Lyr Add: Voices from the Mountains (Ruthie Gorton)

Subject: Lyr Add: Voices from the Mountains (Ruthie Gorton
From: Joe Offer
Date: 27 Aug 16 - 04:04 AM

I'm trying to research all the songs in the Rise Up Singing Songbook. Here's another:

VOICES FROM THE MOUNTAINS
(Ruthie Gorton)

You'd better listen to the voices from the mountains
Tryin' to tell you what you just might need to know
'Cause the empire's days are numbered if you're countin'
And the people just get stronger blow by blow

You'd better listen when they talk about strip mining
Gonna turn the rollin' hills to acid clay
If you're preachin' all about that silver lining
You'll be talkin' till the hills are stripped away

You'd better listen to the cries of the dyin' miners
Better feel the pain of their children and their wives
We gotta stand and fight together for survival
And it's bound to mean a change in all our lives

In explosions or from Black Lung they'll be dyin'
And the operator's guilty of this crime
But the killin' won't be stopped by all your cryin'
We gotta fight for what we need, let's seize the time

You'd better listen to the voices from the mountains
Tryin' to tell you what you just might need to know
'Cause the empire's days are numbered if you're countin'
And the people just get stronger blow by blow


Words and music by Ruthie Gorton, who is a singer and songwriter from California. Most of her songs deal with contemporary social issues and problems.

©1971, Rutthy Taubb
The songwriter is now known as Ryutthy Taubb

Source: Sing Out! Magazine, Volume 24, #2, 1975, page 9