TRAMP MINER

(Jimmy Rankin (m & l) )

As sung by the Rankin Family 1993 < North Country >


I am a tramp miner
I've been for some time now
I live without light of the day
In the black underground, that's where I'll be found
Biding my time away, oh working my life away.

From here out to Timmins, I've loved all your women
The taverns I drank down my pay
But I'd do it again, even though it's a sin
It's better than driving the raise
If you've done it, you'll know what I say.


So I'll roll, roll with the wind
Roll, roll with the wind
Roll, roll with the time and the wind
Then I'll find my way back home again.


Homesickness, heartbreak and black lung
Among these men run rampant
As the rockin' and rollin'
High ballin' this country today.

(bridge)


I been a tramp miner, for such a long time now
I live without light of the day
In a hole in the ground, they'll lower me down
That'll be my final pay, oh for working my life away.


So I'll roll, roll with the wind
Roll, roll with the wind
Roll, roll with the time and the wind
Then I'll find my way back home again.

Roll, roll with the wind
Roll, roll with the wind
Roll, roll with the wind
Roll, roll with the wind.

Roll
Family with the wind
Roll with the wind
Roll, roll with the time and the wind
Roll, roll with the time and the wind


Then I'll find my way back home again.

Carry me back home again


Carry me back home
Carry me back home
Carry me back home again.


NOTES:

The Rankin Family are a Canadian musical family group. 
They hail from Mabou, province of Nova Scotia (the same 
province as Rita MacNeilsee elsewhere in this ILP database for her work).

The original group of five were made up from twelve siblings, 
all of whom were musically talented. The first group started 
singing in 1970. They performed Celtic music as well as jigs 
and reels.

They won a number of Canadian music awards. Sadly, 
many of the members from the original group, 
passed relatively early in life.



(Transcribed by David Story - January 2014)