Call up the captain tell 'em I ain't comin' in
He can dig his own coal something else is happenin'
This living that i'm making is doin' us in
It's broken the lives of too many good men
Been hauling coal since I was big enough to fight
Some 30 odd shifts without a glimpse of daylight
The corporation likes to say that everything's alright
Dig your self a hole, get outta' sight
There's a dark cloud above me that's blocking out the sun
Burn another hundred coal listen to the engines run
One half is starving while the others having fun
So call the captain, call the captain, call the captain, call the captain
(chorus)
Melinda close the door
I ain't going down to the mines today
I want clear blue skies and a whole lot more
I ain't going down to the mines
(verse)
There's a hole in this bucket I've been carrying around
I fill it up to the top and watch it spill on the ground
I go down to the mines and when I come back up
I got nothin' to show but the sweat on my brow
These hills are my own flesh and bones
There all that I love and there all that I've known
Please don't ask me to destroy my home
I'm not gonna choose between my heart and soul, so
Call up the Captain tell him I ain't coming in
He can dig his own coal something else is happening
This living that making is doin' us in
So call the captain, call the captain,....call the captain
(solo)
(chorus)
Melinda close the door
I ain't going down to the mines today
I want clear blue skies and a whole lot more
I ain't going down to the mines
Hear the whistle blow this mornin'
Hear the whistle blow today
Hear the whistle blow this mornin'
(chorus)
Melinda close the door
I ain't going down to the mines today
I want clear blue skies and a whole lot more
I ain't going down to the mines
I ain't going down to the mines
I ain't going down to the mines
(end solo)