The Pit
Mining the Depths of Struggle: Public Service Broadcasting's Ode to Industrial Grit
Lyrics
As the cage dropped suddenly into darkness
Describes the sudden descent of a cage into darkness, setting the scene for an industrial environment.
The working morning had begun
Indicates the start of the working day in a coal mine.
Step in and see how, for the last quarter of a century, your coal was won
Invites the listener to witness how coal has been extracted for the past 25 years and continues to be extracted.
And how it is still won, twenty four hours 'round the clock
Emphasizes the continuous, non-stop nature of coal extraction, operating 24 hours a day.
You're in a two hundred yard long coal face now
Places the listener within a lengthy coal face, highlighting the challenging working conditions.
Temperature often reached eighty degrees
Details the high temperatures endured in the coal face, reaching up to eighty degrees.
It's three feet six inches high from floor to roof
Specifies the confined space with a height of three feet six inches from floor to roof.
None knew when the foul air underground might not cause a disastrous explosion
Expresses the constant danger of foul air causing explosions in the underground environment.
Or a landslide might at any moment bring down the roof and walls of the tunnel
Highlights the risk of landslides that could collapse the tunnel's roof and walls at any moment.
The people of Britain are building
Portrays the people of Britain as builders, actively engaged in construction.
Drilling out from their native rock
Describes the drilling process, indicating efforts to extract resources from the native rock.
The foundations of the future
Refers to the foundational work being done for the future of the nation.
To coal we must now turn again
Points to a shift back to coal as a crucial resource for strength in the upcoming years.
For all the strength that we shall need
Emphasizes the importance of coal for the strength required in the future.
In the years to come
Concludes by underlining the significance of coal in the years to come.
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