Work in the cotton mill all my life,
I ain't got nothing but a Barlow knife,
And it's hard times in this old mill,
It's hard times in here.
Country folks, they oughta be killed
For leaving their farms and coming to the mill.
And it's hard times in this old mill,
It's hard times in here.
They raised their wages up a half a cent
But the poor old hands didn't know what it meant.
And it's hard times in this old mill,
It's hard times in here.
They raised our wages up a half a cent more,
But they went up a dime at the company store.
And it's hard times in this old mill,
It's hard times in here.
Old man Jones, taking up cloth,
Won't give you half that you take off.
And it's hard times in this old mill,
It's hard times in here.
If it lacks one yard of being a two-cut roll
He won't give you but one to save your soul.
And it's hard times in this old mill,
It's hard times in here.
Card room kids and the spinning room babies
Can't keep up with the weave shop ladies.
And it's hard times in this old mill,
It's hard times in here.
Come downstairs to get a drink of water,
Along come the boss, says, "I'll dock you a quarter."
And it's hard times in this old mill,
It's hard times in here.
"You can dock me a quarter, you can dock me a dime,
I'll go to the office and I'll get my time."
And it's hard times in this old mill,
It's hard times in here.
Got to where now you can't show a dime,
You're running on such short time.
And it's hard times in this old mill,
It's hard times in here.
If I ever marry, I'll marry a weaver,
And if she won't work, then I won't either.
And it's hard times in this old mill,
It's hard times in here.
Working in the cotton mill ain't no harm,
I'd heap rather be down on the farm.
And it's hard times in this old mill,
It's hard times in here.
See that train go around the curve,
She's loaded down with cotton mill girls.
And it's hard times in this old mill,
It's hard times in here.
See that train go down the track,
Saying "Goodbye, boys, we'll never come back."
And it's hard times in this old mill,
It's hard times in here.
I ain't got nothing but a Barlow knife,
And it's hard times in this old mill,
It's hard times in here.
Country folks, they oughta be killed
For leaving their farms and coming to the mill.
And it's hard times in this old mill,
It's hard times in here.
They raised their wages up a half a cent
But the poor old hands didn't know what it meant.
And it's hard times in this old mill,
It's hard times in here.
They raised our wages up a half a cent more,
But they went up a dime at the company store.
And it's hard times in this old mill,
It's hard times in here.
Old man Jones, taking up cloth,
Won't give you half that you take off.
And it's hard times in this old mill,
It's hard times in here.
If it lacks one yard of being a two-cut roll
He won't give you but one to save your soul.
And it's hard times in this old mill,
It's hard times in here.
Card room kids and the spinning room babies
Can't keep up with the weave shop ladies.
And it's hard times in this old mill,
It's hard times in here.
Come downstairs to get a drink of water,
Along come the boss, says, "I'll dock you a quarter."
And it's hard times in this old mill,
It's hard times in here.
"You can dock me a quarter, you can dock me a dime,
I'll go to the office and I'll get my time."
And it's hard times in this old mill,
It's hard times in here.
Got to where now you can't show a dime,
You're running on such short time.
And it's hard times in this old mill,
It's hard times in here.
If I ever marry, I'll marry a weaver,
And if she won't work, then I won't either.
And it's hard times in this old mill,
It's hard times in here.
Working in the cotton mill ain't no harm,
I'd heap rather be down on the farm.
And it's hard times in this old mill,
It's hard times in here.
See that train go around the curve,
She's loaded down with cotton mill girls.
And it's hard times in this old mill,
It's hard times in here.
See that train go down the track,
Saying "Goodbye, boys, we'll never come back."
And it's hard times in this old mill,
It's hard times in here.
Contributed by Bartleby - 2011/5/17 - 14:02
Language: English
Versione risalente alla prime lotte delle lavoratrici del cotone nel New Hampshire. La loro prima protesta contro le inumane condizioni di lavoro risale al 1828 ma 100 anni dopo la situazione non era affatto cambiata. Ecco perchè questa stessa versione, con leggere varianti, la ritroviamo datata al 1915 o comunque alla prima metà del XX secolo.
La prima incisione di questa versione sarebbe quella di Hedy West nel 1962, seguita a ruota da The Pennywhistlers (1963) e dalla New Harmony Sisterhood Band (1977)
Testo trovato sul sito del Museum of New Hampshire History.
La prima incisione di questa versione sarebbe quella di Hedy West nel 1962, seguita a ruota da The Pennywhistlers (1963) e dalla New Harmony Sisterhood Band (1977)
Testo trovato sul sito del Museum of New Hampshire History.
COTTON MILL GIRLS
In 1814 I heard it said
Come to the mills and you’ll get ahead.
Hard times, cotton mill girls
Hard times everywhere.
And it’s hard times cotton mill girls
Hard times cotton mill girls
Hard times cotton mill girls
Hard times everywhere.
Those country folk they ought to be killed
For leaving their farms,
And coming to the mill,
Hard times, cotton mill girls
Hard times everywhere.
And it’s hard times cotton mill girls
Hard times cotton mill girls
Hard times cotton mill girls
Hard times everywhere
Us poor girls work ten hours a day
For fourteen cents of measly pay.
Hard times, cotton mill girls
Hard times everywhere.
And it’s hard times cotton mill girls
Hard times cotton mill girls
Hard times cotton mill girls
Hard times everywhere
They raised the wages a half a cent
And the poor old girls didn’t know what it meant.
Hard times, cotton mill girls
Hard times everywhere.
And it’s hard times cotton mill girls
Hard times cotton mill girls
Hard times cotton mill girls
Hard times everywhere
When I die don’t bury me at all
Just hang me up on the card room wall
Pickle my bones in alcohol.
Hard times everywhere.
And it’s hard times cotton mill girls
Hard times cotton mill girls
Hard times cotton mill girls
Hard times everywhere
In 1814 I heard it said
Come to the mills and you’ll get ahead.
Hard times, cotton mill girls
Hard times everywhere.
And it’s hard times cotton mill girls
Hard times cotton mill girls
Hard times cotton mill girls
Hard times everywhere.
Those country folk they ought to be killed
For leaving their farms,
And coming to the mill,
Hard times, cotton mill girls
Hard times everywhere.
And it’s hard times cotton mill girls
Hard times cotton mill girls
Hard times cotton mill girls
Hard times everywhere
Us poor girls work ten hours a day
For fourteen cents of measly pay.
Hard times, cotton mill girls
Hard times everywhere.
And it’s hard times cotton mill girls
Hard times cotton mill girls
Hard times cotton mill girls
Hard times everywhere
They raised the wages a half a cent
And the poor old girls didn’t know what it meant.
Hard times, cotton mill girls
Hard times everywhere.
And it’s hard times cotton mill girls
Hard times cotton mill girls
Hard times cotton mill girls
Hard times everywhere
When I die don’t bury me at all
Just hang me up on the card room wall
Pickle my bones in alcohol.
Hard times everywhere.
And it’s hard times cotton mill girls
Hard times cotton mill girls
Hard times cotton mill girls
Hard times everywhere
Contributed by Bartleby - 2011/5/17 - 14:03
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Note for non-Italian users: Sorry, though the interface of this website is translated into English, most commentaries and biographies are in Italian and/or in other languages like French, German, Spanish, Russian etc.
Prima incisione nota è quella del Lee Brothers Trio nel 1930.
Testo trovato qui
Canzone sulla terribili condizioni di lavoro nelle fabbriche di lavorazione del cotone del New England, dove per primo erano stati importati i nuovi sistemi meccanizzati già utilizzati nel Lancashire inglese, sistemi che poi si diffusero in molti Stati del sud, soprattutto South Carolina, Alabama e Mississippi.
Questo brano è conosciuto in molte varianti, in alcune delle quali protagoniste sono le donne e i bambini che durante la rivoluzione industriale erano costretti a lavorare come e più dei maschi adulti, soprattutto in situazioni particolari – come le strette gallerie delle miniere o, per l’appunto, le lavorazioni tessili - dove si riteneva fossero “anatomicamente” più adeguati alla produzione.