Black Mining Co.

The whistle marks the end of the day,

The graveyard shift takes over, we can’t have no delay.

We’ve got to keep on digging - deeper underground.

Always keep on digging till the black gold is found.

With a pick-axe I’m digging my way,

Illumination was poor, either night or day.

The work was hard and dangerous, the risk was compensated.

But dying in your forties makes it highly overrated.

Falling debris and blackdamp explosions

It’s a common tragedy.

Every day, we’re risking our lives.

For The Black Mining Company

For The Black Mining Company

For The Black Mining Company

I’m glad we had our Davy-lamps to protect us down below.

Every day dust fills my lungs and makes them black as coal.

1877 Blantyre, Scotland: 207 miners died by an explosion

1906 Courriere, France: 1099 miners died by in a collapsing mineshaft

1907 Monongah, USA: 362 miners died by an firedamp explosion

1942 Benxihu, China: 1549 miners died by an dust explosion

1945 El Teniente, Chile; 355 miners died by Carbon Monoxide