The Miner's Lament.
[AIR—Lilly Dale.]

When the gold fever raged, I was doing very well,
With my friends all around, young and old;
'Twas a long time ago, and I bade them farewell,
And embarked for the land of gold.

CHORUS
Oh, miners! poor miners, hungry and cold,
Though poor, I'll return to my home far away;
So, farewell to the land of gold.

'Twas a hard thing to part from those little ones so gay,
That were playing in the yard round the door,
And my wife sobbed aloud as I started away,
Saying, "Farewell I'll see you no more!"
Oh, miners! poor miners, etc

Now the little gold locket my wife used to wear,
Seems to fade by disease every breath;
Onca happy and gay, now the picture of despair,
And those little ones all paler than death.
Oh, miners! poor miners, etc.

I dreamed I was at home in the old orchard tread,
With those loved ones so gay it did seem,
As I reached for the apples that hung o'er my head,
Disappointed I woke from my dream.
Oh, miners! poor miners, etc.

Cold, wet and hungry, I've slept on the ground,
When those visions of happiness came,
But sad and disheartened, awoke by the sound,
Of the screech-owl that lit on my claim.
Oh, miners! poor miners, etc.

I toil'd night and day with the hope of gaining wealth,
Through the cold winter's rain with delight;
But, alas! sad misfortune has ruined my health,
So, my fond friends friends at home, all, good night,
Oh, miners! poor miners, etc.


Put's Original California Songster, page 49

Tune and lyrics in Dwyer & Lingenfelter, The Songs of the Gold Rush, pp. 158-159

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Click to play (pdmusic.org)

[Tune notes by Artful Codger]
"Lilly Dale" was written and composed by Henry S. Thompson in 1852.
Sheet music [PDF] in the Lester S. Levy Collection.
Mudcat thread: Lyr/Tune Add: Lilly Dale (with lyrics and ABC)
Mudcat thread: Chord Req: Lilly Dale
YouTube: Billy Jack Wills (1951): Lilly Dale
YouTube: Aly Bain, Stuart Duncan & Jerry Douglas: Lilly Dale
YouTube: Dolly Parton: Billy Dale (gratuitously gender-reassigned)

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