"Quecreek Flood" lyrics - ANAIS MITCHELL

It was late in July
At the Quecreek coal mine
When the water came rolling down
As black as bad blood
To where nine good men stood
Shuddering, shivering
And shouting for deliverance
Sure they would drown

And safe above ground
The boss paced around
Surveying the scene of the flood
After chasing away
The UMWA
So inspections were cheap
He didn't lose sleep
He just stood in the sun
What could we have done
He said this was an act of God

And the President came
From his party campaign
To shake every hero's right hand
After slashing the funds
For the miners' black lungs
And the regulations
God bless our nation
He said united we stand

And the anchor girl cried
When the miner's survived
She lauded her god in his glory
And the tired camera man
Packed up the van
And they wore the same frown
As they drove out of town
Where they found the next sellable story

And we who were raised
By invisible hands
And we who were raised
On government lies
The prodigal children
Of the promised land
Who's gonna open our eyes