About The Song
“Coal Miner’s Daughter” is a classic country song written and performed by Loretta Lynn, released in 1970. The song is an autobiographical account of Lynn’s early life growing up in rural Kentucky, and it remains one of her most iconic and enduring hits.
Background and Inspiration: Loretta Lynn penned “Coal Miner’s Daughter” as a tribute to her upbringing in Butcher Hollow, Kentucky. Raised in a coal mining family, Lynn’s lyrics reflect the struggles and simplicity of her childhood. The song captures her experiences with poverty, family life, and the deep sense of love that pervaded her upbringing despite the hardships.
Musical Style and Lyrics: The song features a traditional country sound with its straightforward melody and gentle instrumentation, including acoustic guitar and fiddle. Lynn’s voice, characterized by its warmth and authenticity, delivers the song’s narrative with both strength and vulnerability. The lyrics are straightforward yet deeply evocative, painting a vivid picture of life in a coal mining community.
Themes and Impact: “Coal Miner’s Daughter” highlights themes of family, hardship, and resilience. It tells the story of Lynn’s parents, her life in a small mining town, and the love and sacrifices that defined her early years. The song’s success was a testament to Lynn’s ability to connect with audiences through her personal storytelling. It reached number one on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart and became a defining moment in her career.
Legacy: The song’s impact extends beyond its initial success. It has been covered by various artists and featured in multiple media, including the 1980 film “Coal Miner’s Daughter,” which brought Lynn’s life story to a broader audience. The film’s success further solidified the song’s place in popular culture.
“Coal Miner’s Daughter” remains a powerful and relatable narrative of rural American life, celebrated for its heartfelt lyrics and the authenticity of Lynn’s portrayal. Its enduring appeal continues to resonate with listeners, ensuring its place as a cornerstone of country music history.
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Lyrics
🎵 Let’s sing along with the lyrics!
In a cabin, on a hill in Butcher Holler
We were poor but we had love,
That’s the one thing that daddy made sure of
He’d shovel coal to make a poor man’s dollar
My daddy worked all night in the Van Lear coal mines
All day long in the field a hoin’ corn
Mommy rocked the babies at night
And read the Bible by the coal oil light
And ever’ thing would start all over come break of morn
Daddy loved and raised eight kids on a miner’s pay
Mommy scrubbed our clothes on a washboard ever’ day
Why I’ve seen her fingers bleed
To complain, there was no need
She’d smile in mommy’s understanding way
In the summertime we didn’t have shoes to wear
But in the wintertime we’d all get a brand new pair
From a mail order catalog
Money made from selling a hog
Daddy always managed to get the money somewhere
Yeah, I’m proud to be a coal miner’s daughter
I remember well, the well where I drew water
The work we done was hard
At night we’d sleep ’cause we were tired
I never thought of ever leaving Butcher Holler
Well a lot of things have changed since a way back then
And it’s so good to be back home again
Not much left but the floor, nothing lives here anymore
Except the memory of a coal miner’s daughter