Trip to Hyden

(Tom T. Hall)



Tossed and turned the night before in some old motel

Subconsciously recalling some old sinful things I done

My buddy drove the car and those big coal trucks shook us up

As we drove on into Hyden in the early morning sun.



Passed the hound dogs and some dominique chickens

Temporary looking houses with their lean and bashful kids

Every hundred yards a sign proclaimed the Christ was coming soon

And I thought oh man he'd sure be disappointed if he did.



On the way we talked about the forty miners

Of the thirty nine who died and one who lived to tell the tale

We stopped for beans and corn bread at the Ed 'n' Lois Cafe

Then we went to see the sheriff at the Leslie County jail.



They took us to the scene of that disaster

I was so susrprised to not find any sign of death at all

Just another country hillside with some mud holes and some junk

The mines were deadly silent like a rat home in the wall.



It was just like being right inside of a shotgun

The old man coughed and lit a cigarette that he had rolled

Back in town I bought a heavy jacket from the store

It was sunny down in Hyden but somehow the town was cold.



The old man introduced the undertaker

Who seemed refreshed despite the kind of work I knew he did

We talked about the pretty lady from the Grand Ole Opry

We talked about the money she was raising for the kids.



Well, I guess the old man thought we were reporters

He kept reminding me of how his simple name was spelled

Some lady said they worth more money now than when they's a livin'

And I'll leave it there cause I suppose she told it pretty well...