Blue Diamond Mines

I remember the ways in the by gone days

When we were in our prime

How us and John L

Give the old man hell

Down in the blue diamond mine

Well the whistle blowed

And the rooster crowed

Two hours before daylight

When a man done his best

And he earned his good rest

Made seventeen dollars at night

In the mines, in the mines

In the blue diamond mines

I worked my life away

In the mines, in the mines

In the blue diamond mines

Fall on your knees and pray

You old black gold

You've taken my lungs

And your dust has darkened my home

And now that we're old

Your turning your back

Where else can an old miner go?

Well its almablock and big leatherwood

And now it's blue diamond too

Well the pits are all closed

And it's get another job

What else can an older miner do?

John M had a dream

But it is broken it seems

Mining has had it's day

But they're stripping off my mountaintop

And they pay me eight dollars a day

I've did a little pogo of welfare meals

A little pogo of welfare flour

But I tell you right now

You won't qualify until you work for a quarter an hour