Your Loving Son, Dan by Chris While and Julie Matthews Recorded by The Albion Band Dear Mother, I've landed work again On the Manchester Ship Canal The days are long and the work is hard But the digs are clean and they pay us well Father would never believe his eyes A 30 mile stretch with a 60 foot rise In a year I'll be on my feet If I don't spend the money on the girls I meet I'll write again soon Your loving son, Dan Dear Mother, It's been the saddest day On the Manchester Ship Canal The floods came in and washed Billy away Now I've lost my nearest pal You've got to have eyes in the back of your head Nerves of steel or you'll wind up dead With every barrow of earth I haul I think myself lucky when I don't fall I'll write again soon Your loving son, Dan Dear Mr and Mrs Callaghan I work with your son on the Ship Canal It's not easy for me to begin But the news is bad and I have to tell Danny was tethered to a heavy load Pulling the earth up to the road Well he lost his step and he fell below The barrel came down with a fatal blow And we said goodbye to your loving son Dan Go ahead and cry for your loving son Dan Your loving son This was written for a BBC radio documentary called 'Tales from the Towpath' about Daniel Adamson's vision and the building of the Manchester Ship Canal. Full details and a recording of the programme can be found here.
Your Loving Son, Dan by Chris While and Julie Matthews Recorded by The Albion Band Dear Mother, I've landed work again On the Manchester Ship Canal The days are long and the work is hard But the digs are clean and they pay us well Father would never believe his eyes A 30 mile stretch with a 60 foot rise In a year I'll be on my feet If I don't spend the money on the girls I meet I'll write again soon Your loving son, Dan Dear Mother, It's been the saddest day On the Manchester Ship Canal The floods came in and washed Billy away Now I've lost my nearest pal You've got to have eyes in the back of your head Nerves of steel or you'll wind up dead With every barrow of earth I haul I think myself lucky when I don't fall I'll write again soon Your loving son, Dan Dear Mr and Mrs Callaghan I work with your son on the Ship Canal It's not easy for me to begin But the news is bad and I have to tell Danny was tethered to a heavy load Pulling the earth up to the road Well he lost his step and he fell below The barrel came down with a fatal blow And we said goodbye to your loving son Dan Go ahead and cry for your loving son Dan Your loving son This was written for a BBC radio documentary called 'Tales from the Towpath' about Daniel Adamson's vision and the building of the Manchester Ship Canal. Full details and a recording of the programme can be found here.