Most likely inspired by singer Biff Byfords father who worked in the mines. This song is not only an ode to better times, and a reflection of past glory, but also a poem of the sands of time and mortality. It talks about mortality, growing old, past glory and despair, and of Britain’s mining and industrial past. The lyrics vividly depict the transition of a father from a coal miner to a twisted and weakened man, paralleling his decline with the aging and deterioration of coal-fueled iron wheels that carried him down into the mines. All of which serves to emphasize the passage of time and the decay of once-thriving industries. In general, it reflects the transient nature of life and work, illustrating how time and changing circumstances can erode even the most robust of individuals and industries.
Most likely inspired by singer Biff Byfords father who worked in the mines. This song is not only an ode to better times, and a reflection of past glory, but also a poem of the sands of time and mortality. It talks about mortality, growing old, past glory and despair, and of Britain’s mining and industrial past. The lyrics vividly depict the transition of a father from a coal miner to a twisted and weakened man, paralleling his decline with the aging and deterioration of coal-fueled iron wheels that carried him down into the mines. All of which serves to emphasize the passage of time and the decay of once-thriving industries. In general, it reflects the transient nature of life and work, illustrating how time and changing circumstances can erode even the most robust of individuals and industries.