American Old Time Song Lyrics: 01 Down In A Coal Mine

Theater, Music-Hall, Nostalgic, Irish & Historic Old Songs, Volume 1

DOWN IN A COAL MINE
Sung by Tony Pastor.

I am a jovial collier lad,
And blithe as blithe can be,
For let the times be good or bad
They'ro all the same to me;
Tis little of the world I know
And care less for its ways.
For where the dog-star never glows
I wear away my days.

Chorus.
Down in a coal mine, underneath the ground.
Where a gleam of sunshine never cau be found;
Digging dusky diamonds nil the season round,
Down in a coal mine, underneath the ground.

My hands are horny hard.
And black with working in the vein.
And like the clothes upon my hack
My speech is rough And plain;
Well, if I stumble with my tongue
I've one excuse to say,
'Tis not the collier's heart that's wrong,
'Tis the head that goes astray.-Chorus.

At every shift, be it soon or late,
I haste my bread to earn,
And anxiously my kindred wait
And watch for my return;
For death that levels all alike,
Whate'er their rank may be.
Amid the fire and damp may strike
And fling his darts at me.-Chorus.

How little do the great ones care
Who sit at home 6ecure,
What hidden dangers colliers dare,
What hardships they endure;
The very fires their mansions boast.
To cheer themselves and wives.
Mayhap were kindled at the cost
Of jovial colliers' lives.-Chorus.

Then cheer up lads, and make ye
Much of every joy ye can;
But let your mirth be always such
As best becomes a man;
However fortune turns about
We'll still be jovial souls,
For what would America bo
Without the lads that look for coals.-Chorus.