I’m a black lung miner from east Tennessee,
I raised all my family on coal dust and beans,
But this old black lung’s got me,
No life left in me
Set my lantern in the window,
Give my love to Marie.
For twenty-five years
I’ve worked in the mine,
Where the earth is as black
As a cold winter night
There’s millions in the ground,
But not a penny for me
Set my lantern in the window,
Give my love to Marie.
I’ve loved all my children
Six sons of mine,
But I pray they never will
Work in the mine;
For the black lung will get them,
They’ll die just like me
Set my lantern in the window,
Give my love to Marie.
Now, there’s frost on the ground,
Ice in the trees;
The air is so heavy
I can’t hardly breathe
Yeah, this old black lung’s got me,
But soon I’ll be free
Set my lantern in the window,
Give my love to Marie.
I raised all my family on coal dust and beans,
But this old black lung’s got me,
No life left in me
Set my lantern in the window,
Give my love to Marie.
For twenty-five years
I’ve worked in the mine,
Where the earth is as black
As a cold winter night
There’s millions in the ground,
But not a penny for me
Set my lantern in the window,
Give my love to Marie.
I’ve loved all my children
Six sons of mine,
But I pray they never will
Work in the mine;
For the black lung will get them,
They’ll die just like me
Set my lantern in the window,
Give my love to Marie.
Now, there’s frost on the ground,
Ice in the trees;
The air is so heavy
I can’t hardly breathe
Yeah, this old black lung’s got me,
But soon I’ll be free
Set my lantern in the window,
Give my love to Marie.
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