Lyr ADD: Hillcrest Mine (James Keelaghan)

Subject: Lyrics & Chds. Req.: Hillcrest Mine:
From: Hasek
Date: 17 Aug 99 - 04:19 PM

Hello Mudcatters, Does any one know the lyrics and guitar chords to the song : Hillcrest Mine by James Keelahan. The song wass on his Small Rebellions CD. Thank you all in advance. By the way are their any Catters attending this weekends SummerFolk Festival in Owen Sound , Ontario, Ca. ?

Subject: Hilcrest Mine by James Keelahan
From: Hasek
Date: 31 Aug 99 - 12:34 PM

Hi Mudcatters, Might any one have the lyrics and chords for : Hilcrest Mine by James Keelahan. This song is on his Small Rebellions CD.

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Hilcrest Mine by James Keelah
From: Susanne (skw)
Date: 31 Aug 99 - 06:27 PM

I heard him sing it at Tonder Folk Festival last weekend, but I didn't get a chance to ask for the lyrics. I'll see what I can do with the tape I have if you're prepared to wait a few weeks. - Susanne

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Hilcrest Mine by James Keelah
From:
Date: 31 Aug 99 - 10:41 PM

Small Rebellions

Hillcrest Mine

Subject: Lyr Add: HILLCREST MINE (James Keelahan)
From: Sorcha
Date: 02 Sep 01 - 01:19 PM

I found part of them, but not all:

And they say you don't go, say you don't go down in the Hillcrest Mine,
And they say you don't go, say you don't go down in the Hillcrest Mine;
'Cause it's one short step, you might leave this world behind,
And they say you don't go, say you don't go down in the Hillcrest Mine.

"Down in the mines of the Crowsnest Pass
It's the men that die and labour;
Sweating coal from the womb of the pit,
The smell of life they savour.
And in that mine, young man, you'll find
A wealth of broken dreams --
As long and as dark and as black and as wide
As the coal in the Hillcrest seam."

Website for James Keelaghan--http://www.keelaghan.com/
Site has a message board, you could ask there…..

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Hillcrest Mine (James Keelaghan)
From: Metchosin
Date: 02 Sep 01 - 01:32 PM

or wait until Clinton sees this thread

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Hillcrest Mine (James Keelaghan)
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 02 Sep 01 - 02:26 PM

Gimme 2 minutes.. I'll post 'em!

:-)

I'm that predictable, am I???

LOL!!!

Subject: Lyr Add: HILLCREST MINE (James Keelahan)
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 02 Sep 01 - 02:35 PM

A lovely cheerful little song about Canada's Worst Ever mining disaster... I seem to recall it was June 1914... The body count was 187 or there abouts... Geography, the Crows's Nest Pass is in Southern Alberta...

HILLCREST MINE
(James Keelahan)

Down in the mines of the Crow's Nest Pass
It's the men that die in labour
Sweating coal from the womb of the pit
The smell of life they savour
And in that mine, young man, you'll find
A wealth of broken dreams
As long and as dark and as black and as wide
As the coal from the Hillcrest seam

And they say-a don't go (Say-a don't go)
Down in the Hillcrest Mine say-a don't go
Say-a don't go down in the Hillcrest Mine
'Cause it's one short step you might leave this world behind
Le' me say-a don't go, (say-a don't go) down in the Hillcrest Mine

I've heard it whispered in the light of dawn
That mountain sometimes moves
That bodes ill for the morning shift
'Cause you know what you're gonna lose
Don't go, my son, where the deep coal runs
Turn your back on that mine on the hill
'Cause if the dust and the dark and the gas don't get you
Then the goons and the bosses will

(Chorus)

Well, son, I'm gonna open up
I'm gonna have my say
You'll get no peace from the Hillcrest Mine
'Cept the peace of an early grave
Go out and work for the workers rights
Go fight for the workers needs
Don't stay down here to toil for your buck
You'll be a tool for the owners greed


James is really too talented for his own good...

;-)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Hillcrest Mine (James Keelaghan)
From: Susanne (skw)
Date: 02 Sep 01 - 05:09 PM

Sorcha and Clinton, thanks for posting the lyrics. I strongly disagree with Clinton's last line, though - no, with his last but one line, the smile is in order. How can his talent harm him? I hope he writes many more songs like this one!
Incidentally, a little note from the CD confirming Clinton's info: [1990:] "Canada's largest mining disaster happened at the small town of Hillcrest in the Crowsnest Park area of Alberta in 1914. I wrote this song while I was working in the area in the summer of 1987. Hillcrest is still there, though the collieries have seen better days." (Notes James Keelaghan, 'Small Rebellions')

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Hillcrest Mine (James Keelaghan)
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 02 Sep 01 - 05:39 PM

ya.. see I just paraphreased the liner notes... it was easier to type that way...

I have a vidoe tape of a show I got off the History Channel about 2 great mining disasters in the Crows Nest Pass... Hillcrest, and another one, where a HUGE landslide wiped out a whole town and a half!

THIS is the kind of stuff that Canadian kids should be learning in history class!!

Subject: Lyr Add: HILLCREST MINE (James Keelaghan)
From: Cluin
Date: 18 Dec 02 - 04:29 AM

You can get the lyrics to James Keelaghan's Small Rebellions CD right here.

Requires Acrobat Reader though...

But here's the lyrics to "Hillcrest":


Hillcrest Mine
by James Keelaghan 1988

"Canada's largest mining disaster happened at the small town of Hillcrest in the Crowsnest Pass area of Alberta in 1914. I Wrote this song while I was working in the area in the summer of 1987. Hillcrest is still there, though the collieries have seen better days."

Down in the mines of the Crowsnest Pass
It's the men who die in labour
Sweating coal from the womb of the pit
It's The smell of life they savour
And in that mine young man you'll find
A wealth of broken dreams
As long and as dark and as black and as wide
As the coal in The Hillcrest seam

CHORUS
They say you don't go
Say you don't go down in the Hillcrest Mine
They say you don't go
Say you don't go down in the Hillcrest Mine
'Cuz it's one short step
You might leave this world behind
And they say you don't go
Say you don't go down in the Hillcrest Mine.

I've heard it whispered in the light of dawn
That mountain sometimes moves
That bodes ill for the morning shift
And you know what you're gonna lose
Don't go my son where The deep coal runs
Turn your back to the mine on the hill
'Cuz if the dust and the dark and the gas don't getcha
Then the goons and the bosses will

CHORUS

Well son I'm gonna open up, I'm gonna have my say
You'll get no peace from the Hillcrest Mine
'Cept the peace of any early grave
Go out and work for The workers' rights
Go work for the workers' needs
Don't stay down here to toil for your buck
To be a tool for the owner's greed

CHORUS

CHORUS


A great song, a 3 chorder I play in "G" (actually DADGAD, capoed 5th, which I think is how Keelo recorded it himself). Also works well as an a capella "shouter".

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Hilcrest Mine by James Keelah
From: JennyO
Date: 18 Dec 02 - 05:23 AM

While checking out James Keelaghan's website, I came across an Mp3 of Cold Missouri Water, a song I really like. Worth having a listen to.

We have a group here in Sydney, called "The Roaring Forties" who do "Hillcrest Mine" and I hoped they might have something to listen to but they don't even seem to have a website. I have the song on a CD, so I know how it goes, but I don't know how to convey that to you. The CD is called "Shore Leave".

Jenny

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Hilcrest Mine by James Keelah
From: Willie-O
Date: 18 Dec 02 - 06:22 AM

Driving through the Crow's Nest Pass a few years ago, I sought out and explored the cemetery where many of the victims of the Hillcrest disaster are buried. It's in South Western Alberta, a couple of miles south of the TransCanada and the site of the much better marked Frank Slide (which wiped out a whole village in 1903.) There is just one sign along the highway pointing to the Hillcrest cemetery.

It was a warm evening in late September. There's a rectangular area with a low fence, within the cemetery, where many of the victims are buried. Not that much I can say about it, many East European names, and most of them quite young. I was glad I went. Those twin demons, coal dust and greed, continue to claim lives, as recently as last year in the deep south, and even more recently in China and Europe.

Great song.

Willie-O

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Hilcrest Mine by James Keelah
From: Charley Noble
Date: 18 Dec 02 - 10:04 AM

Jenny-

I'm not surprised that "The Roarin' Forties" do a fine job with "Hillcrest Mine," having met and sang with some of them last year about this time in Sydney. I understand both James Keelaghan and Jez Lowe do concert tours in Oz, and I'd expect that music folks would be quick to pick up on their finely crafted songs.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: Lyr Add: Hilcrest Mine by James Keelaghan
From: Cluin
Date: 18 Dec 02 - 01:02 PM

Yes, Cold Missouri Waters is a fantastic song and has been covered by a few other artists and groups--most notably by Cry, Cry, Cry (Dar Williams, Lucy Kaplansky, Richard Shindell). I've done it myself a time or two. ;) I also highly recommend the book that inspired the song, Young Men and Fire, by Norman Maclean (of A River Runs Through It fame).

I should visit Keelo's site a little more often. I didn't even know he had been injured (left hand, left eye). Seems he's doing well now and I'm glad of that. A nicer fellow you'll rarely meet. And a huge talent.

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Hilcrest Mine by James Keelah
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 18 Dec 02 - 01:14 PM

Hey Cluin... ya... that injury that James had was more than a year ago now... Last time he was here, he was fine and "Jim"-dandy...

Heh

Ya gotta surf more dude!

:-)

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Hilcrest Mine by James Keelah
From: Cluin
Date: 18 Dec 02 - 01:20 PM

Good to hear.

Hell, I surf enough as it is. More likely I need to get up of my ass more. ;P

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords: Hilcrest Mine by James Keelahan
From: Susanne (skw)
Date: 19 Dec 02 - 06:19 PM

Cluin, thanks for posting the lyrics. Nice Christmas present, that! I just never got round to it, and was getting a bad conscience. I even got out the Keelaghan CD the other day - only to find the song wasn't on it but on some tape. So I gave up. Thanks!

Subject: Chords Add: HILLCREST MINE (James Keelaghan)
From: GUEST
Date: 22 Jul 06 - 11:18 AM

HILLCREST MINE
DADGAD tuning
Capo 4th Fret
Key F#

Intro
The chorus 'structure" more or less....

(D)Down in the mines of the Crow's Nest Pass It's the men that die in labour
(G)Sweating coal from the womb of the pit The (A)smell of life they savour
(D)And in that mine, young man, you'll find A wealth of broken dreams
As (G)long & as dark & as (D)black & as wide As the (A)coal from the Hillcrest seam


And they (G)say-a (A)don't (D)go (Say-a don't go)
(G)Down in the Hillcrest (A)Mine say-a don't go
Say-a don't go (G)down in the (A)Hillcrest Mine
'Cause it's (D)one short (A)step you might (G)leave this world (D)behind
Le' me say-a don't (A)go, (say-a don't go) down in the Hillcrest (G)Mi-(A)i (D)ine

I've heard it whispered in the light of dawn
That mountain sometimes moves
That bodes ill for the morning shift
'Cause you know what you're gonna lose
Don't go, my son, where the deep coal runs
Turn your back on that mine on the hill
'Cause if the dust and the dark and the gas don't get you
Then the goons and the bosses will

(Chorus)

Well, son, I'm gonna open up
I'm gonna have my say
You'll get no peace from the Hillcrest Mine
'Cept the peace of an early grave
Go out and work for the workers rights
Go fight for the workers needs
Don't stay down here to toil for your buck
You'll be a tool for the owners greed

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Hillcrest Mine (James Keelaghan)
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 22 Jul 06 - 01:02 PM

Thanks for copying MY post to the JK.com message baord here, Guest...

http://keelaghan.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=108&sid=412658ec8139d4fa7796630bee159238

Fame at last....