coming down Coming round Coming to your senses Growing old Growing wise Whatever your defence is You can’t say You really wanted it this way This was a dead-end street But even then we tried Risking a life and limb To see what’s on the other side Coming down Coming round Coming to your senses Growing old Growing wise Whatever your pretence is You can’t say You really wanted it this way
9.
Driving through the old town And I’m looking for a sign Of a life that used to be Long ago There’s no familiar faces Or the traces of a time When we cast our hopes and fears to the wind But I remember summers Looking out across the fields At the burning sky that took our breath away I remember how I held you And the way you made me feel How the nights went on forever And the dream was real Where’s the chapel, where’s the drive-in The old club where it once was thriving And they took away the view down to the coast The wasteland where we played for hours Now holds up all the walls and towers The sky gets smaller every year As the old world starts to disappear Into the mists of time Driving through the old town But I’m just a stranger here And the cold wind says it’s time for me to leave And I remember summers Looking out across the fields At the burning sky that took our breath away I remember how I held you And the way you made me feel How the nights went on forever And the dream was real
10.
This Is... 04:21
This is where it all began When everything was changing A reason why we stand together now The cold north wind across this land Was in the right direction Carry me, carry me, carry me home Carry me, carry me, carry me home No one would have had a clue If something else was calling There only seemed to be one path to take The one I took it led to you When I knew that I was falling Carry me, carry me, carry me home Carry me, carry me, carry me home This is the way it all turned out Much better than we could have dreamed about This is the road that wound its way to you This is the reason This is the rhyme You stood there before me at just the right time Just when I thought my lucky days were through Yeah this is where it all began When everything was changing A reason why we stand together now The cold north wind across this land Was in the right direction This is the way it all turned out Much better than we could have dreamed about This is the road that wound its way to you This is the reason This is the rhyme You stood there before me at just the right time Just when I thought my lucky days were through This is the way it all turned out Much better than we could have dreamed about This is the road that wound its way to you This is the reason This is the rhyme You stood there before me at just the right time Just when I thought my lucky days were through
11.
Light My Way 03:46
I was stumbling through the darkness And trying to make it home Only heading in one direction Into the great unknown I wondered if I should turn But with all of my bridges burned This place only has sad memories I’ve been leaning on you forever You never turned away Time to stand on my own beside you And Face the day There’s nothing that’s at an end And plenty of time to mend This damaged and broken path I lead Out of the night your words of wisdom Are coming to light my way I’m ready to fight and find my way home And that’s where I’m gonna stay You opened up my eyes And everything came alive I know that our day will arrive Yeah I was stumbling through the darkness And trying to make it home Only heading in one direction Into the great unknown I wondered if I should turn But with all of my bridges burned This place only has sad memories Out of the night your words of wisdom Are coming to light my way I’m ready to fight and find my way home And that’s where I’m gonna stay Out of the night your words of wisdom Are coming to light my way I’m ready to fight and find my way home And that’s where I’m gonna stay You opened up my eyes And everything came alive I know that our day will arrive
12.
I just got back from the city of darkness I’m trying to make it home I’m in my car but there’s nowhere to park it Nowhere to call my own The radio station is losing location And songs are all out of key I look at my face in the rear-view mirror I haven’t slept for days Trying to look around for something familiar But it’s all a haze Round and around this strange little town But none of it stays the same Give me a sign Throw me a line ‘Cause every time I try to make my way I just end up in a no-win situation I’m here all alone Let me go home I can’t put my numbers in my telephone I’m just living in a world of sheer frustration I just got back from the city of darkness I’m trying to make it home I’m in my car but there’s nowhere to park it Nowhere to call my own The radio station is losing location And songs are all out of key Give me a sign Throw me a line ‘Cause every time I try to make my way I just end up in the same old situation I’m here all alone Let me go home I can’t put my numbers in my telephone I’m just living in a world… Give me a sign Throw me a line ‘Cause every time I try to make my way I just end up in the same old situation I’m here all alone Let me go home I can’t get a signal on my telephone I’m just living in a world of sheer frustration
13.
So this is how it all must end You’ll go your way and I’ll be fine I wait for the darkness to descend Another day we’ll leave behind For all of the ones that lie ahead That hold the memories of the things she said Suppose I’ll have to live with it There’s nothing more that I can do To say that it doesn’t hurt a bit I must admit would stretch the truth But oh what a blessing in disguise Now I realise what might have been Of all the words she might have said Of all that could enter in her head Three were abandoned, left for dead Never thought I’d be grateful For the words that she never said What a strange consolation But I’ll take comfort from this ‘Cause I don’t think that I could take it If those words had passed your lips No, no, no There’s no way I’d put the blame on you ‘Cause there were one or two things I held back too One or two things to show I care That won’t hurt you when I’m not there So you see we played it safe And we’re much better off this way Of all the words she might have said Of all that could enter in her head Three were abandoned, left for dead Never thought I’d be grateful For the words that she never… Of all the words she might have said Of all that could enter in her head Three were abandoned, left for dead Never thought I’d be grateful For the words that she never said I never thought I’d be grateful For the words that she never said
14.
Well we all have a few things that we’d like to say And they won’t be received in a favourable way So for most they’ll just shut their lips tightly And bite on their tongue There’s a fine line between aggravation and truth But if you’re not coming clean Then there’s really no use For a few empty words ‘cause you don’t want to spoil all the fun And this won’t be the last time you’ve said it all wrong But that’s just what they want and you need to get on So just pucker up and kiss where the sun shines They can’t get enough of your words of praise Oh I know what it’s like to be out on a limb And not part of the hype like the state that you’re in It’s an easier ride If you sleep well at night anyway But they’ll throw you a line and you’ll tug at the bait And they’ll be reeling you in as they tell you you’re great But it won’t mean a thing ‘cause they’re saying it all of the time And this won’t be the last time you’ve said it all wrong But that’s just what they want and you need to get on So just pucker up and kiss where the sun shines They can’t get enough of your words of praise Well they’ll keep you on track With a pat on the back Just in case you’re about to break through And they’ll keep you advised With the words from the wise ‘Til you can’t see the lies for the truth Seems it’s all cut and dried They’re shining the light for you And this won’t be the last time you’ve said it all wrong But that’s just what they want and you need to get on So just pucker up and kiss where the sun shines They can’t get enough of your words of praise No this won’t be the last time you’ve said it all wrong But that’s just what they want and you need to get on So just pucker up and kiss where the sun shines They can’t get enough of your words of praise
15.
Say those words Say the words I long to hear Shout it out Or whisper softly in my ear It’s the hardest part It’s the toughest thing to do When it all came down Like it all came down on you You’ve been hurt Hurt much deeper than you’ve shown How could he leave? How could he leave you all alone? How could anyone? How could anyone do that? Some people never know They never know just what they have So take each word as I intend it Coming from inside Everything I said I meant it Let love be your guide Everything’s alright I never could be underhanded You know me by now Playing safe I understand it But I’ll get through somehow So say those words Say the words I long to hear Shout it out Or whisper softly in my ear It’s the hardest part It’s the toughest thing to do When it all came down Like it all came down on you So take each word as I intend it Coming from inside Everything I said I meant it Let love be your guide… So take each word as I intend it Coming from inside Everything I said I meant it Let love be your guide Everything’s alright

about

Ten tracks inspired by the Blackhill Campaign near Berwick-upon-Tweed during 1958/1959, where the workers at the Blackhill Colliery tried to save their coalmine and their livelihoods.
Also, five more tracks from Chris Swinney.

credits

released August 19, 2013

All tracks written, recorded and produced by Chris Swinney.
Copyright © 2013 Chris Swinney

Thanks to Miranda Parsons and the Northern Region Film and Television Archive, for their kind permission to use images from "The Blackhill Campaign", which was produced, directed and edited by the late Jack Parsons.

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Chris Swinney Wooler, UK

Chris Swinney is a singer, songwriter and producer from the north of England. He has released five albums and one EP since 2000. He has also recorded lots of individual tracks for download. All of these are now available from Bandcamp.

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