Blue Diamond Mines
by Jean Ritchie, as sung by the Texas Rubies (sort of); and I figured out the guitar part
A G
I remember the ways in the bygone days
G D
When we was all in our prime
A G
How us and John L. gave the old man hell
G D
Down in the Blue Diamond mines
A G
Where the whistle would blow 'fore the rooster crowed
G D
Full two hours before daylight
A G
When a man done his best, and he earned his good rest
G D
And had seventeen dollars at night
CHORUS:
A G A D
In the mines, in the mines, in the Blue Diamond mines
A E A
I worked my life away
A G A D
In the mines, in the mines, in the Blue Diamond mines
A E A
Oh, fall on your knees and pray
You old black gold, you've taken my soul (or, "you've got my lungs")
Your dust has darkened my home (or "darkened my door")
And now that I'm old, you're turning your back
Where else can an old miner go
Well, first it's Big Block and then Leatherwood
And now it's Blue Diamond too
The pits are all closed, and it's "go find a job"
What else can an old miner do
(CHORUS)
Your union is dead and you're shaking your head
They say mining's had its day
But you're stripping off my mountain top
And you pay me three dollars a day
Well, you might get a poke of welfare meat
A little poke of welfare flour
But I tell you right now, you won't qualify
Less you work for a quarter an hour
(CHORUS)
(the Texas Rubies omit this last verse)
John L. had a dream but it's broken, it seems
Our union is letting us down
Last week they took away my hospital card
And it's "why don't you leave this old town"
Well, you go downtown and you hang around
Well, maybe it ain't so bad
Then you come back home and they meet you at the door
And it's "what did you bring me, dad"
(CHORUS)