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Coaldust and Seaspray

from Push the Button by Dave Bradley

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about

My paternal grandfather was a coalminer, but was crippled in an accident when he saved a fellow miner's life by holding off a coal wagon that would have otherwise crushed him to death.

My grandmother worked her fingers to the bone on nightshifts in a factory (two men were needed to run the same machine during the day and each got paid more than she did working it by herself at night!). She raised seven children and lived well into her 90s and she had a lovely singing voice.

My Dad avoided the subterranean life, and our family grew up by the sea in a tiny fishing village. This is a kind of family memoir...not quite Catherine Cookson, but close...the tales I could tell of the next generation...

lyrics

Coaldust and Seaspray

I was born with coal dust in my veins, but sea spray on my skin
I don't know if I can shake it, I don't know where to begin
Coal dust was feeding them, putting money in their hands
But from my skin that sea spray, washed salt into the sand

He fuelled this land, from down below, where a man could never weep
I know that he could take it, for the family he'd keep
But ageless rock would crush him Put his heart within her hand
Yet from my skin that sea spray washed salt into the sand

It broke her heart, to see him fade and give up on all hope
In the dark, where wagons rolled on ancient, dusty slopes

So now with children at her feet but the strength to carry on
She worked her fingers to the bone until all her work was done

Though light of day would blind her Tear her heart out of his hand
Still from my skin that sea spray washes salt into the sand

The timeless things they taught me roll down life's dusty slope
In the dark, where wagons lie you never give up hope
No ageless rock could crush us Pull our heart out of this land
And from my skin that sea spray washing salt into the sand
And from my skin that sea spray washes salt into the sand

credits

from Push the Button, released June 6, 2016
Words & Music by dB
Acoustic guitar and vocals dB
Written, recorded and mixed Xmas 2013
Remixed and renamed for Summer 2015

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about

Dave Bradley UK

Guitarist, singer-songwriter. Acoustic and electric indie pop and rock originals. Singer, guitarist with C5, bigMouth, TyrannoChorus, CTW, with DJ Ad, and BarbD

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