Songfacts®:

• The Unthanks are an English folk group known for their distinctive sound and arrangements of traditional English folk songs, as well as their own original material. The Tyneside group has established a prestigious standing among British folk musicians, largely because of the unique sibling harmonies of sisters Rachel and Becky Unthank and their promotion of the Northumbrian tradition, whether it be stories about the plight of the poor or accounts of child labor. In this song, Rachel Unthank honors the region's industrial history.
• Rachel Unthank took inspiration for this song when the pandemic lockdown restrictions started lifting. "There used to be over 60 beehive ovens on the banks of The Tyne just below Throckly, burning coal to make coke for the local iron factory," she told The Sun. "Now there are a couple of ruins which I stumbled across while out walking with a friend when we were first allowed to meet and walk outside. The birds were singing, the sun was shining, and life seemed a bit more full of hope. It made me think how these moments keep us going through darker times and inspired me to write this song."
• The Unthanks recorded "The Isabella Colliery Coke Ovens" for Sorrows Away. Their longtime producer Adrian McNally crafted the album. As well as being the producer, McNally is also the band's manager, multi-instrumentalist and musical arranger.