CAPTAIN SWING
(By Trev Teasdel 1976 - inspired by reading Hobsbawn / Rude book Captain Swing about the agricultural riots in the 19thc. while on an Economic History A' level course). There are traditional songs called that and one at least that came later and was more famous. This is mine for 1976 which I played in some folk clubs in Coventry but otherwise unpublished.)
Audio - Trev on guitar and vocals recorded on a sharps stereo cassette player)
CHORUS 1..
Light light your torches bright
Burn the hayricks burn
Light light your torches bright
burn the hayricks burn
The landlord is replacing our labour
With labour saving machines
Whilst we're in a living ditch
Under the Speenhamland scheme
With high rents and taxes and clergy tithes
We're robbed of decent lives.
Wages low and the prices so high
Families’ whole might die
(To Chorus..)
We'll unite in collective action
Sworn to secrecy
If they ask who is this Captain Swing
You've never heard of him.
We'll fight fight for the right to eat
To feed our families
Fight fight for the right to work
To earn our daily bread.
Chorus 2..
Thrash thrash the threshing machine
Smash the threshing machine
Thrash thrash the threshing machine
Smash the threshing machine.
We'll send send a warning letter
To the offending gent
"Revenge for thee is on the wing"
From thy determined Swing.
You can read read the riot act
We'll riot till we win
Here comes comes the Royal Dragoons
To shoot poor Captain Swing
(Chorus 1)
Though we bravely stood our ground'
and tried to put our case
The dragoons they fired their deathly shot
into our hungry face.
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