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The Bevin Boys (Bill Pettinger's Lament)

by Reg Meuross

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about

“And don’t the soldier Boys look fine
You don’t get medals down the mine”

My tribute in song to the Bevin Boys was commissioned by Martin Pettinger, who’s father, Bill, was one of the 48,000 18-25 year old boys who were chosen, by lot, to work down the mines instead of being conscripted to fight in WW2. These ‘Bevin Boys’ (named after the Labour Minister Ernest Bevin) carried out vital and very dangerous work down the mines, yet they were targets of abuse from the general public, who mistakenly believed them to be draft dodgers or cowards, and they were frequently stopped by the police as possible deserters. Their contribution to the war effort was not recognised until 1995 (50 years after VE Day) when the Queen mentioned them in a speech, and they were eventually allowed to formally participate in Remembrance Day at The Cenotaph in London.

So we have chosen today, VE Day, to release the song.


Thank you to my talented friend Phil Beer for weaving in the beautiful fiddle line.

lyrics

The Bevin Boys
(Bill Pettinger’s Lament)
by Reg Meuross for Martin Pettinger

When I was just a young man young men went to war
Handsome in their uniforms as heroes gone before
When I was just a young man and my number came around
While all my pals went off to fight I went underground

When I was just a young man young men went to sea
And miners left the pits to work in high paid industry
When I was just a young man and the coal reserves were down
My pals had gone to sailor boys and I went underground
And don’t the sailor boys look fine you don’t get medals down the mine
They’ll wave their flags they’ll make a noise
But they’ll walk right past the Bevin Boys no glory for the Bevin Boys

When I was just a young man they gave my pals a gun
But they took away my dignity and they took away the sun
Some people called us runaways when we went out on the town
Our uniforms were dirt and oil and we served underground
The secret underground
And don’t the soldier boys look fine you don’t get medals down the mine
They’ll wave their flags they’ll make a noise
But they’ll walk right past the Bevin Boys no glory for the Bevin Boys

Now I am an old man my journey almost done
No honours mark the wars I fought or the battles that I won
Fifty years dishonoured but we never made a sound
Now they’ve made a badge for the Bevin boys
And we’ll wear it underground
And don’t the Bevin boys look fine we got our medals from the mine
They’ll wave their flags they’ll make a noise
Let’s hear it for the Bevin Boys…. glory for the Bevin Boys

credits

released May 8, 2021
Reg Meuross (composer, lyrics, guitar, vocal)
Phil Beer (fiddle)
Artwork Joey Meuross

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Reg Meuross England, UK

The breadth and depth of Reg Meuross’s material is unparalleled in contemporary folk: songs about forgotten heroes, famous names, folk legends, the climate emergency, tales from the kitchen sink and news from the world stage; if something needs to be sung about then Reg Meuross has a song for it. ... more

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