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.