Scabs on Coal River

Sirens on the ridge at dawn

Coal dust on the union hall floor

Coffee in a styrofoam cup

Names chalked on the door

Peabody Company man with a crisp blue tie

Talking ’bout “tightening belts”

But his shoes never walked that seam

Or felt what our lungs have felt

Money has no conscience

Greed has no heart

They bring scabs in on the Coal River

Tryin’ to tear this town apart

We got our camo on

We got jack rocks in the road

Camped out in the dark

’Cause money has no conscience

And greed has no heart

Bus lights snake through the holler

bringing in those scabs

Strangers staring straight ahead

They don’t see the pictures on the fence

Or the black crepe on our beds

Old man Joe with his oxygen tank

Says

“Boys

This ain’t just pay”

“It’s the pills

It’s the pension

It’s the promise

They made and they’re stealing away”

Money has no conscience

Greed has no heart

They bring scabs in on the Coal River

Tryin’ to tear this town apart

We got jack rocks in the road

Camped out in the dark

’Cause money has no conscience

And greed has no heart

Raise that sign

Hold that line (hold that line)

From ’45

To ’91

Our fathers stood

So we could start

With more than dust

In a paper heart

Money has no conscience

Greed has no heart

They bring scabs in on the Coal River

But they can’t buy what we are

We got jack rocks in the road

Camp solidarity sparks

Yeah

Money has no conscience

And greed has no heart

Coal River rolling slow

down through that scab hole

Moonlight on the carts

We’re tired

But we ain’t broke

They can’t own our hearts