Black was born into a musical family. Her father had been a fiddler, her mother a singer, and her brothers have their own group. She sang in her family's group in her youth.
In 1975 Black joined a small folk band called General Humbert, with whom she toured Europe and released two albums, in 1975 and 1978. In 1982 she developed a professional relationship with musician/producer Declan Sinnott and recorded her first solo album, Mary Black.
She went on to play in other groups including the traditional Irish band De Dannan from 1984-1986. After 1986 she had a successful solo career where she went on to try contemporary styles ranging from jazz to country. She was named "Best Female Artist" in the IRMA poll in 1987, 1988, 1992, 1994 and 1996.
She is married to Joe O'Reilly of Dara Records and they have three children. Her son Danny is a member of the Irish rock band The Coronas, while her daughter Róisín is performing under the name Róisín O.
For a number of years, "What Hi-Fi?" magazine considered Black's voice to be so pure that it was used as an audiophile benchmark for comparing the sound quality of different high fidelity systems.
Discography
* 1983 Mary Black
* 1984 Collected
* 1985 Without the Fanfare
* 1987 By the Time it Gets Dark
* 1989 No Frontiers
* 1991 Babes in the Wood
* 1992 The Collection
* 1993 The Holy Ground
* 1995 Circus
* 1997 Shine
* 1999 Speaking with the Angel
* 2001 The Best of Mary Black 1991-2001 & Hidden Harvest
* 2003 Mary Black Live
* 2005 Full Tide
* 2008 Twenty-Five Years Twenty-Five Songs
* 2011 Stories from the Steeples
School Days Over
Mary Black Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Time to be getting your pit boots on
On with your sack and your moleskin trousers
Time you were on your way
Time you were learning the pitman's job
And earning a pitman's pay.
Come on then jim, it's time to go
Time to be handling a pick and shovel
You start at the pits today
Time to be learning the collier's job
And earning a collier's pay.
Come on then dai, it's nearly light
Time you were off to the anthracite
The morning mist is on the valley
It's time you were on your way
Time you were learning the miner's job
And earning a miner's pay
Repeat first verse
The song "Schooldays Over" by Mary Black is a traditional Irish ballad that narrates the life of three boys who have completed their school education and are at the threshold of joining the workforce as miners. The lyrics encourage the boys, John, Jim, and Dai, to put on their pit boots and learn the skills required to work in the mines. The song highlights the challenges, risks, and hard work that these boys will face while they work in the pits.
The opening lines “Schooldays over, come on then John, Time to be getting your pit boots on” convey the end of childhood and the beginning of young adulthood. It shows that the boys have now entered a phase of life where they must take on the responsibilities of work and earn a living. The lyrics capture the grit and resilience required to work in the mines, and the repeated phrase “Time you were learning…” emphasizes the urgency to learn, work hard, and earn a decent living.
Overall, the song "Schooldays Over" teaches us about the value of hard work, dedication, and the desire to succeed in a challenging world. It also reminds us of the importance of learning new skills and taking up meaningful work to sustain ourselves and our communities.
Line by Line Meaning
Schooldays over, come on then john
It's time to leave school, John. Get ready to start your new job at the mine.
Time to be getting your pit boots on
Put on your work boots, John. You're about to start your work as a miner.
On with your sack and your moleskin trousers
Take your work gear, including the tough trousers specifically designed for mining, with you.
Time you were on your way
It's time to leave for work.
Time you were learning the pitman's job
You need to start learning the duties required of a pitman.
And earning a pitman's pay.
You will start earning wages paid to a pitman once you begin performing the job.
Come on then jim, it's time to go
Jim, it's time for you to start work at the mine.
Time you were working down below
You'll be working underground, Jim.
Time to be handling a pick and shovel
Your tools of the trade will be a pick and shovel.
You start at the pits today
Your first day at work is today.
Time to be learning the collier's job
You need to get familiar with the tasks and responsibilities of a collier.
And earning a collier's pay.
You'll receive a collier's wages for your labor.
Come on then dai, it's nearly light
Dai, it's almost dawn. Time to head to the mine.
Time you were off to the anthracite
You're going to work in the anthracite mines, Dai.
The morning mist is on the valley
It's a misty morning in the valley.
It's time you were on your way
You need to leave now, Dai.
Time you were learning the miner's job
You'll start learning your duties as a miner.
And earning a miner's pay
You will start receiving a miner's wages once you begin working.
Repeat first verse
Repeat the first verse of the song.
Lyrics © Royalty Network Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: EWAN MACCOLL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Harry Murray
This world loves not the ways, nor the attributes, nor the things of God! It is no wonder why the Antichrist will easily captivate the world and subdue it, for it is already subdued. The Antichrist is already in control, we are merely waiting for this son of perdition to appear.
Follow Jesus Christ, correct your life, do not pretend Sin does not matter. We must have self control.
Proverbs 18:21 21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.
2 Timothy 3:16-17 16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
17 That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.
Ecclesiastes 12:13 13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.
2 Corinthians 3:5 5 Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God;
Romans 2:12 12 For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law;
1 John 4:1 4 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.
Isaiah 55:6 6 Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:
1 Timothy 5:6 6 But she that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth.
1 Corinthians 15:33 33 Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.
Numbers 32:23 23 But if ye will not do so, behold, ye have sinned against the Lord: and be sure your sin will find you out.
John 3:19 19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
Revelation 3:20 20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.
Jeremiah 17:5 Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD.
Matthew 5:48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.
Matthew 7:21 21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
Matthew 7:13-14 13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
Psalm 101:2 2 I will behave myself wisely in a perfect way. O when wilt thou come unto me? I will walk within my house with a perfect heart.
Revelation 22:11-12 11 He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.
12 And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.
Revelation 20:11-12 11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.
12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
Revelation 2:4-5 4 Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.
5 Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.
Galatians 1:8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.
Galatians 6:7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
James 1:22-25 22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
23 For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:
24 For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.
25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.
Proverbs 1:7 7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
Hebrews 11:6 6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
1 Corinthians 6:9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,
2 Corinthians 6:14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?
Psalm 37:13 The Lord shall laugh at him: for he seeth that his day is coming.
John 8:31-32 31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;
32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
John 16:33 33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.
John 15:5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
John 15:16 16 Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.
John 10:29 29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.
Romans 2:13 13 For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified.
Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
Jesus Christ is Lord! Every eye shall see Every knee will bow and confess Jesus Christ is Lord! Amen Seek God Whilst he can be found Repent while you can, Time is SHORT
John 8:34 34 Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.
John 14:15 15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.
John 4:24 24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
Romans 10:9 9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
Romans 6:1-2 6 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?
2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?
Romans 6:23 23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Psalm 66:18 18 If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me:
1 John 4:6 We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.
Hebrews 10:26 For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,
John 16:33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.
1 John 2:15-17 15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.
Hosea 4:6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me:
seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.
Jesus Christ is Lord! Every eye shall see, Every knee will bow and confess Jesus Christ is Lord!
Luke 17:28-30 28 Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded;
29 But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all.
30 Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed.
Repent while you have a chance. Accept Jesus as your Lord and savior...... I know most will mock, but this is why the Bible said
Ecclesiastes 7:5 It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools.
For the fool says there is no God. The byproduct is that same fool returning to his folly, as a Dog to its vomit....
Eoin Mail
The voice . Just stunning . Sends shivers down my neck every time I hear this.
Jane McGrath
Mary Black is such a beautiful talented lady.I have seen her many times live.All my children have grown up listening her singing along with the amazing musicians she always surrounds herself with.Thankyou Mary for all the joy you give and your music will be pasedt on to our grandchildren now.
Manfred Arlt
Dito
Antoine Malette
Can't get enough of this. For some reason, it reminds me of my time in Dingle. I'd listen to old folks chatting in pubs where no TVs nor radios were to be heard. Soothing stuff. Humans doing what humans were meant to do. Be together, think and talk. Ardbhean, a Mhaire.
lauradyoung1
Beautiful song sung by the best. ❤ Mary!
machree01
Beautiful singing from Mary, and great playing from The Chieftains, lovely.
Ryan Ferris
Breaks my heart this!! Irish music has to be the best for breaking the old heart
naniwadog
What a voice--makes this song heartbreaking.
Michael Jordan
Beautiful Brilliant Performance x
benoni45
Ewan MacColl classic, performed with the aplomb that Mary Black brings!