Buddy's Blues

Long before the troubles, two hundred years ago
The pioneers first settled here on the Cumberland Plateau
They were hunters, they were farmers, and they got along just fine
And then in '71 the company opened up the mine

Payday, payday, oh payday
Payday at Coal Creek tomorrow
Payday at Coal Creek tomorrow

If you deal with the devil it's bound to go bad
The miners went on strike and lost the living they once had
The company hired convicts to work the mine on lease
And got the state militia to come and keep the peace

Payday, payday, oh payday
Payday don't come at Coal Creek no more
Payday don't come no more

The miners met at midnight fully armed as for war
They set the convicts free and told them go and sin no more
But the governor's artillery would seal the miners' fate
Some were caught and some were killed and others fled the state

Bye-bye, bye-bye, oh bye-bye
Bye-bye my woman I'm gone
Bye-bye my woman I'm gone

The people's politicians got behind the miners' cause
The governor was voted out, the lawyers made some laws
But what about those poor miners who became refugees
And never had a home again in the hills of Tennessee