Mining Camp Blues

 

 

 

  

Once I had a daddy and he went down in a hole —
Once I had a daddy and he went down in a hole —
Digging and a-hauling, hauling that Birmingham coal.

 

Many times I wondered when they took my daddy down —
Many times I wondered when they took my daddy down —
Will he come back to me? Will they leave him in the ground?

 

Something like pitcher that they sent down in the well —
Something like pitcher that they sent down in the well —
Wondering will they break it, Lordy, Lordy who can tell?

 

It was late one evening, I was standing at that mine —
It was late one evening, I was standing at that mine —
Foreman said my daddy had gone down for his last, last time.

 

He was a coal miner from his hat down to his shoes —
He was a coal miner from his hat down to his shoes —
And I'm nearly dying with these mining camp blues.

Trixie Smith
1925

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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