He continues to write and record new material and performs live frequently throughout Canada, the United States, Europe and Australia.
Thompson was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2011 New Year Honours for services to music. On 5 July 2011, the degree of Doctor of Philosophy honoris causa was conferred on Thompson by the University of Aberdeen, in a ceremony at the University's Elphinstone Hall.
Last Shift
Richard Thompson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Say goodbye to dark and damp
DSS will pay your stamp
Last shift, close her down
Leave your manhood, leave your pride
Back there on the mucky side
Take the cage for one more ride
Put the business in the black
And they've stabbed us in the back
With old school ties and little white lies
They left our town for scrap
Golden handshake, sling our hooks
Now we're nursemaids, now we're cooks
Now our kids steal pension books
Last shift, close her down
Now the scrapper boys infest
And the wrecking balls caress
Like vermin round a burial ground
They catch the smell of death
Old Grimey's lost its soul
Fifty million tons of coal
And we're beggars on the dole
Last shift, close her down
Last shift, close her down
The song “Last Shift” by Richard Thompson and Danny Thompson is a sad lamentation about the closing of a coal mine. The song talks about the end of an era where men have put in their blood, sweat and tears to the mine, and now it's all coming to an end. It feels like an abrupt farewell, but the men have no choice but to let go.
The first verse of the song, “Stow your gear and charge your lamp, Say goodbye to dark and damp, DSS will pay your stamp, Last shift, close her down,” refers to the last day of work and how it's time to put away their gear and say farewell to the mines. They are also grateful that they will be paid for their last days of work. In the second verse, the lyrics delve deeper into the emotions that the miners are feeling.
“Leave your manhood, leave your pride, Back there on the mucky side, Take the cage for one more ride, Last shift, close her down,” the lyrics speak to the sacrifice the miners have made. They leave everything they have on the mucky side and take one last ride on the elevator cage, contemplating their loss and the unfair goodbye.
The song is a sad reminder of the end of an era, the death of an industry, and the death of a culture. It's a powerful song that strikes a chord with anyone who has ever had to say goodbye to something they loved.
Line by Line Meaning
Stow your gear and charge your lamp
Prepare for the final working shift by storing your equipment and making sure you have light
Say goodbye to dark and damp
Bid farewell to the dim and moist mine that was once your workplace
DSS will pay your stamp
The government's Department of Social Security will provide benefits to unemployed workers
Last shift, close her down
It is the final work shift, and the mine needs to be closed for good
Leave your manhood, leave your pride
Workers must set aside their feelings of masculinity and dignity due to the inevitable loss of their job
Back there on the mucky side
The most undesirable and dirty section of the mine where they worked
Take the cage for one more ride
The mine elevator should be utilized for one last time
Last shift, close her down
It is the final work shift, and the mine needs to be closed for good
Put the business in the black
The mine was profitable until the mining company betrayed its workers
And they've stabbed us in the back
The company has deceived their employees in a treacherous manner
With old school ties and little white lies
The company exploited its connection to those in power through deception and deceitful tactics
They left our town for scrap
The company abandoned the community, leaving them with nothing of value
Golden handshake, sling our hooks
The company has offered a substantial payment as a reward for departing quietly
Now we're nursemaids, now we're cooks
Former miners now serve as caregivers and cooks
Now our kids steal pension books
Children of the unemployed miners have been compelled to commit theft by taking the pension fund money
Last shift, close her down
It is the final work shift, and the mine needs to be closed for good
Now the scrapper boys infest
Scavengers and other rubbish collectors have taken over the abandoned mine site
And the wrecking balls caress
Demolishing the site and destroying the structure has become appealing due to the lack of use and maintenance by the company
Like vermin round a burial ground
Referring to the scavengers as pests that inhabit the abandoned site
They catch the smell of death
The presence of decay or lifelessness at the mining site appears to attract these scavengers
Old Grimey's lost its soul
The mine, once a source of pride for the community, has lost its spirit and character due to the company's treachery
Fifty million tons of coal
A significant amount of coal has been extracted from the mine site, which was the primary source of employment for the community
And we're beggars on the dole
Former miners now rely on welfare or other sources of government assistance
Last shift, close her down
It is the final work shift, and the mine needs to be closed for good
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: RICHARD THOMPSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Ken Soehn
on Love in a Faithless Country
At a show at the Culch (The Vancouver East Cultural Centre) decades ago, Thompson said the song was inspired by two British serial killers, who seemed to be inspiring each other through the newspapers. Now you know why it sounds so spooky.
Mark Apelman
on Devonside
Not sure what this song means, but I love the feeling of it.