Steeleye Span - Blackleg Miner (Live)

[@joedexys]

Learnt it in Mr Wilson's Folk singing class 50 years ago at Hedworthfield secondary school. Jarrow

[@alanmartin1949]

The Rolling Stones of English Folk - a great 2020 version of the version from 1970 - only 50 years later! ❤👍❤

[@michaelclutton1030]

My absolute favourite Steeleye Span song. Gutted they didn’t play it in Abergavenny when I saw them in November but was still a great show.

[@obsprisma]

Great song and a great performance from a group who made him or herself a legend.

[@hansfrancke4347]

Well done!!!❤️❤️❤️

[@lornaburgess9762]

I live in Seghill and me Dad worked in the Seghill pit as a hewer till he had an accident and hurt his back ,when he was well enough he went back to work as a banksman unloading the coal tubs into the coal waggons .

[@evansmith3589]

Shivers down my arms!

[@AdrianTether]

that bass player is so casual its unreal . so laid back and a wonderful sound, and the banjo working just on the cusp of hearing filling in the spaces

[@Mortimer50145]

I think it's part of a bass player's job description (in any band) to be casual and laid-back, conveying a feeling of "what I'm playing is pretty boring if it's heard on its own, but the song wouldn't sound half as good without my contribution". Shame the sound mix didn't make the banjo a but more audible.

[@AdrianTether]

@@Mortimer50145 yup playing both instruments i agree

[@swanstoon]

This is just so damn good.

[@michaelkelly2976]

Great music

[@fionamullen5425]

Love to Maddie and family xx hope u well love fi miss our chats at aztec x

[@Jonepk]

So join the union while ye may - and don't wait till your dying day - a lesson for us all

[@Mortimer50145]

You forget the threat "Cos that may not be far away"!

[@jeanfabajbertrand7666]

i love them !

[@fionamullen5425]

NICE XXX

[@nickystripe3303]

I love Steeleye Span and have listened to them since the 70s, but Ed Miller does this particular song much better.

[@bettyspivack8067]

The union miners really hated scabs in the old days.

[@jillelliott8175]

And Why the hell not, They were Thatchers public army.

[@thatguy8869]

Until today I had no idea a blackleg miner was a scab; I thought a black leg miner was one of the union miners - either on strike or about to go on strike. So then the miner who wrote this would have been giving us the mind set of the big shot mine owners who were coming with the strike breakers, leg breakers, and head breakers.

[@NJPurling]

@@thatguy8869 Blacklegs, scabs. The same thing but a hundred years apart. The dirty swines didn't suffer the fate as at Seghill, sadly. They got bussed in! The Blackleg is the miner who breaks the strike by returning to work.

[@julianblock5436]

Decent people still hate scabs, as is right.

[@MrHarleyoldfart]

@@julianblock5436 Why is it right, Everyone has a right to their opinion, why should peopole go on strike just 'cos the union says so, the union isn't going to suffer hard times but the strikers will.

[@mintaka57]

♥

[@pamelachristie5570]

I will never forget going to see Steeleye Span AND Jethro Tull, appearing together about 50 years ago at a concert in Orange County, CA. It seemed an unlikely venue for them - Orange County was then and still is a bastion of right wing conservatism, and not really au fait with the values of either group. Jethro Tull was headlining, but I wanted to hear Steeleye Span just as much, if not more. But Steeleye WAS BOOED OFF THE STAGE by the moronic audience, which kept screaming for Jethro Tull, and actually started throwing things at them. They never quieted down, not even when Jethro Tull appeared. Idiots started lighting things, too - candles, sparklers, squills of paper, until Ian Anderson stopped the performance and told them to cut it out. But they kept doing it. So he stopped again and told them that he would pack up the band and leave the next time he saw a flame. I'd never felt so ashamed to be an American.

[@johnmitchell1614]

Hi,what happened to the violin player? Best regards. 🙃

[@MrRtcosic]

As a Northumbrian it's weird to hear this sung in Received Pronunciation! A very different interpretation, but Maddy sings so what's not to like.

[@jamesnorthwood2974]

Pardon ?

[@billhaywood3503]

UDM scabs!

[@davidbailey5252]

Reminds me just how English I am

[@jimlivesey]

The original was.better.

[@jonathanpardoe8722]

We had a noted guest singer from the folk circuit a few months ago, came and sang this song along with other anti Thatcher rants . He was rewarded by the whole audience getting up and walking out . Disgraceful topic to write a song about. I expect Mrs Thatcher will shortly get the blame for all the oil rig workers loosing their jobs as the oil industry gives way to nuclear clean electricity .

[@jonathanh8187]

???? This song long predates Thatcher!

[@comically_large_cowboy_hat3385]

@@jonathanh8187 it was heavily used in the 1984-5 miner’s strike tho…..just stating fact i hate old maggie as much as they did

[@edenblyth4209]

Oh dear.

[@paulstanway6076]

Just for some info, Blackleg Miner was written during the miners lockout of 1844. The song predates Thatcher and the 84-85 miners strike by 140 years.

[@JakobusVdL]

At least we can al enjoy a dance to this song on her grave now