Lyr ADD: Draglines (Deborah Silverstein)

Subject: Draglines at my heart?
From: jaunti
Date: 09 Jan 97 - 02:17 AM

Draglines at my heart, they're tearing us apart And the mountainside where we were born--must I weep and Mourn for the land, it took ten millions years to form?

Do you know what this is from? Thank you

Subject: RE: Draglines at my heart
From:
Date: 09 Jan 97 - 03:32 AM

Howdy Jaunti,

According to the Sweetwater CD, Common Threads, Draglines is by Deborah Silverstein and tells of many of the problems caused by strip mining. They don't include the words in the liner notes, but if you need them (or the source for the CD) I can do some transcribing if you'll let me know.

Allinkausay, Bill

Subject: RE: Draglines at my heart
From:
Date: 09 Jan 97 - 07:13 PM

"Draglines" can also be found in the SO publication "Rise Up Singing" under the "Mountain Voices" section.

Subject: RE: Draglines at my heart
From:
Date: 10 Jan 97 - 04:09 PM

The words and melody line to Draglines are published in "For the Beauty of the Earth" and environmental songbook available from SingOut! coporation. The song has also been recorded by Reel World (aka Reel World String Band).

rich r

Subject: RE: Draglines at my heart
From: GUEST,trdudash
Date: 11 Sep 02 - 12:22 AM

I have had the refrain and tune to "Draglines at My Heart" in my head for years, but couldn't remember where I heard it, nor could I remember the rest of the words. Thanks for letting me know where I can find it! It's a beautiful song.

Subject: RE: Draglines at my heart
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 11 Sep 02 - 08:03 PM

Been driving me batty all day... who else recorded it? Because I have a man singing it in my head...

LTS

Subject: RE: Draglines at my heart
From: Amergin
Date: 11 Sep 02 - 08:23 PM

LTS said: Been driving me batty all day

odd...but i thought it was too late for that...

Subject: Lyr Add: DRAGLINES (Deborah Silverstein)
From: Barry Finn
Date: 11 Sep 02 - 09:54 PM

My wife sings this, one of her all time favorites. Deborah recorded this on her "Around the Next Bend" (don't know if it's still in print or on a CD. She's one fine songwriter & a hell of a singer (aside from being a real nice person). She's been in the Cambridge/Boston area at least since 1984 & still sings with 2 other women, can't remember the name of their group at the moment. It's also been recorded by the Reel World String Band on They'll Never Keep Us Down - Women's Coal Mining Songs.

DRAGLINES
(Deborah Silverstein)

CHORUS:
Draglines at my heart they're tearing us apart
And the mountainside where we were born
Must I weep and mourn for the land
that took ten million years to form
Now all my eyes can see are just the bleeding scars
across the mountainside
Across the mountainside

Coalport, Pa., just a little town tucked too far away
for anyone to know
But the folks born and raised
for six generations
Working day by day
Trying to keep themselves a home

Our neighbors down the road
They farmed twelve acres
worked a heavy load
poor as dirt though they tried
till the coal company came through
Said "we'll mine your land
Take the burden off of you
and we'll see that you get by

First they tore down their home
Where their grandma
and all the kids were born
They just brushed it all aside
Then came the big machines
ripped up the trees
and muddied all the streams
while the family stood & cried

Draglines at my heart they're tearing us apart
And the mountainside where we were born
oh take warning that the storm clouds will come
and block out the sun
that's shining on the folks who seek their fortunes off
the families who have died
trying to survive
across the mountainside


Copyright 1987 Deborah Silverstein

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9vWIzuY_on4

Subject: RE: Draglines at my heart
From: Barry Finn
Date: 11 Sep 02 - 11:16 PM

Still in print, an LP (DUH). What was I thinking. I guess with all the old records I still have I haven't yet made it into the 21st century. Barry

Subject: RE: Draglines at my heart
From:
Date: 12 Sep 02 - 03:28 AM

I have the song in a collection of Dolores Keane music. Wonderful song, and she sings it beautifully!

Subject: RE: Draglines at my heart
From: Susanne (skw)
Date: 12 Sep 02 - 06:04 PM

Liz, the guy who's driving you batty may be Roy Bailey. I have his 1991 version on CD.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Draglines (Deborah Silverstein)
From: GUEST,Dr K
Date: 05 Jun 14 - 10:38 AM

"Draglines" was awarded the best prize in the 7th Annual Pennsylvania Heritage Songwriting of 2014. It will be showcased, along with another Deborah Silverstein song, "Johnstown Flood" which took 3rd place, at the Smoked Country Jam Bluegrass Festival on the weekend of June 21st, 2014 at the Quiet Oaks Campground in Cross Forks, PA, way up in the state forest above State College.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Draglines (Deborah Silverstein)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 31 Aug 17 - 04:08 AM

OK, so it's obvious that the song is about coal mining, and I figured a dragline was some sort of machine used in coal mining, and I was satisfied with that for twenty years. But I came across the song in Rise Up Singing again tonight, and wondered what a dragline might be. I found out that a dragline is a large excavator with a bucket pulled in by a wire cable. Then I found a video about a dragline named "Big Muskie" a distinctively Wisconsin kind of name. Turns out that "Big Muskie" was used in Ohio coal mining, but built by Bucyrus Erie, a South Milwaukee firm I used to drive by twice a week. I knew they made huge cranes, but I didn't know about the mining equipment.
I have mixed feelings about this. I've seen the damages done by strip mining, but I'm fascinated by the huge equipment that was used in the process. I can't go past a mine without stopping to explore. And Bucyrus-Erie was a fascinating place to see, and it gave good jobs to many people in the area I still call home.
Follow the links and take time to watch the video and absorb the information. The song means a lot more to me, now that I've taken the time to study it.

-Joe-

Subject: ADD: Draglines (Deborah Silverstein)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 31 Aug 17 - 04:14 AM

Here's my transcription of a YouTube recording by the songwriter, Deborah Silverstein.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xVw3l_e4FMc

DRAGLINES
(Deborah Silverstein)

CHORUS:
Draglines at my heart they're tearing us apart,
And the mountainside where we were born;
Must I weep and mourn for the land
That took ten million years to form,
Now all my eyes can see are just the bleeding scars across the mountainside,
Across the mountainside.

Coalport, P A, just a little town tucked too far away
for anyone to know,
But the folks born and raised
for six generations,
Working day by day,
Trying to keep themselves a home.
CHORUS

Our neighbosr down the road,
They farm twelve acres,
work a heavy load.
Poor as dirt though they tried
till the coal company came through,
Said "we'll mine your land
Take the burden off of you
and we'll see that you get by.
CHORUS

First they tore down their home,
Where their grandma and all the kids were born,
Just brushed it all aside.
Then came the big machines,
ripped up the trees
and muddied all the streams,
while the family stood and cried.

FINAL CHORUS:
Draglines at my heart they're tearing us apart,
And the mountainside where we were born;
Oh take warning that the storm clouds will come
and block out the sun
that's shining on the folks who seek their fortunes off
the families who have died,
trying to survive
across the mountainside.


Copyright 1987 Deborah Silverstein

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Draglines (Deborah Silverstein)
From: GUEST,Gerry
Date: 01 Sep 17 - 08:07 AM

15 years ago, Liz asked about a man singing Draglines, and Susanne suggested Roy Bailey. If it wasn't Bailey, it might have been Guy Carawan, who recorded it on the 1982 album, Songs of Struggle and Celebration.