Digital Tradition Mirror

Old Coal Miner

Old Coal Miner

Oh, who'll replace this old coal miner
And who will take my place below
And who will follow the trepanner
Who, dear God, when I go

And who will wield my heavy pick
That I did wield for forty years
And who will hew the black, black coal
Who, dear God, when I go

And who will ride the miners' train
That takes him to the dark coal face
Who'll take my place upon that train
Who, dear God, when I go

And who will fill the great iron tubs
And who will strain his bending back
And who will work, sweat, and ache like hell
Who, dear God, when I go

And who will cry when the roof caves in
When friends are dying all around
And who will sing the miners' hymn
Who, dear God, when I go

For forty years I've loved the mine
For forty years I've worked down there
Now who'll replace this old coal miner
When I pay God my fare

from a tape of Out of the Rain at Plowshares, 1983.
Believe from the Elliot family of Birtley, England. [JN]
JN
oct96

Thanks to Mudcat for the Digital Tradition!