On top of Old Smoky
They're digging for coal
They'll tear up the mountain
And swallow it whole
They fill up the valleys
With rubble and rock
The runs will stop running
The springs will be blocked
The mine owners say they're
Improving the land
They think that a moonscape
Will look mighty grand
Restoring the contour
Has gone out of fashion
Might as well flatten
Them old Appalachians
We trust the mine owners
Their lead we will follow
Like at Buffalo Creek where
They flushed the whole hollow
On top of Old Smoky
The bulldozers roar
Soon there won't be no top on
Old Smoky no more
To the tune of "On Top of Old Smoky", obviously.
So years back, probably in the late 90's, I wrote this filk song. Never made a clean copy, didn't date the scratch paper I scribbled it on, performed it publicly once that I recall. Of the several dozen songs I've written, only a couple have been political, and I've lost the words to the other one (It was about Iran-Contra so it would be way out of date. Sadly, this one is still current.).
Anyway, I mentioned this to JayRaye, who suggested I write a diary. My first in eight years here. Don't hold your breath waiting for the next.
I'll be in and out for the next couple hours, but then I need to go to bed. Night shift worker.
Update: fixed my misspelling of Jayraye's name.