I worked the coal mines down in Gun Hill Tennessee
I’ll never forget the sound of the earth as it caved in on me
there were about six of us trapped in an abandoned railway shaft
one mile deep in a mountain hell-hole, goddamn I had to laugh
I don’t know why…
“The dead men are the lucky ones,” I heard one man exclaim
when the air runs out we’ll join them quick or slow it’s all the same
I can’t begin to tell you how it feels
oh won’t you tell my wife and children this sad story
Daddy’s gone up the sky now
c’mon honey don’t you cry now, please
The first few hours we sat so quietly and still
listening for any signs of life up above in Gun Hill
we didn’t hear anything
then a man named Will brought our his mouth harp and he played
he said the Lord could hear his songs and surely we’d be saved
I don’t know why…Willie never prayed before
We took turns telling stories as our hopes began to dim
the darkness ever deepened and the air grew deadly thin
I cannot explain all that I have seen- is this a dream
unconscious to the world for hours
woke up to the smell of flowers
Gun Hill never smelled so goddamn sweet…
credits
from Promise and Prayer,
released October 28, 1998
Joe Wilford / Jason Byrne / Rowan Bishop
Extra Credit: Dale Nixon - Bass, Steve LaCerra - Percussion and verbal harassment.
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