Country Ballad about Collateral Damage in the War on Coal Brings Down the House on Network TV

In some cases, neither the spoken nor written word is able to capture the emotional destruction wrought through disastrous public policy as does a simple tune. Perhaps this is why America was captivated when Jimmy Rose, enthralled audiences with a resounding refrain– “Coal Keeps the Lights On”:

From the coal mines of Kentucky to the battlefields of Iraq, Rose’s life lends credence to the message in his lyrics to provide the country a profound glimpse into the plight of the Appalachian coal worker.

Now, performing before a national audience last week on America’s Got Talent, Rose used his Coal Song to raise the spotlight further – perhaps Washington will take heed. The song marks a clear outcry against the Administration’s war on coal, which has endangered the very livelihood of coal workers in Appalachia.

Sadly, this message, so far, has seemed to have failed to reach the ears of the Obama Administration whose reckless policies and continual output of regulations match the pace of the continual decline in coal output and jobs. For years coal miners have been expressing their displeasure with the Administration. And, while Rose has brought the issue to the national stage, the calls of “Coal Keeps the Light On” are familiar a sight in this corner of Appalachia. In an article last year, the NYTimes reported:

Miners display bumper stickers or license plates on their pickup trucks with slogans like “Coal Keeps the Lights On” or “If Obama Is the Answer, How Stupid Was the Question?”

The article further notes that unemployment has reached a staggering 17.5 percent in some counties and indications are that more power plants will shut down within the coming years – exacerbating the problem.

The complete lyrics of this moving song are as follows:

“Coal Keeps the Lights On” by Jimmy Rose Lyrics

Verse 1:

He pulls in that ole’ Chevy from a second shift.

Mama’s still sleeping, kids still crashed down on the couch.

He goes on the backdoor; he don’t wanna wake them up.

So he wipes the coal dust off his face and hits his knees.

He says, “Lord, I want to thank you for everything.

And the strength you give me to make it day by day.”

(Refrain)

Coal keeps the lights on.

My hometown keeps food on the spoon in my youngin’s mouth.

Tires on the truck and a sundress on my baby girl.

Coal keeps the bills paid, the clothes on the backs,

and shoes on the feet in the high school halls of the Mountain Lions

and the Bill County Bobcats on the hill.

Verse 2:

They went plumb down crazy in Washington.

They’re talking about closing the mines.

They’re gonna bleed us all dry from the inside out.

They don’t care that much about the little man or the calloused hands.

It’s a way of life ‘round, just like it’s always been.

(Refrain repeated)

Bridge:

If I get the chance to stand one day,

And name the things to me that I’m most proud of,

Well, I hope one day I can say, that coal kept the lights on.

My hometown keeps food on the spoon in my youngin’s mouth.

Tires on the truck and a sundress on my baby girl.

Coal kept the bills paid, the clothes on the backs,

and shoes on the feet in the high school halls of the Mountain Lions

and the Bill County Bobcats on the hill.

I hope I can say that coal kept the lights on.

In the wake of Obama’s Climate Action Plan, which calls for additional regulations on new existing coal power plants, hope is waning with the dimming of the coal mines. A recent Heritage Analysis estimates the President’s plan could destroy hundreds of thousands of jobs and result in $1.47 trillion of lost national income by 2030 as the plan threatens more than 1,100 coal generators. With more strenuous regulations on the horizon, it looks like dark days are ahead for coal.