The Diggers Song
Chumbawamba Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You noble diggers all stand up now
The wasteland to maintain sin [unknown] cavaliers by name
Your digging does maintain and persons all defame
Stand up now, stand up now
Your houses they pull down stand up now, stand up now
Your houses they pull down, stand up now
Your houses they pull down to fright your men in town
But the gentry must come down and the poor shall wear the crown
Stand up now diggers all
With spades and hoes and plows stand up now, stand up now
With spades and hoes and plows, stand up now
Your freedom to uphold sin [unknown] cavaliers are bold
To kill you if they could and rights from you to hold
Stand up now diggers all
The gentry are all round stand up now, stand up now
The gentry are all round stand up now
The gentry are all round on each side the are found
Their wisdom so profound to cheat us of our ground
Stand up now stand up now
The lawyers they conjoin stand up now stand up now
The lawyers they conjoin stand up now
To rescue they advise, such fury they devise, the devil in them lies
And hath blinded both their eyes
Stand up now, stand up now
The clergy they come in stand up now, stand up now
The clergy they come in stand up now
The clergy they come in and say it is a sin
That we should now begin our freedom for to win
Stand up now diggers all
'Gainst lawyers and 'gainst priests stand up now stand up now
'Gainst lawyers and 'gainst priests stand up now
For tyrants they are both, even flat against their oath
To grant us they are loathe free meat and drink and cloth
Stand up now diggers all
The club is all their law, stand up now stand up now
The club is all their law, stand up now
The club is all their law, to keep all men in awe
That they no vision saw to maintain such a law
Stand up now diggers all
The Diggers Song by Chumbawamba is a protest song that tells the story of a group of English radicals known as the Diggers who occupied land during the 17th century English Civil War. The song encourages the noble diggers to stand up against the wasteland that the cavaliers maintained and the gentry who pulled down their houses to frighten them. The lyrics convey that the poor shall wear the crown and that with spades, hoes, and plows they can uphold their freedom against the cavaliers and the gentry. The song also attacks lawyers and priests who join together to advise and cheat them of their land.
The Diggers Song by Chumbawamba is a popular song among political activists because of its relevant themes of social justice, equality, and the right to occupy and own land. This song, and the Diggers movement, represents the longstanding struggle for the rights of peasants and workers that continues to this day.
Line by Line Meaning
You noble diggers all stand up now, stand up now
All of you who dig for a living, rise up and take action
The wasteland to maintain sin [unknown] cavaliers by name
You maintain the empty land while the cavaliers commit sin
Your digging does maintain and persons all defame
Your work maintains the land and yet people still disrespect you
Your houses they pull down stand up now, stand up now
They destroy your homes, so stand up and fight back
Your houses they pull down to fright your men in town
They destroy your homes to intimidate those in the town
But the gentry must come down and the poor shall wear the crown
The wealthy must lose their power and the poor will reign
With spades and hoes and plows stand up now, stand up now
Use your tools and farm equipment to fight back now
Your freedom to uphold sin [unknown] cavaliers are bold
You fight for freedom while the cavaliers commit sin boldly
To kill you if they could and rights from you to hold
The cavaliers would kill you and steal your rights if they could
The gentry are all round stand up now, stand up now
The wealthy are all around, so stand up and fight
Their wisdom so profound to cheat us of our ground
Their supposed intelligence is used to deceive us and take away our land
The lawyers they conjoin stand up now stand up now
The lawyers work together, so stand up and fight
To rescue they advise, such fury they devise, the devil in them lies
They give advice to rescue the wealthy and scheme with devilish fury
And hath blinded both their eyes
They are blind to the truth and act only for the wealthy
The clergy they come in stand up now, stand up now
The clergy also joins in, so stand up and fight
The clergy they come in and say it is a sin
The clergy calls fighting for freedom a sin
That we should now begin our freedom for to win
We will fight for our freedom despite what the clergy says
'Gainst lawyers and 'gainst priests stand up now stand up now
Fight against the lawyers and the priests
For tyrants they are both, even flat against their oath
They are both tyrants and act against what they swore to uphold
To grant us they are loathe free meat and drink and cloth
They refuse to provide us with basic necessities
The club is all their law, stand up now stand up now
They rely on violence to keep people in line
The club is all their law, to keep all men in awe
They use violence to intimidate and control
That they no vision saw to maintain such a law
They lack the vision to see how harmful their violent tactics are
Stand up now diggers all
Stand up and fight for your rights, all of you who dig for a living
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: ALICE NUTTER, ALLEN WHALLEY, BRUCE DUNSTAN, DARREN HAMER, JUDITH ABBOTT, LOUISE WATTS, NIGEL HUNTER, PAUL GRECO
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@nordicherba
I see some comments writing "unknown" or "?" in the lyrics, so here they are:
You noble diggers all stand up now, stand up now
You noble diggers all stand up now
The wasteland to maintain sing cavaliers by name
Your digging does maintain and persons all defame
Stand up now, stand up now
Your houses they pull down stand up now, stand up now
Your houses they pull down, stand up now
Your houses they pull down to fright your men in town
But the gentry must come down and the poor shall wear the crown
Stand up now diggers all
With spades and hoes and ploughs stand up now, stand up now
With spades and hoes and ploughs, stand up now
Your freedom to uphold sing cavaliers are bold
To kill you if they could and rights from you to hold
Stand up now diggers all
The gentry are all round stand up now, stand up now
The gentry are all round stand up now
The gentry are all round on each side the are found
Their wisdom so profound to cheat us of our ground
Stand up now stand up now
The lawyers they conjoin stand up now stand up now
The lawyers they conjoin stand up now
To rescue they advise, such fury they devise, the devil in them lies
And hath blinded both their eyes
Stand up now, stand up now
The clergy they come in stand up now, stand up now
The clergy they come in stand up now
The clergy they come in and say it is a sin
That we should now begin our freedom for to win
Stand up now diggers all
'Gainst lawyers and 'gainst priests stand up now stand up now
'Gainst lawyers and 'gainst priests stand up now
For tyrants they are both, even flat against their oath
To grant us they are loathe free meat and drink and cloth
Stand up now diggers all
The club is all their law, stand up now stand up now
The club is all their law, stand up now
The club is all their law, to keep all men in awe
That they no vision saw to maintain such a law
Stand up now diggers all
@BasildeRayen
You noble diggers all stand up now, stand up now
You noble diggers all stand up now
The wasteland to maintain sin (?) cavaliers by name
Your digging does maintain and persons all defame
Stand up now, stand up now
Your houses they pull down stand up now, stand up now
Your houses they pull down, stand up now
Your houses they pull down to fright your men in town
But the gentry must come down and the poor shall wear the crown
Stand up now diggers all
With spades and hoes and plows stand up now, stand up now
With spades and hoes and plows, stand up now
Your freedom to uphold sin (?) cavaliers are bold
To kill you if they could and rights from you to hold
Stand up now diggers all
The gentry are all round stand up now, stand up now
The gentry are all round stand up now
The gentry are all round on each side the are found
Their wisdom so profound to cheat us of our ground
Stand up now stand up now
The clergy they come in stand up now, stand up now
The clergy they come in stand up now
The clergy they come in and say it is a sin
That we should now begin our freedom for to win
Stand up now diggers all
The lawyers they conjoin stand up now stand up now
The lawyers they conjoin stand up now
To rescue they advise, such fury they devise, the devil in them lies
And hath blinded both their eyes
Stand up now, stand up now
'Gainst lawyers and 'gainst priests stand up now stand up now
'Gainst lawyers and 'gainst priests stand up now
For tyrants they are both, even flat against their oath
To grant us they are loathe free meat and drink and cloth
Stand up now diggers all
The club is all their law, stand up now stand up now
The club is all their law, stand up now
The club is all their law, to keep all men in awe
That they no vision saw to maintain such a law
Stand up now diggers all !
@rachingosai627
You noble diggers all stand up now, stand up now
You noble diggers all stand up now
The wasteland to maintain sin [unknown] cavaliers by name
Your digging does maintain and persons all defame
Stand up now, stand up now
Your houses they pull down stand up now, stand up now
Your houses they pull down, stand up now
Your houses they pull down to fright your men in town
But the gentry must come down and the poor shall wear the crown
Stand up now diggers all
With spades and hoes and plows stand up now, stand up now
With spades and hoes and plows, stand up now
Your freedom to uphold sin [unknown] cavaliers are bold
To kill you if they could and rights from you to hold
Stand up now diggers all
The gentry are all round stand up now, stand up now
The gentry are all round stand up now
The gentry are all round on each side the are found
Their wisdom so profound to cheat us of our ground
Stand up now stand up now
The lawyers they conjoin stand up now stand up now
The lawyers they conjoin stand up now
To rescue they advise, such fury they devise, the devil in them lies
And hath blinded both their eyes
Stand up now, stand up now
The clergy they come in stand up now, stand up now
The clergy they come in stand up now
The clergy they come in and say it is a sin
That we should now begin our freedom for to win
Stand up now diggers all
'Gainst lawyers and 'gainst priests stand up now stand up now
'Gainst lawyers and 'gainst priests stand up now
For tyrants they are both, even flat against their oath
To grant us they are loathe free meat and drink and cloth
Stand up now diggers all
The club is all their law, stand up now stand up now
The club is all their law, stand up now
The club is all their law, to keep all men in awe
That they no vision saw to maintain such a law
Stand up now diggers all
@rebekafadda3391
Lyrics:
You noble diggers all stand up now, stand up now
You noble diggers all stand up now
The wasteland to maintain sin (?) cavaliers by name
Your digging does maintain and persons all defame
Stand up now, stand up now
Your houses they pull down stand up now, stand up now
Your houses they pull down, stand up now
Your houses they pull down to fright your men in town
But the gentry must come down and the poor shall wear the crown
Stand up now diggers all
With spades and hoes and plows stand up now, stand up now
With spades and hoes and plows, stand up now
Your freedom to uphold sin (?) cavaliers are bold
To kill you if they could and rights from you to hold
Stand up now diggers all
The gentry are all round stand up now, stand up now
The gentry are all round stand up now
The gentry are all round on each side the are found
Their wisdom so profound to cheat us of our ground
Stand up now stand up now
The lawyers they conjoin stand up now stand up now
The lawyers they conjoin stand up now
To rescue they advise, such fury they devise, the devil in them lies
And hath blinded both their eyes
Stand up now, stand up now
The clergy they come in stand up now, stand up now
The clergy they come in stand up now
The clergy they come in and say it is a sin
That we should now begin our freedom for to win
Stand up now diggers all
'Gainst lawyers and 'gainst priests stand up now stand up now
'Gainst lawyers and 'gainst priests stand up now
For tyrants they are both, even flat against their oath
To grant us they are loathe free meat and drink and cloth
Stand up now diggers all
The club is all their law, stand up now stand up now
The club is all their law, stand up now
The club is all their law, to keep all men in awe
That they no vision saw to maintain such a law
Stand up now diggers all
@roboCL0WN
I get knocked down, but I get up again
You are never gonna keep me down
I get knocked down, but I get up again
You are never gonna keep me down
I get knocked down, but I get up again
You are never gonna keep me down
I get knocked down, but I get up again
You are never gonna keep me down
He drinks a Whiskey drink, he drinks a Vodka drink
He drinks a Lager drink, he drinks a Cider drink
He sings the songs that remind him of the good times
He sings the songs that remind him of the best times
(Oh Danny Boy, Danny Boy, Danny Boy)
@hsamek4946
I love Chumbawamba, they were the best.I wish we had a new band that would go on with the protest.
@shemanic1
I have this with the other protest songs on a 10" vinyl recording. Love It.
@peterritson1875
Me too!
@hazet304
@Peter Ritson so have I
@nordicherba
I see some comments writing "unknown" or "?" in the lyrics, so here they are:
You noble diggers all stand up now, stand up now
You noble diggers all stand up now
The wasteland to maintain sing cavaliers by name
Your digging does maintain and persons all defame
Stand up now, stand up now
Your houses they pull down stand up now, stand up now
Your houses they pull down, stand up now
Your houses they pull down to fright your men in town
But the gentry must come down and the poor shall wear the crown
Stand up now diggers all
With spades and hoes and ploughs stand up now, stand up now
With spades and hoes and ploughs, stand up now
Your freedom to uphold sing cavaliers are bold
To kill you if they could and rights from you to hold
Stand up now diggers all
The gentry are all round stand up now, stand up now
The gentry are all round stand up now
The gentry are all round on each side the are found
Their wisdom so profound to cheat us of our ground
Stand up now stand up now
The lawyers they conjoin stand up now stand up now
The lawyers they conjoin stand up now
To rescue they advise, such fury they devise, the devil in them lies
And hath blinded both their eyes
Stand up now, stand up now
The clergy they come in stand up now, stand up now
The clergy they come in stand up now
The clergy they come in and say it is a sin
That we should now begin our freedom for to win
Stand up now diggers all
'Gainst lawyers and 'gainst priests stand up now stand up now
'Gainst lawyers and 'gainst priests stand up now
For tyrants they are both, even flat against their oath
To grant us they are loathe free meat and drink and cloth
Stand up now diggers all
The club is all their law, stand up now stand up now
The club is all their law, stand up now
The club is all their law, to keep all men in awe
That they no vision saw to maintain such a law
Stand up now diggers all
@infamus93
An all-time classic :)
@BasildeRayen
You noble diggers all stand up now, stand up now
You noble diggers all stand up now
The wasteland to maintain sin (?) cavaliers by name
Your digging does maintain and persons all defame
Stand up now, stand up now
Your houses they pull down stand up now, stand up now
Your houses they pull down, stand up now
Your houses they pull down to fright your men in town
But the gentry must come down and the poor shall wear the crown
Stand up now diggers all
With spades and hoes and plows stand up now, stand up now
With spades and hoes and plows, stand up now
Your freedom to uphold sin (?) cavaliers are bold
To kill you if they could and rights from you to hold
Stand up now diggers all
The gentry are all round stand up now, stand up now
The gentry are all round stand up now
The gentry are all round on each side the are found
Their wisdom so profound to cheat us of our ground
Stand up now stand up now
The clergy they come in stand up now, stand up now
The clergy they come in stand up now
The clergy they come in and say it is a sin
That we should now begin our freedom for to win
Stand up now diggers all
The lawyers they conjoin stand up now stand up now
The lawyers they conjoin stand up now
To rescue they advise, such fury they devise, the devil in them lies
And hath blinded both their eyes
Stand up now, stand up now
'Gainst lawyers and 'gainst priests stand up now stand up now
'Gainst lawyers and 'gainst priests stand up now
For tyrants they are both, even flat against their oath
To grant us they are loathe free meat and drink and cloth
Stand up now diggers all
The club is all their law, stand up now stand up now
The club is all their law, stand up now
The club is all their law, to keep all men in awe
That they no vision saw to maintain such a law
Stand up now diggers all !
@simonduncan8327
Working class confrontation is never ending ………. With the Masters
Never give up
Fight ✊🏿✊🏻
@loadeddice4696
Diggers, Levellers and Socialists, all comrades together
@patriciacollier128
Absolutely 💯 ✊