MINING FOR GOLD
(James Gordon)

We are miners, hard rock miners,
To the shaft house we must go;
Oil bottles on our shoulders,
We are marching to the stope.

On the line boys, on the line boys,
Catch the cage and stand in line.
Till the shift boss comes to tell you,
You must drill her off on time.

And it's loose the swing and jack the bar,
Come in on the arm you're out way to far,
Drill her in to the dump and we call her a hole,
And I feel like I'm dying from mining for gold.

Watch that light boys, watch that light boys,
The mine captain's in the mine.
He will come and he will ask you,
Can you drill her off on time.

Drill your holes boys, load 'em gentle;
Light the first hole in the burn,
Light your cut holes and your kickers,
And your knee holes in their turn.

Can't you feel the rock dust in your lungs?
It'll cut down a miner when he is still young.
Two years and the silicosis takes hold,
And I feel like I'm dying from mining for gold.

Light your breast holes, light your breast holes,
Light your lifters along center line,
Light your back holes, c'mon let's get going,
Make the corner boys on time.

There's your shots boys, count 'em careful,
There's your blast boys, we're in luck.
There's the lifter softly going,
Soft explosions under muck.

Don't take the widowmaker in hand,
It'll cut down the best hard rock-mioning man,
Was there ever a miner who grew to be old?
And I fell like I'm dying from mining for gold.