I'm sad and weary, I've got the hungry, ragged blues...
I'm sad and weary, I've got the hungry, ragged blues.
Not one penny in the pocket to buy one thing I need to use...
I woke up this morning, with the worst blues I ever had in my life,
I woke up this morning, with the worst blues I ever had in my life
Not a bite to eat for breakfast, a poor coal miner's wife!
When my husband works in the coalmines - he loads a carload every trip;
When my husband works in the coalmines, he loads a carload every trip.
Then he goes to the office at the evening and he gets denied of scrip.
Just because they took all he made that day -to pay his mine expense,
Just because they took all he made that day -to pay his mine expense..
A man that will work for just coal oil and carbide, he ain't got a stack of sense.
All the women in the coal camps are sitting with bowed down heads,
All the women in the coal camp - are sitting with bowed down heads...
Ragged and bare-footed, and the children cryin' for bread.
This mining town I live in is a sad and lonesome place,
This mining town I live in is a sad and lonesome place..
Where pity and starvation are pictured on every face!
Don't go under the mountain, with a slate hangin' o'er your head,
Oh don't go under the mountain, with a slate hangin' o'er your head;
And work for just coal oil and carbide, and your children cryin' for bread.
Some coal operators might tell you the hungry blues are not there,
Some coal operators might tell you the hungry blues are not there.
They're the worst kind of blues this poor woman ever had.
No food, no clothes for our children, I'm sure this head don't lie,
No food, no clothes for our children, I'm sure this head don't lie…
If we can't get more for our labor we'll starve to death and die!
Oh listen, friends and workers, just take a friend's advice
Oh, listen, friends and workers, just take a friend's advice
Don't load no more, don't pull no more, till you get a living price..
I'm sad and weary, I've got the hungry, ragged blues.
Not one penny in the pocket to buy one thing I need to use...
I woke up this morning, with the worst blues I ever had in my life,
I woke up this morning, with the worst blues I ever had in my life
Not a bite to eat for breakfast, a poor coal miner's wife!
When my husband works in the coalmines - he loads a carload every trip;
When my husband works in the coalmines, he loads a carload every trip.
Then he goes to the office at the evening and he gets denied of scrip.
Just because they took all he made that day -to pay his mine expense,
Just because they took all he made that day -to pay his mine expense..
A man that will work for just coal oil and carbide, he ain't got a stack of sense.
All the women in the coal camps are sitting with bowed down heads,
All the women in the coal camp - are sitting with bowed down heads...
Ragged and bare-footed, and the children cryin' for bread.
This mining town I live in is a sad and lonesome place,
This mining town I live in is a sad and lonesome place..
Where pity and starvation are pictured on every face!
Don't go under the mountain, with a slate hangin' o'er your head,
Oh don't go under the mountain, with a slate hangin' o'er your head;
And work for just coal oil and carbide, and your children cryin' for bread.
Some coal operators might tell you the hungry blues are not there,
Some coal operators might tell you the hungry blues are not there.
They're the worst kind of blues this poor woman ever had.
No food, no clothes for our children, I'm sure this head don't lie,
No food, no clothes for our children, I'm sure this head don't lie…
If we can't get more for our labor we'll starve to death and die!
Oh listen, friends and workers, just take a friend's advice
Oh, listen, friends and workers, just take a friend's advice
Don't load no more, don't pull no more, till you get a living price..
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