Merthyr Rising 1831 Song : Cheese and Bread by David Rovics - English and Welsh

1831, the age of industry begun

For the working folk of Wales, life was short

With wages cut again it was only sensible that then

Folks took over and shut down the debtors' court

The gentry pulled the wire, told their men to open fire

And restore the rule of their estate

But as the night descended and the battle ended

The soldiers had all fled behind a gate

They chanted “cheese and bread”

And “our children must be fed”

In the days when Wales rose against the crown

They chanted “cheese and bread”

With a bloody loaf above their heads

When the red flag flew in Merthyr Town

The message went out east and west to put the gentry to the test

The cavalry was ambushed and turned back

After so long playing defense, the time had come now whence

The workers were the ones on the attack

The crown sent soldiers by the score until order was restored

Then came Dic Penderyn's execution

Another martyr for the cause, meant to give us pause

The next time the people call for revolution

Gwrthryfel Merthyr, Cymru, 1831. Y tro cyntaf yn y byd y chwifiodd y faner goch fel symbol chwyldro.

Cyfieithiad Steve Blundell o’r gân “Cheese and Bread”, gan David Rovics o Efrog Newydd, canwr/cyfansoddwr ac anarchwr.

1831, yr oes diwidiannol ar waith,
Bywyd byr oedd tynged gweithwyr gwerin Cymru
Wedi rhagor o doriadau tal, penderfyniad call a wnaed
i gymryd drosodd a chau lawr y llys dyledwyr

Rhoddodd y bonedd gair, a tanio’u harfau drwg a wnaeth…
eu filwyr, er mwyn adfer grym eu ‘stâd, (hystâd)
Disgynnodd nos ymlaen, ac ar ddiwedd y brwydr aeth
y milwyr i gyd i ffoi tu ôl i giât.

  Y cor-gan oedd “bara chaws”
  a “rhaid ni bwydo’n plant”
  Yn y dyddiau cododd Cymru wrth y goron
  Y cor-gan oedd “bara chaws”
  Gyda torth gwaedlyd uwch eu bennau
  Pan chwifiodd y faner goch yn Nhref Merthyr

I’r gorllewin ac i’r de, aeth neges rhoi’r bonedd i’r her
ymosodwyd y farchoglu a’u wrthyrru,
Ar ôl amddiffyn hir erioed, daeth amser y cyffroed,
y gweithwyr oedd y rhai oedd yn ymosod


  (cytgan)


Halodd y goron milwyr llu, tan daeth y drefn yn ôl i hwy,
Yna daeth dienyddiad Dic Penderyn,
Un merthyr fwy i’r fudaid, er mwyn darbwyllo cymryd pwyll
Y tro nesaf daw y werin am eu chwyldro


  (cytgan)