Digital Tradition Mirror

Mining Camp Blues

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Pennywhistle notation and Dulcimer tab for this song is also available

Mining Camp Blues
(Trixie Smith)

Once I had a daddy and he worked down in a hole.
Once I had a daddy and he worked down in a hole.
Diggin' and a-haulin'; haulin' that Birmingham coal.

Ev'ry time he left me, and went down into that mine (2x)
Hung my head in sorow and I couldn't help from cryin'.

Many times I wondered when they took my daddy down (2x)
Will he come back to me--Will they leave him in the ground.

Something like the pitcher that they sent down in the well (2x)
Wond'rin' will they break it. Lawdy, lawdy who can tell.

It was late one evenin' I was standin' at the mine (2x)
Foreman said my daddy had gone down his last, last time.

Ev'ry day I've waited, sad and worried as can be (2x)
Waitin' for my daddy, thinkin' he'd come back to me.

He was a coal miner from his hat down to his shoes (2x)
And I'm nearly dyin' from these mean camp-minin' blues.

Copyright Trixie Smith 1925
From Only a Miner, Green
RG
Apr98

Thanks to Mudcat for the Digital Tradition!