Lyrics Three Miles Down - Gil Scott-Heron

Here come the mine cars; it′sdamn near dawn.
Another shift of men, some of my friends, comin' on.
Hard to imagine workin′ in the mines;
Coal dust in your lungs, on your skin and on your mind.
I've listened to the speeches,
But it occours to me politicians just don't understand;
The thoughts of isolation, ain′t no sunshine underground.
It′s like workin' in a graveyard three miles down.

Damn near a legend as old as the mines:
Things that happen in the pits just don′t change with the times.
Work 'till you′re exhausted in too little spacwe.
A history of desastrous fears etched on your face.
Somebody signs a paper, ev'ry body thinks it′s fine,
But Taft and Hartley ain't done one day in the mines.
You start to stiffen! You heard a crackin' sound!
It′s like workin′ in a graveyard three miles down.