They should have known that trouble was brewing
They should have seen what the old men knew
They should have shut us down
When the hail fell to the ground
From a cloudy sky of baby blue

Three o'clock on a cold, cold morning
The big bell wailed as if on cue
A woman's scream was heard
And the news came afterwards
"It's a blow out down in Number Two!"

Down in Jericho Kentucky
The mines have all caved in
Down in Jericho
Broken hearts don't mend
Tear stained eyes of kin
Never ever seen what the future might have been

The hat lamps burned with a flame like lightning
The coal dust blanketed the morning dew
The young ones looked for kin
And the blind man, he looks grim
'Cause he sees there's nothing that he can do

They pumped up the mud and they chunked out water
They scratched the earth till it turned to sand
And a half mile down below
It's a lost cause the miners know
Meet your maker, boys, the time's at hand

Down in Jericho, Kentucky
The mines have all caved in
Down in Jericho
Broken hearts don't mend
Tears stained eyes of kin
Never ever seen
What their future might have been

The fire boss's hands are clean as a whistle
The fat cat knows he's a company man
But he should have bowed down his head
When they hauled out all the dead
But it's business, boys, start 'em up again

Down in Jericho, Kentucky
The mines have all caved in
Down in Jericho
Broken hearts don't mend
Tears stained eyes of kin
Never ever seen
What their future might have been

Broken hearts don't mend
Tears stained eyes of kin
Never ever seen
What their future might have been