[2002,Oct,02] Colin Wilkie wrote to Susanne:
(C) The title, as published by the English Music Publishers: B:Feldman & Co. Ltd was "Down In Your Mine " [mine - singular - not mine(s)] although it is of course an expression of my feelings towards ALL mines. I did originally call it " You Won't Get Me Down In Your Mine " and it was recorded by Nic Jones, sometime in the 70s, and has been printed a couple of times in various magazines with that title, but I found it unwieldy ( takes up a lot of room/ time when filling in Gema/PRS sheets etc ) so shortened it to the above.
(S) I only have the McCalmans recording on 'Peace and Plenty', and their title is "No You Won't Get Me Down In Your Mines".
(C) The " No " at the start of the line was added by Tony ( or maybe the Macs, I forget ) and isn't sung by me. But that's the " folk process " isn't it ? and I'd be the last to criticise anyone for adding to or subtracting from lyrics if it helps to personalise the song for the interpreter. Anyway the " No " is now apparently permanently in the song as can be heard on the CD made by Canadian singer/songwriter Dave Anthony last year - I suppose he got it from Tony or the Macs - it doesn't matter. Like I said it's "the folk process " and is actually rather flattering in its way, to think something you wrote has been
respected enough to have been absorbed into the repertory of, and altered by, other performers ...
... I don't know where Tony [see 1989 note] got his information from, but it has nothing to do with a Kentish coal mine. It was in fact written after I read about the dreadful disaster in Lengede. I said to Shirley " You wouldn't get me down in a mine " and the idea for a song was born.
(S) Nor do I. I just copied Tony's info from the record sleeve when I came across it one day. When someone on the Mudcat said it had been written about a German mining disaster in 1963 I immediately assumed it must be Lengede. I'm just old enough to remember watching the rescue operation on TV. It left a deep impression, as you can see.
Thank you, for taking the
time to write at such length.