I never knew that they had turnapulls in the British isles. I have spent my life on the centerline in America. Most of the past few decades as an engineer, the first years as a laborer. Love the song and identify with the sentiment.
I’m reading the wonderful book, Electric Eden, and there are many references in it to folk songs. It’s a joy that so many of the pieces music in this book can be found on UA-cam.
My dad was a fitter but in the mining and power industries. I was told at school that there was no such job. When we went to register his death I said this to the registrar and she said it was a perfectly acceptable job title.
I am a roving rambler, a fitter to me trade I can fix you anything, a camshaft to a spade I can fix a dodgy gearbox or mend a broken tread Decoke a Leyland engine while I'm standing on me head So shift,boys,shift, do the job and draw your pay When this road is finished I'll be moving on me way I'll clean me tools and wrap 'em in a pair of oily jeans You'll always find me working where you find the big machines I've worked in far off places since I left the coaly Tyne I work among the heavies and I wear a roving sign I keep the tractors on the job, a-turning up the soil And I've followed me nose around the world by the smell of diesel oil So shift,boys,shift, do the job and draw your pay When this road is finished I'll be moving on me way You'll find me where the tractors are, on roads or hydro schemes Playing the lousy nursemaid to a pack of big machines
Great to hear Ewan McColl’s song actually sung by him. Can’t mistake his voice,
Never heard this before, pure class.
I never knew that they had turnapulls in the British isles. I have spent my life on the centerline in America. Most of the past few decades as an engineer, the first years as a laborer. Love the song and identify with the sentiment.
Known over here as Tractor & Box
I’m reading the wonderful book, Electric Eden, and there are many references in it to folk songs. It’s a joy that so many of the pieces music in this book can be found on UA-cam.
And Sadly all these lads are now Gone
Any machine any size anywhere. We were Fitters ( Millwrights)
Golden music!
I love this.
My dad was a fitter but in the mining and power industries. I was told at school that there was no such job. When we went to register his death I said this to the registrar and she said it was a perfectly acceptable job title.
Thank you for uploading this sonic gem!
I am a roving rambler, a fitter to me trade
I can fix you anything, a camshaft to a spade
I can fix a dodgy gearbox or mend a broken tread
Decoke a Leyland engine while I'm standing on me head
So shift,boys,shift, do the job and draw your pay
When this road is finished I'll be moving on me way
I'll clean me tools and wrap 'em in a pair of oily jeans
You'll always find me working where you find the big machines
I've worked in far off places since I left the coaly Tyne
I work among the heavies and I wear a roving sign
I keep the tractors on the job, a-turning up the soil
And I've followed me nose around the world by the smell of diesel oil
So shift,boys,shift, do the job and draw your pay
When this road is finished I'll be moving on me way
You'll find me where the tractors are, on roads or hydro schemes
Playing the lousy nursemaid to a pack of big machines