A Miner's Son

from J. Chris Smith and Belfaster by J. Chris Smith

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lyrics

Well, my daddy was a miner. He spent his whole life busting coal, spent his whole life savings in company scrip the Peabody company store, and he stands taller than the mountain in my childhood memory. When he died of black lung poisoning, he passed the helmet on to me. Well, the company man at the funeral had hands white like driven snow. He said “there’s a job here for you son.” Tell me something I don’t know. ‘Cause you got men dying on the mountain quicker than you can fill their clothes. The damned mineshaft eats our spirits fast as you can chuck ‘em down the hole. So, Mary take me and keep me in your sight tonight. My summers number only fourteen
and I don’t want to die. This hammer weighs near nine pounds it’s too heavy for my size. Far too heavy for my size. Far too heavy for my size. I hear music from the mountain late at night when I can’t sleep. There’s Irish gins and jigs and reels that echo from that keep. “Put a number to them voices” I tell the buttons on papa’s shirt. Then I kiss my mama goodbye and I go off to work. ‘Cause my daddy was a miner he busted coal his whole life through, but he died of black lung poisoning now his son’s a miner too.

credits

from J. Chris Smith and Belfaster, released October 19, 2022
Chris – Vox + Acoustic Guitar
Jesse Huebner – Drums + Percussion
Steve Howell – Mandolin + Dobro
Mixed by Jesse Huebner at Blü Bunny Lounge

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J. Chris Smith Raleigh, North Carolina

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