AmGAmG
In the town of Springhill, Nova Scotia,
AmCAm
Down in the dark of the Cumberland mine,
CGEm
There's blood on the coal and the miners lie
AmGAmG
In the roads that never saw sun nor sky,
AmGAmE7
Roads that never saw sun nor sky.
[Verse 2]
AmGAmG
In the town of Springhill you don't sleep easy,
AmCAm
Often the Earth will tremble and roll;
CGEm
When the Earth is restless, miners die;
AmGAm
Bone and blood is the price of coal,
AmGAmE7
Bone and blood is the price of coal.
[Verse 3]
AmGAmG
In the town of Springhill, Nova Scotia,
AmCAm
Late in the year of '58,
CGEm
Day still comes and the Sun still shines,
AmGAmG
But it's dark as the grave in the Cumberland mine,
AmGAmE7
Dark as the grave in the Cumberland mine.
[Verse 4]
AmGAmG
Down at the coal-face, miners working,
AmCAm
Rattle of the belt and the cutter's blade;
CGEm
Rumble of rock, and the walls close 'round:
AmGAmG
The living and the dead men two miles down,
AmGAmE7
Living and the dead men two miles down.
[Verse 5]
AmGAmG
Twelve men lay two miles from the pit-shaft;
AmCAm
Twelve men lay in the dark and sang.
CGEm
Long hot days in the miners tomb:
AmGAmG
It was three feet high and a hundred long,
AmGAmE7
Three feet high and a hundred long.
[Verse 6]
AmGAmG
Three days passed and the lamps gave out,
AmCAm
And Kaehler Brushen, he up and said,
CGEm
"There's no more water, nor light, nor bread,
AmGAmG
So we'll live on songs and hope instead,
AmGAmE7
Live on songs and hope instead."
[Verse 7]
AmGAmG
Listen for the shouts of the bare-faced miners,
AmCAm
Listen through the rubble for a rescue team;
CGEm
Six hundred feet of coal and slag
AmGAmG
Hope imprisoned in a three foot seam,
AmGAmE7
Hope imprisoned in a three foot seam.
[Verse 8]
AmGAmG
Eight days passed and some were rescued,
AmCAm
Leaving the dead to lie alone
CGEm
Through all their lives they dug a grave:
AmGAmG
Two miles of earth for a marking stone,
AmGAmE7
Two miles of earth for a marking stone.
# Submitted to the ftp.nevada.edu:/pub/guitar archives
# by Steve Putz
# 7 September 1992