G Bm G Bm [Verse]G Bm G Bm It's good of you to ask me, Sir, to tell you how I spend the dayG Bm G Bm Well in a coal black tunnel, Sir, I hurry corves to earn my payC Em The corves are full of coal, kind Sir, I push them with my hands and headC D G Bm It isn't lady-like, but Sir, you've got to earn your daily breadG Bm G Bm I push them with my hands and head, and so my hair gets worn awayG Bm G Bm You see this baldy patch I've got, it shames me like I just can't sayC Em A lady's hands are lily white, but mine are full of cuts and segsC D G Bm And since I'm pushing all the time, I've great big muscles on my legsG Bm G Bm I try to be re-spectable, but sir, the shame, God save my soulG Bm G Bm I work with naked, sweating men who curse and swear and hew the coalC Em The sights, the smells, the sounds, kind Sir, not even God could sense my shameC D G Bm I say my prayers, but what's the use? Tomorrow will be just the sameG Bm G Bm Now, sometimes, Sir, I don't feel well, my stomach's sick, my head it achesG Bm G Bm I've got to hurry best I can. My knees feel weak, my back near breaksC Em And then I'm slow, and then I'm scared these naked men will batter meC D G Bm They can't be blamed, but if I'm slow, their families will starve, you seeG Bm G Bm All the lads, they laugh at me, and Sir, the mirror tells me whyG Bm G Bm Pale and dirty can't look nice. It doesn't matter how I tryC Em Great big muscles on my legs, a baldy patch upon my headC D G Bm A lady, Sir? Oh, no, not me! I should have been a boy insteadG Bm G Bm I praise your good in-tentions, Sir, I love your kind and gentle heartG Bm G Bm But now it's 1842, and you and me, we're miles apartC Em A hundred years and more will pass before we're walking side by sideC D G Bm But please accept my grateful thanks. God bless you Sir, at least you tried
The Testimony Of Patience Kershaw
The Unthanks
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Tom: