a miner s life is like a sailor on board a ship to cross the waves every day his life s in danger many ventures being brave watch the rocks they re falling daily careless miners always fail keep your hand upon your wages and your eye upon the scale union miners stand together do not heed the coal board s tale keep your hand upon your wages and your eye upon the scale you ve been docked and docked again boys you ve been loading three for one what s the use in all your working when your mining days are done worn out shoes and worn miners blackened lungs and faces pale oh keep your hand upon your wages and your eye upon the scale union miners stand together do not heed the coal board s tale keep your hand upon your wages and your eye upon the scale in conclusion bear in memory keep this password in your mind worker s strength cannot be broken when unions be combined stand up tall and stand together victory for you prevail oh keep your hands upon your wages and your eye upon the scale union miners stand together do not heed the coal board s tale keep your hand upon your wages and your eye upon the scale union miners stand together do not heed the coal board s tale keep your hand upon your wages and your eye upon the scale