Bluehorses are a Celtic rock band from Cardiff, south Wales, UK, blending a… Read Full Bio ↴Bluehorses are a Celtic rock band from Cardiff, south Wales, UK, blending a mixture of traditional, rock, Goth and classical, mixed together in their own unique style.

Formed in the mid 1990's, Bluehorses are fronted by co-founder and lead singer Lizzy Prendergast playing electric violin, electric Celtic harp, space-mandolin and synthesizer. The band also comprises Nic Waulker, on drums - co-founder and co-songwriter, Rhayn Jooste on Bass and Jay MacDonald on guitar.

Fusing the passionate intensity of Celtic themes, a heavy rock and roll mindset and stunning improvisations, Bluehorses' music is a genuinely unique hybrid.

Bluehorses have shared stages with bands as diverse as Hawkwind, The Levellers, Tricks Upon Travellers and Oysterband. They have played festivals in nearly every country of Western Europe and Scandinavia.

Bluehorses have received many accolades including a Mojo magazine 'Album of the Month' and a 'Best Of 2005' award from The Classic Rock Society.

Mining Song
Bluehorses Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Open up your lungs to dust
We're lambs unto the slaughter
Digging ever deeper, but the only way out is
To work your body 'til it gives
Up to your knees in water
Taking what is given so you're left in the shadows

And they always said it was

But the dream was never yours

Hear the mighty voices sing
Though many souls are broken
We hold our families in our hearts and look to tomorrow
But in the black of shattered hopes
Angry words are spoken
The mountains of my promised land
Fade into the shadows

And they always said it was,
But the dream was never yours
And they always said it was,
But you know you'll find me

Digging for coal all my life, I'm
Digging for coal all my days
Digging for coal all my life, I'm
Digging for coal all my days

Circles on a siren moon
The pithead wheel announcing
11 yards, 1000 years, a host of men walking
And all the dogs in Aber bark
And all the mogs are singing

All the cogs in bible black
Slip into the shadows

Overall Meaning

The lyrics in Bluehorses' "Mining Song" tell the story of the hardships faced by coal miners who work tirelessly day in and day out, only to come home to their broken families and shattered dreams. The first verse describes the grueling nature of the work, as the miners labor in dust-filled lungs and wade through knee-deep water to extract coal. It also touches on the fact that they are sacrificing their bodies for their work, giving everything they have until they have nothing left. The mention of being "left in the shadows" implies that their work goes unnoticed, unappreciated, and forgotten by society.

The chorus highlights the miners’ realization that the dream of a better life was never theirs to begin with, despite the promises made by those in power. The second verse expands on this idea, as the miners cling to hope amidst shattered dreams and broken souls. The mountains of their "promised land" fade into the shadows, representing the miners’ fading hopes and dreams. Yet, despite it all, they continue to dig, toiling tirelessly for a life that is always just out of reach.

Line by Line Meaning

Open up your lungs to dust
Breathe in the dusty, polluted air of the mines

We're lambs unto the slaughter
As miners, we are sacrificed for the sake of the industry and capitalism

Digging ever deeper, but the only way out is
Mining continues endlessly, without any hope of escaping the cycle

To work your body 'til it gives
Miners must push themselves to their physical and emotional limits just to survive

Up to your knees in water
Standing in water while mining is uncomfortable and dangerous

Taking what is given so you're left in the shadows
Miners take what work they can get, even if it means being exploited and kept in poverty

And they always said it was
The mine owners always claimed that mining was a path to prosperity

But the dream was never yours
The dream of making a better life through mining was never really achievable for the workers

Hear the mighty voices sing
The workers sing together despite their suffering to find solace in togetherness

Though many souls are broken
Mining takes a significant physical and emotional toll on the workers

We hold our families in our hearts and look to tomorrow
Workers continue to work hard and remain hopeful for their families despite the hardships they face

But in the black of shattered hopes
Darkness symbolizes the loss of hope and aspirations among the miners

Angry words are spoken
Workers are frustrated and feel helpless, resulting in confrontations

The mountains of my promised land
The land of the workers that was once thought to be full of possibility is actually harsh and unforgiving

Fade into the shadows
Any hopes of a brighter future vanish into the darkness of the mines

Digging for coal all my life, I'm
The miners have no other choice but to continue digging for coal in order to survive

Circles on a siren moon
The imagery of the moon surrounded by rings symbolizes the endless cycle of labor and struggle faced by the workers

The pithead wheel announcing
The sound of the pithead wheel signifies the beginning and end of the miners' workday

11 yards, 1000 years, a host of men walking
The miners have to travel 11 yards down into the earth in order to extract coal that has taken thousands of years to form

And all the dogs in Aber bark
The dogs bark as the miners head to work, symbolizing the danger and warning of potential disaster

And all the mogs are singing
The cats meow in contrast to the dogs' barking, signifying the eerie quietness in the mines

All the cogs in bible black
The interior of the mine is so dark that even machinery becomes barely visible

Slip into the shadows
The last line symbolizing the miners losing themselves in the hopelessness of their bleak existence

Contributed by Gabriel I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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