Blue Diamond Mines-Jean Ritchie

[ti:Blue Diamond Mines] [ar:Jean Ritchie] [al:Clear Waters Remembered] [by:] [offset:0] [00:00.00]Blue Diamond Mines - Jean Ritchie [00:05.14]I remember the ways in the bygone days [00:10.24]When we was all in our prime [00:13.98] [00:14.79]How us and john l gave the old man hell [00:19.74]Down in the blue diamond mines [00:23.81] [00:26.29]Where the whistle would blow 'fore the rooster crowed [00:31.41]Full two hours before daylight [00:34.77] [00:35.49]When a man done his best and he earned his good rest [00:40.31]And had seventeen dollars at night [00:43.95] [00:44.75]In the mines in the mines in the blue diamond mines [00:49.78]I have worked my life away [00:53.27] [00:54.13]In the mines in the mines in the blue diamond mines [00:58.68] [00:59.41]Oh fall on your knees and pray [01:02.84] [01:05.82]You old black gold you've taken my soul [01:11.27] [01:11.81]Your dust has darkened my home [01:14.75] [01:15.89]And now that i'm old you're turning your back [01:21.40] [01:22.04]Where else can an old miner go [01:25.53] [01:27.55]Well first it's big block and then leatherwood [01:31.86]And now it's blue diamond too [01:35.84] [01:36.38]The pits are all closed and it's go find a job [01:41.18]What else can an old miner do [01:44.56] [01:45.66]In the mines in the mines [01:47.59]In the blue diamond mines [01:49.70] [01:50.40]I worked my life away [01:54.11] [01:54.80]In the mines in the mines [01:56.68]In the blue diamond mines [01:58.87] [01:59.72]I fall on my knees and pray [02:03.25] [02:09.62]Your union is dead and you're shaking your head [02:14.79]They say mining's had its day [02:17.66] [02:18.64]But you're stripping off my mountain top [02:24.43]And you pay me three dollars a day [02:27.40] [02:30.48]Well you might get a poke of welfare meat [02:35.15]A little poke of welfare flour [02:38.33] [02:38.89]But i tell you right now you won't qualify [02:43.83]Less you work for a quarter an hour [02:46.97] [02:47.86]In the mines in the mines [02:49.75]In the blue diamond mines [02:51.73] [02:52.32]I worked my life away [02:56.09] [02:56.68]In the mines in the mines [02:58.52]In the blue diamond mines [03:00.88] [03:01.65]I fall on my knees and pray [03:05.27] [03:11.84]John l had a dream but it's broken it seems [03:17.20]Our union is letting us down [03:20.76] [03:21.56]Last week they took away my hospital card [03:27.17]And it's why don't you leave this old town [03:30.44] [03:37.09]Well you go downtown and you hang around [03:42.69]Well maybe it ain't so bad [03:46.11] [03:46.83]Then you come back home and they meet you at the door [03:52.54]And it's what did you bring me dad [03:55.85] [03:56.61]In the mines in the mines [03:58.48]In the blue diamond mines [04:00.57] [04:01.26]I worked my life away [04:04.91] [04:05.56]In the mines in the mines [04:07.45]In the blue diamond mines [04:09.82] [04:10.42]I fall on your knees and pray