Miner's Lifeguard

A traditional American trade union song. The setting is an 1891 hymn tune by Charles Davis Tillman called "Life is Like a Mountain Railway",https://hymnary.org/text/life_is_like_a_mountain_railroad but the author of the lyrics is unknown.https://mudcat.org/@displaysong.cfm?SongID=3984&SongID=3984
The song has been reworked by numerous famous folk artists throughout the years, including Dick Gaughan who repopularized it on his 1986 album True and Bold. In his song archive, he notes that some of the lyrics were changed to make them more specific to the NUM Strike of 1984-85.https://web.archive.org/web/20180823052719/http://www.dickgaughan.co.uk/songs/texts/minerslife.html
The Longest Johns sang it with El Pony Pisador both during their joint livestream in August 2018 and as a standalone video release on YouTube. An updated version was also included on The Longest Pony, released 21 March 2023.
==Lyrics==
These lyrics are based on the version from the Longest Pony EP. The original lyrics can be found here.
A miner's life is like a sailor's
On board a ship to cross the waves
Every day his life's in danger
Many ventures being brave
Watch the rocks, they're falling daily
Careless miners always fail
Keep your hand upon your wages
And your eye upon the scale
{Chorus}
Union miners, stand together
Do not heed the owner's tale
Keep your hand upon your wages
And your eye upon the scale
You've been docked and docked again, boys
You've been loading two for one
What have you to show for working
Since your mining day is done?
Worn out boots and worn out miners
Lungs of stone and children pale
Keep your hand upon your wages
And your eye upon the scale
{Chorus}
In conclusion, bear in memory
Keep this password in your mind
Miners' strength cannot be broken
When in union we combine
Stand up all and stand together
Victory shall for you prevail
So keep your hand upon your wages
And your eye upon the scale
{Chorus}
==Recordings==
==== Streaming/Purchase ====
*Amazon
*Anghami
*Apple Music/iTunes 
*Deezer
*Spotify 
*Tidal
====YouTube Videos====
*Music Video w/El Pony Pisador
*Album Animation 
====Gig Videos====
*El Pony Pisador, Kimber's Men & TLJ at Yarmouth, 2017
====Full Band Streams====
*The Longest Johns and Friends, El Pony Pisador! (12 Aug 2018)
*TLJ Christmas Party!! (18 Dec 2019)
*Exstream Close-up (31 May 2022)
*Stream Girls (27 Apr 2023)
==== Chill Streams ====
* JD & Andy Chilltime - 13/01/2020
* JD & Andy Chilltime - 27/01/2020
* Welcome to Chillville! Population: Andy - 01/05/2020
* Welcome to Chillville. Drive safe! Playing mostly folk music... - 15/05/2020
* (bangs table) music music music music! - 11/09/2020
* It's time for mostly folk music with Andy! - 6/11/2020 
* Late Night Super Folk Music Time! - 22/11/2020
* It's folk music time! New banjo! - 11/12/2020
==== Gaming Streams ====
* It's boat time! Sea of Sings! - 21/09/2020
* Sea of Sings! Yarr and all that... - 16/10/2020 
* DROPS! Sea of Sings! with BehavingBeardly! SHANT! - 30/10/2020
* Sea of Sings! with Captain_Falcore! SHANT! - 2/11/2020
* Sing what you want 'cause a streamer is free, You Are A Streamer! - 02/08/2021
Category:Songs
Category:Traditional
Category:Andy Songs
Category:The Longest Pony