Lyrics

Twenty-six lay dead in Nova Scotia
All of them lay buried underground
All the mads? on the phone screaming for more coal
His soul is darker than the mine.

I came up north from Carolina
Thinking we could start a better life
My brother Pat and me and all our family
Always end up back here in the mine.

Chorus:
Your heart’s as black as Pictou County coal
I’ll never go back there again
How the hell can a man be dealing for the money when
Twenty-six are buried in the mine.

Pat, he always liked a night shift
That’s why it was him instead of me
When I woke up to the sounds of sirens screaming
As the sun rose on our darkest day

Oldtimers warned that this would happen
Most of us still went down in the mine
Now it only seemed we traded money for our dream
We never knew the price would be so high.

Chorus

Now’s I’m standing by his gravesite
Picture of your face comes clear to me
If the devil had a twin you’d be his kin
God help the day you ever come my way.

Chorus x2

Lyrics transcribed from recording by Heather Sparling