Lynn was born in Butcher Hollow, Van Lear, Kentucky in 1932. According to Songfacts, Loretta Lynn's superstar Country career started in 1960 when she recorded " I'm a Honky Tonk Girl " as her debut single. The song was a minor hit, climbing to #14 on Billboard's C&W Chart. By the late 1960s she had begun picking up various Female Vocalist of the Year trophies and in 1972 the singer became the first woman in history to win the Country Music Association's Entertainer of the Year trophy. Lynn dominated the Country charts throughout the rest of the decade and has continued to record hit records through the ensuing years. Her 50th anniversary year began with the award of a Grammy Lifetime Achievement on January 31, 2010.
Lynn released over 70 albums. She is the sister of country singer Crystal Gayle (born in Paintsville, Kentucky) and Peggy Sue, and is a cousin of Patty Loveless. Her father was a coal miner in Van Lear. Her biography was made into the 1980 film, Coal Miner's Daughter.
Coal Miner's Daughter
Loretta Lynn Lyrics
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In a cabin, on a hill in Butcher Holler
We were poor but we had love
That's the one thing that my daddy made sure of
And he shoveled coal to make a poor man's dollar
My daddy, he worked all night in the Van Lear coal mines
All day long in the field a hoin' corn
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
And mommy'd scrub 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
Yes, 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 all tired
I never thought of ever leaving Butcher Holler
Well a lot of things have changed since way back then
And it's so good to be back home again
Not much left but the floors, nothing lives here anymore
Except the memories of a coal miner's daughter
In Loretta Lynn's song "Coal Miner's Daughter," she speaks on her upbringing in Butcher Holler, Kentucky as the daughter of a coal miner. Despite being born and raised in poverty, Lynn's upbringing was filled with a strong sense of love and togetherness that was instilled in her by her father. Her father worked tirelessly in the coal mines to provide for his family, while her mother took care of their 8 children and worked to keep the family clothed and fed.
Throughout the song, Lynn speaks of the hardships and struggles her family faced, as well as the strength and resilience they displayed despite them. She remembers the heat of summer where they would have no shoes to wear, and how they would receive a brand new pair in the winter thanks to a hog that her father had sold. She also speaks of her mother's tireless work on a washboard that left her fingers bleeding, but never once did she complain. Instead, she smiles in understanding, something that Lynn not only admired but also hopes to emulate in her own life.
Overall, "Coal Miner's Daughter" is a touching homage to Lynn's upbringing and the obstacles she overcame. It's a song about the power of love, persistence, and family, and showcases the resilience and unwavering strength of those who grow up with very little but nonetheless make the very most of it.
Line by Line Meaning
Well, I was borned a coal miner's daughter
I was born into a family where my father worked in the coal mines.
In a cabin, on a hill in Butcher Holler
Our home was a small cabin located on a hill in Butcher Holler.
We were poor but we had love
Although we were poor, we had love in our family.
That's the one thing that daddy made sure of
My father made sure that we always had love in our family.
He shoveled coal to make a poor man's dollar
My father worked hard in the coal mines to earn a living for our family.
My daddy worked all night in the Van Lear coal mines
My father worked overnight in the Van Lear coal mines.
All day long in the field a hoin' corn
During the day, my father would work in the fields to grow corn.
Mommy rocked the babies at night
My mother would rock the babies to sleep at night.
And read the Bible by the coal oil light
At night, my mother would read the Bible by the light of the coal oil lamp.
And ever' thing would start all over come break of morn'
Every day would start over again when the morning came.
Daddy loved and raised eight kids on a miner's pay
My father loved and raised eight children on the salary he earned from his job as a miner.
Mommy scrubbed our clothes on a washboard every day
My mother washed our clothes every day on a washboard.
Why, I've seen her fingers bleed
I have seen my mother's fingers bleed from washing clothes on a washboard.
To complain, there was no need
My mother never complained about washing clothes on a washboard, she just did what needed to be done.
She'd smile in mommy's understanding way
My mother would smile in her kind and understanding way.
In the summertime we didn't have shoes to wear
During the summertime, we didn't have shoes to wear.
But in the wintertime we'd all get a brand new pair
During the wintertime, we would all get a new pair of shoes.
From a mail order catalog
We would order our shoes from a mail order catalog.
Money made from selling a hog
We would sell a hog to earn the money needed to buy our shoes.
Daddy always managed to get the money somewhere
My father always found a way to get the money needed to buy our shoes.
Yeah, I'm proud to be a coal miner's daughter
I am proud to be the daughter of a coal miner.
I remember well, the well where I drew water
I remember the well where we would draw water.
The work we done was hard
The work we did was difficult and required a lot of physical labor.
At night we'd sleep 'cause we were tired
At night, we would sleep because we were tired from the hard work we did during the day.
Never thought of ever leaving Butcher Holler
We never thought about leaving Butcher Holler, our home.
Well, a lot of things have changed since a way back then
Many things have changed since that time.
Ah, and it's so good to be back home again
It feels good to be back home again.
Not much left but the floors, nothing lives here anymore
Only the floors remain, there is nothing living here anymore.
'Cept the memories of a coal miner's daughter
The only thing that remains are the memories of a coal miner's daughter.
'Cept the memories of a coal miner's daughter
The only thing that remains are the memories of a coal miner's daughter.
Lyrics © SURE - FIRE MUSIC COMPANY
Written by: Loretta Lynn
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind