I set out a while ago to post some mountain music on a weekly basis not expecting the difficulty of such a task. Searching for a song without being repetitious with the singer or band takes time, time that I don't have. So, as a result, I am attempting to scale back on my efforts and limit the mountain music posts to once a month. If that proves fruitless or too difficult, I'll resort to posting only when I come across a song I like or whenever I catch a whim for posting.
The song up for today is performed by Jean Ritchie and it is called "The L&N Don't Stop Here Anymore." As many of you may know, eastern Kentucky has experienced for good and for ill the dramatic booming and busting of the coal industry throughout the past decades. Ritchie, born in the year 1922 in Viper, Kentucky, captures this experience well. She sings, "For I was born and raised at the mouth of the Hazard Holler/Coal cars roarin' and a rumblin' past my door/Now they're standin' rusty, rollin' empty/Because the L & N don't stop here any more."
For a short biography of Jean Ritchie, click here.
The song up for today is performed by Jean Ritchie and it is called "The L&N Don't Stop Here Anymore." As many of you may know, eastern Kentucky has experienced for good and for ill the dramatic booming and busting of the coal industry throughout the past decades. Ritchie, born in the year 1922 in Viper, Kentucky, captures this experience well. She sings, "For I was born and raised at the mouth of the Hazard Holler/Coal cars roarin' and a rumblin' past my door/Now they're standin' rusty, rollin' empty/Because the L & N don't stop here any more."
For a short biography of Jean Ritchie, click here.
Oh, when I was a curly-headed baby
My daddy set me down upon his knee
Said, son, you go to school and learn your letters
Don't be no dusty miner like me
Chorus:
For I was born and raised at the mouth of the Hazard Holler
Coal cars roarin' and a rumblin' past my door
Now they're standin' rusty, rollin' empty
Because the L & N don't stop here any more
I used to think my daddy was a black man
With scrip enough to buy the company store
But now he goes downtown with empty pockets
And his face as white as a February snow
Chorus:
For I was born and raised at the mouth of the Hazard Holler
Coal cars roarin' and a rumblin' past my door
Now they're standin' rusty, rollin' empty
Because the L & N don't stop here any more
Last night I dreamt I went down to the office
To get my payday like I done before
Them old kudzu vines had covered up the doorway
And there was trees and grass, well a-growin' right thru the floor
I never thought I'd live to love the coal dust
Never thought I'd pray to hear the tipple roar
But, Lord, how I wish that grass could change to money
Them greenbacks fill my pockets once more
Chorus:
For I was born and raised at the mouth of the Hazard Holler
Coal cars roarin' and a rumblin' past my door
Now they're standin' rusty, rollin' empty
Because the L & N don't stop here any more
My daddy set me down upon his knee
Said, son, you go to school and learn your letters
Don't be no dusty miner like me
Chorus:
For I was born and raised at the mouth of the Hazard Holler
Coal cars roarin' and a rumblin' past my door
Now they're standin' rusty, rollin' empty
Because the L & N don't stop here any more
I used to think my daddy was a black man
With scrip enough to buy the company store
But now he goes downtown with empty pockets
And his face as white as a February snow
Chorus:
For I was born and raised at the mouth of the Hazard Holler
Coal cars roarin' and a rumblin' past my door
Now they're standin' rusty, rollin' empty
Because the L & N don't stop here any more
Last night I dreamt I went down to the office
To get my payday like I done before
Them old kudzu vines had covered up the doorway
And there was trees and grass, well a-growin' right thru the floor
I never thought I'd live to love the coal dust
Never thought I'd pray to hear the tipple roar
But, Lord, how I wish that grass could change to money
Them greenbacks fill my pockets once more
Chorus:
For I was born and raised at the mouth of the Hazard Holler
Coal cars roarin' and a rumblin' past my door
Now they're standin' rusty, rollin' empty
Because the L & N don't stop here any more