Gary Miller Songs

We are the working lads

Of Old Duck’s Main

We’ve bored holes and lined the walls

In sunshine and in rain

Some of us are barely men

And some are barely sane

But all of us are working lads

At Old Duck’s Main

Fill the bucket with black diamonds

Then winch the load away

Lower them into tubs

And send them down the waggonway

Later in the pub

You can drink away the pain

Then it’s back again next morning

To Old Duck’s Main

Through Chilton Moor and then Dubmire

On flimsy wooden rails

Through Sedgeletch to Newbottle

And finally to the staithes

To be loaded on a keel

At New Lambton by the Wear

Then on towards the coast

Where a collier ship draws near

Fill the bucket with black diamonds

Then winch the load away

Lower them into tubs

And send them down the waggonway

Later in the pub

You can drink away the pain

Then it’s back again next morning

To Old Duck’s Main

Johnny leads the horses

But he’s lost his mind they say

For he swears he met the Devil

Just the other day

He fought him and he beat him

But the Devil’s here to stay

For the Devil’s in the bottle

Johnny clings to every day

Fill the bucket with black diamonds

Then winch the load away

Lower them into tubs

And send them down the waggonway

Later in the pub

You can drink away the pain

Then it’s back again next morning

To Old Duck’s Main

While up at Rainton Hall

Sits our employer Sir John Duck

You’ll never see him swing a pick

Or down amongst the muck

He’s got other pits at Pittington

At Moorsely and Moorhouse

He’s been one lucky bastard

But who are we to grouse

Fill the bucket with black diamonds

Then winch the load away

Lower them into tubs

And send them down the waggonway

Later in the pub

You can drink away the pain

Then it’s back again next morning

To Old Duck’s Main

(Gary Miller)

© 2019 Whippet Records

Copyright Control MCPS/PRS

Helen Temperley's first illustration from the project 'The Butcher Baronet'.

This song was commissioned and specially-written for the upcoming project 'The Butcher Baronet', in collaboration with Lone Pine Pictures, about the 17th Century Durham City historical figure John Duck.

Other songs and tunes from this project include : -

'The Beer Token'

'The Butcher Baronet'

'Ca' Hawkie'

'Cast Out'

'Cloak and Hood'

'Elementary'

'Flesh and Bone'

'Fortune Weaver'

'Go Away!'

'Golden Journey: Through Air / Over Water / To Earth / On Fire'

'Here's to You, John Duck!'

'Hold on'

'John's Jacobus (Inscription)'

'My Butcher Boy'

'Now I Dream'

'Old Duck's Rant'

'Shiny Thing'

'Top of the Hill'