Hard Times in the Mill
Struggles in the Weave: Pete Seeger's Tale of Hardship
Lyrics
Every mornin' at half past four
Every morning starts early at 4:30 AM
You hear the cooks hop on the floor
The cooks start their work energetically
It's hard times in the mill my love
Expressing difficulty and challenges in the mill
Hard times in the mill
Reiterating the hard times in the mill
Every morning just at five
Every morning, by 5 AM, there's a need to get up urgently
Gotta get up, dead or alive
Emphasizing the urgency to get up, even at the risk of one's life
It's hard times in the mill my love
Repeating the theme of challenging times in the mill
Hard times in the mill
Reaffirming the presence of difficult conditions in the mill
Every mornin' right at six
By 6 AM, the sound of the bell is unpleasant
Don't that ol' bell make you sick
Describing the negative impact of the bell sound
Hard times in the mill my love
Reiteration of tough times in the mill
Hard times in the mill
Confirming the challenges faced in the mill
The pulley got hot, the belt jumped off
Technical issues in the mill machinery
Knocked Mr Guyan's derby off
An incident causing disruption and chaos
It's hard times in the mill my love
Reaffirming the difficulties in the mill
Hard times in the mill
Restating the presence of hard times
And ol' Pat Goble thinks he's a Hun
Reference to a person with an arrogant attitude
He puts me in mind of a doodle in the sun
Comparing the person to a carefree individual in the sun
It's hard times in the mill my love
Underscoring the challenging environment in the mill
Hard times in the mill
Reiterating the tough conditions in the mill
Section hand he thinks he's a man
A worker who thinks highly of himself
He ain't got sense to pay off his hands
Highlighting the worker's lack of financial responsibility
It's hard times in the mill my love
Confirming the presence of hardships in the mill
Hard times in the mill
Reaffirming the existence of difficult times
They steal his ring, they steal his knife
Depiction of theft and dishonesty among workers
Steal everything but his big fat wife
Highlighting the unusual theft of personal belongings
It's hard times in the mill my love
Reiteration of tough times in the mill
Hard times in the mill
Reaffirming the challenges faced by the workers
My bobbin's all out, my end's all down
Technical issues with machinery affecting work
The doffer's in my alley an'
Describing an obstacle in the working area
I can't get around
Feeling trapped or unable to move freely
It's hard times in the mill my love
Reiteration of hard times due to machinery issues
Hard times in the mill
Confirmation of the ongoing challenges in the mill
The section hand, standin' at the door
Description of a supervisor giving orders
Ordering the sweepers to sweep up the floor
Depicting the authority's focus on cleanliness
It's hard times in the mill my love
Reiteration of the difficult conditions in the mill
Hard times in the mill
Restating the presence of hard times
An' every night when I go home
Describing a modest meal after a challenging day
A piece o' cornbread an' an ol' jawbone
Symbolic representation of a simple meal
It's hard times in the mill my love
Reaffirming the hard times experienced in the mill
Hard times in the mill
Restating the ongoing challenges in the mill
Ain't it enough to break your heart
Expressing the emotional impact of the difficult situation
Have to work all day
Highlighting the long working hours during the day
An' at night it's dark
Emphasizing the darkness and challenges at night
It's hard times in the mill my love
Reiteration of the tough times in the mill
Hard times in the mill
Restating the presence of hard times in the mill
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