The Miner and The Mountain

The flame is but a flicker

As the air within your lungs slowly fades

The miners blame the mountain

But I know the miners are to blame

Oooh lungs so cold

Oooh, wretched mine

Oohh oh oh oh

Forgive me, dear mountain, when I die

Come morning, our bones are weary

As we crawl into the belly of the mine

Nursing broken fingers

When the hammer hits the shaker instead of iron

The patter of a hammer

Still trembles in the temples of my head

We banged and we chiseled

Til the muscles in my arms and neck were spent

Oooh lungs so cold

Oooh, wretched mine

Oohh oh oh oh

Forgive me, dear mountain, when I die

At dawn we climb your shoulders

And patch your ribs with lagging from the pines

We plundered your cherished bounty

But the likes of us never saw a dime

Oh, dear mountain

We smashed your bones with fevered picks and jacks

You gave us gold and silver

But we scattered all the tailings down your back

Oooh lungs so cold

Oooh, wretched mine

Oohh oh oh oh

Forgive me, dear mountain, when I die

Oh, Pine Mountain

I'm sorry for the pain done to you

Lord knows that I'm dying

But it ain't nothing worse than what you've been through

Oooh lungs so cold

Oooh, wretched mine

Oohh oh oh oh

Forgive me, dear mountain, when I die