Afternoon Matinee: Protest - Black Waters

Performed by Jean Ritchie

I come from the mountains, Kentucky's my home

Where the wild deer and black bear so lately did roam

By the cool rushing waterfall the wildflowers dream

And through every green valley, there runs a clear stream

Now there's scenes of destruction on every hand

And only black waters run down through my land

Sad scenes of destruction on every hand

Black waters, black waters, run down through my land

Well, the quail, she's a pretty bird and she sings a sweet tongue

In the roots of tall timber she nests with her young

The the hillside explodes with the dynamites roar

And the voice of the small bird is heard there no more

And the mountain comes a sliding so awful and grand

And the flooding black waters rise over my land

In the coming of springtime we planted our corn

In the ending of springtime we buried our son

In the summer come a nice man saying everything's fine

My employer just requires a way to his mine

Then they tore down my mountain and covered my corn

Now the grave on the hillside 's a mile deeper down

And the man stands a talking with his hat in his hand

While the poison black waters rise over my land

Well I ain't got no money, not much of a home

I own my own land, but my land's not my own

But, if I had ten million, somewheres thereabout

Well, I'd buy Perry county and throw them all out

And just sit down on the banks with my bait and my can

And watch the clear waters run down through my land

Well, wouldn't that be just like the old promised land?

Black waters, black waters no more in my land

Black waters, black waters no more in my land

~ from Digital Tradition Mirror ~