From the recording Goodbye Wives (Wifes) and Daughters
This song tells the story of the Smith Coal Mine, in Bear Creek, Montana, the site of the worst underground coal mining disaster in the State of Montana. The deliberate misspelling of “Wifes” in song's title isn’t a typo, but actually the way some of the miners wrote back then—unpolished and simple.The mine now lies eerily still, its decaying structures standing silent as an unofficial memorial to the 74 men who tragically lost their lives on the morning of February 27, 1943. This song honors their memory and the loved ones they left behind.
Lyrics
GOODBYE WIVES AND DAUGHTERS
I DIDN’T DIE … I LIVE AND BREATHE
WORKING IN THE SMITH COAL MINE 1943
WHERE TIME STOOD STILL WHEN THE DARKNESS FELL
IN THE BOWELS OF THE EARTH … I AM HERE STILL
DIGGING UP COAL … THAT’S WHAT I DO
DIGGING UP COAL FOR ALL THE WORLD IN WORLD WAR 2
AND ALL OF THE YOUNGER MEN WERE SENT OFF TO WAR
LEAVING US OLDER MEN THIS DAUNTING CHORE
AND IT’S A HARD WAY TO MAKE A DAMN DOLLAR
BUT I DO IT FOR MY WIFE AND DAUGHTER
IN THE SUMMER, WINTER, SPRING AND FALL
YOU’LL FIND ME DOWN IN THESE BLACK COAL WALLS
IN A HOLE WHERE IT’S HARD TO BREATH
EIGHTY MEN AND ME ARE HERE IN BEAR CREEK
AND IT’S 55 DEGREES DOWN HERE
A CONSTANT 55 DEGREES ALL YEAR
BREATHING COAL DUST FOR OUR PAY
UNTIL ONE DAY THE EARTH JUST GAVE WAY
TO FALLING ROCK AND BLASTING POWDER
TRAPPED IN GAS, OUR LUNGS ON FIRE
AND THAT’S THE DAY THE CANARY DIED
IN THE CARBON COUNTY SMITH COAL MINE
I THINK I HEARD MY WIFE AND DAUGHTER CRY
I NEVER EVEN GOT TO SAY GOODBYE
BUT I DIDN’T DIE, I LIVE AND BREATHE
I’M STILL WORKIN’ IN THE SMITH COAL MINE NOW 8 DAYS A WEEK
WHERE TIME STOOD STILL WHEN THE DARKNESS FELL
IN THE BOWELS OF THE EARTH … I AM HERE STILL
JUST DIGGING UP COAL … THAT’S WHAT I DO
DIGGING UP COAL FOR ALL THE WORLD IN WORLD WAR 2
AND MY LANTERN LIGHT IS DIM BUT YOU’LL FEEL ME BREATHE
WHEN THE BEAR CREEK CANYON WIND BLOWS IN THE BREEZE
AND IN MY HAND ON THE WALL I WROTE, IN BLOOD RED A GOODBYE NOTE
FROM ALL OF US HERE IN THE MINE WHO FALTERED
GOODBYE WIVES AND DAUGHTERS
©3-10-24 Linda Mckenzie ~ Addagirl Music {ASCAP} ~ P.O. Box 2754 Lebanon, TN 37088