It's the men that die in labour
Sweating coal from the womb of the pit
It's the smell of life they savour
And in that mine, young man, you'll find
A wealth of broken dreams
As long and as dark and as black and as wide
As the coal in The Hillcrest seam
And they say you don't go (say you don't go)
Say you don't go down in the Hillcrest Mine
And they say you don't go
Say you don't go down in the Hillcrest Mine
'Cause it's one short step
You might leave this world behind
And they say you don't go
Say you don't go down in the Hillcrest Mine
I've heard it whispered in the light of dawn
That mountain sometimes moves
That bodes ill for the morning shift
And you know what you're gonna lose
Don't go my son where the deep coal runs
Turn your back to the mine on the hill
'Cause if the dust and the dark and the gas don't getcha
Then the goons and the bosses will
And they say you don't go (say you don't go)
Say you don't go down in the Hillcrest Mine
And they say you don't go
Say you don't go down in the Hillcrest Mine
'Cause it's one short step
You might leave this world behind
And they say you don't go
Say you don't go down in the Hillcrest Mine
Well son, I'm gonna open up
I'm gonna have my say
You'll get no peace from the Hillcrest Mine
'Cept the peace of any early grave
Don't stay down here to toil for your buck
To be a tool for the owner's greed
And they say you don't go (say you don't go)
Say you don't go down in the Hillcrest Mine
And they say you don't go
Say you don't go down in the Hillcrest Mine
'Cause it's one short step
You might leave this world behind
And they say you don't go
Say you don't go down in the Hillcrest Mine
And they say you don't go (say you don't go)
Say you don't go down in the Hillcrest Mine
And they say you don't go
Say you don't go down in the Hillcrest Mine
'Cause it's one short step
You might leave this world behind
And they say you don't go
Say you don't go down in the Hillcrest Mine