Friday whistle blew ’bout half past four
Dust rolled out the Number Three mine door
Black on our boots, black on our hands
Whole week’s sweat in a pay slip band
Didn’t even bother wash the coal away
Just wiped my brow and headed for Main
You can hear the jukebox down the street
And every tired miner’s draggin’ his feet
It’s pay day in the coal town tonight
Barroom glow and neon light
Single men and men that oughta be
Liftin’ jars to payday’s liberty
Ladies drink free, that’s the rule
Ain’t a woman here reachin’ for her own booze
Coal dust grin and a pocket of pay
Lord, the whole damn town’s alive today
Old Joe’s still got the seam on his cheek
Says he ran straight here from the end of the week
Boots still clankin’ with mine track clay
But he ain’t missin’ one minute of pay day
Corner table’s tellin’ tall tales again
‘Bout busted ribs and cave-ins and when
A man named Tucker pulled three boys out
While the roof kept groanin’ all around
It’s pay day in the coal town tonight
Barroom glow and neon light
Single men and men that wish they were
Laughin’ loud over cheap liquor
Ladies drink free, that’s understood
No man here gonna let ’em if they could
Coal dust grin and a pocket of pay
Lord, the whole damn town’s alive today
Some boys drink for the hell of it all
Some drink quiet by the back wall
Thinkin’ ’bout wives and bills and things
That a miner’s little paycheck brings
But for one short night we breathe easy air
No dark tunnel and no roof to stare
Just fiddle strings and the clink of glass
Till the coal town midnight finally pass
It’s pay day in the coal town tonight
Music loud and the mood feels right
Hard work men with tired old bones
Finally spendin’ what the mine folks owe ’em
Ladies drink free and the laughter stays
Till the last lamp dies and the jukebox fades
Coal dust hearts and a pocket of pay
That’s how we live come pay day
“Pay Day” is track number 5 on the Thumper Barrel album, No. 3 Mine.
Track: Pay Day
Album: No. 3 Mine
ISRC: QZRP52615058
ASCAP: 935192036