I slammed the door at quarter to four

I was headed for the company store

"I'll watch my children starve no more

Tonight I'm going to feed them"



"I haven't worked in 40 days

For 23 I've had no pay

In a week I'll have no place to stay

In an hour they'll have to kill me"



On the way I met big Johnny Hines

The strongest man in Sydney Mines

I told big Johnny of my plight

His voice grew loud with anger

"Todays as good a day to die

As any that'll come to mind

I have at home a sickly wife

And I haven't worked since Easter"

We hadn't worked since easter



Half the town'll die from the mining of the coal

The other half'll leave when the mine decides to close

The people who are left will starve to death at the hands of the company store

And they'll bring the army in on us when the union gets to close to them



BURN IT DOWN BOYS!

BURN IT DOWN BOYS!

BURN IT DOWN I SAID, TO THE HEAD!

They'll shoot us down like our fathers but like them we're already dead and down.



Our anger built and tightly wound

We walked the coal road through the town

"The store," I yelled, "We'll burn it down, Burn it to a cynder!"

As I spoke these words before my eyes

Their doors and windows opened wide

And 10 more miners joined my side

Beaten, starved and angered

We were beaten, starved and angered



Half the town'll die from the mining of the coal

The other half'll leave when the mine decides to close

The people who are left will starve to death at the hands of the company store

And they'll bring the army in on us when the union gets to close to them



BURN IT DOWN BOYS!

BURN IT DOWN BOYS!

BURN IT DOWN I SAID, TO THE HEAD!

They'll shoot us down like our mothers but like them we're already dead and down.



I slammed the door at quarter to four

I was headed for the company store

"I'll watch my children starve no more

Tonight I'm going to feed them"



"I haven't worked in 40 days

For 23 I've had no pay

In a week I'll have no place to stay

In an hour they'll have to kill me"



Half the town'll die from the mining of the coal

The other half'll leave when the mine decides to close

The people who are left will starve to death at the hands of the company store

And they'll bring the army in on us when the union gets to close to them



BURN IT DOWN BOYS!

BURN IT DOWN BOYS!

BURN IT DOWN I SAID, TO THE HEAD!

They'll shoot us down like our fathers but like them we're already dead and down.