“Only a Miner (The Hard-Working Miner)”

Description

A miner is trapped under a falling boulder; no one can help him. Most of the world doesn't care; he's "only a miner," though he leaves a wife and children

Notes

Greenway credits this to Aunt Molly Jackson. This can hardly be accepted. The version Greenway prints is, however, noticeably different from from the other texts listed; the final verse is unique, and the others show variants. Presumably Jackson touched up the existing song. - RBW

As enumerated by Green, the song was collected many times by the Archive of Folk Song and others, with various informants placing the date they learned the song in the 19th century, the earliest being 1888. - PJS

Cross references

• cf. "Only a Brakeman" (theme, meter, floating lyrics)
• cf. "Just a Poor Lumberjack" (theme)

Recordings

• Ted Chesnut, "He's Only a Miner Killed in the Ground" (Gennett 6603/Champion 15587 [as Cal Turner]/Supertone 9180 [as Alvin Bunch], 1928; on KMM)
• Kentucky Thorobreds "Only a Miner" (Paramount 3071, 1928; Broadway 8070 [as Old Smokey Twins], n.d.; rec. 1927)

References

1. Laws G33, "Only a Miner (The Hard-Working Miner)"
2. Randolph 680, "Only a Miner" (1 text, 1 tune)
3. Fuson, p. 141, "The Hard-Working Miner" (1 text)
4. Green-Miner, pp. 63-65, "Only a Miner" (5 texts, 1 tune)
5. Lomax-ABFS, pp. 437-438, "The Hard-Working Miner" (1 text, 1 tune)
6. Greenway-AFP, p. 263, "Poor Miner's Farewell" (1 text)
7. DT, ONLYMINR (ONLYMNR2?)
8. Roud #2197
9. BI, LG33