Look Who it Was Random video

Guitar: Coal-Hole Cavalry

3,184 views · Published 6 July 2009 · 3:44 · Indexed 8 October 2026

Channel: threelegsoman · 2009 · Music

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A request from another friend, Don Palladino came to me yesterday. As he pointed out, there is only one version of this song on youtube to date, and that is an excellent one. Finding the lyrics was even more difficult, but thanks to someone called Rich-Joy, I got them and the following information about the song. The author, Ted Edwards, who was brought up in the coal mining community of Wigan, used to lie in bed as a small child and listen to all these early morning sounds around him, as the local community of miners prepared for and set off for work in the mine. He would then imagine the miners in their clogs as a cavalry charge, off to remove the Indians who'd taken over the mine during the night!!!
An interesting social note: they did not have alarm clocks in those days, so the mine employed a man to go round shortly before the shift was due to start to knock on bedroom windows using a long pole to wake up any miners who might have overslept. His were the first clogs to be heard in the morning, shortly to be followed by an increasing number as the miners left home for the mine.


Coal-Hole Cavalry 
Ted Edwards
No capo

Em                      D                    Em
Early morning, dreaming is shattered
                                          G             Em
One clitter-clatter on t'flags outside
                                          D                 Em
Old knocker-upper rat-tatting on t'windows
                                         G      Em
Making sure nobody's overlied

Clittering, clattering, coal-hole cavalry
Galloping, rain or fine
Clittering, clattering, coal-hole cavalry
Galloping down to t'mine.

Faither yawning, drizzle on t'window
More clitter-clattering coming down t'hill
Stairs are creaking, oven door banging
Faither waiting for Uncle 
Bill.

Mam is filling 'is bottle wi' water
Clatter-clitter-clatter and a rattle on t'latch
Clogs in t'lobby an' talking quiet
Arguing t' toss about Sunday's match.

Come on, Billy lad, best get goin'
Clatter-clitter-clatter an' t'front door bang!!
Going down to t'mucky old coal-pit
Hear pit hat and snap-tin clang!

Colliers riding a million horses
Clatter-clitter-clatter all over t'world
"Look-out! Injuns! Cavalry's coming!"
Picks and shovels and banners unfurled.

Hooter's blowin' a sound of vict'ry
Clatter-clitter-clattering's over an' done
All t'world's quiet an' sleep is coming
Wish I were a collier, it must be fun!

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