When Naomi Judd found herself pregnant, she quickly got married but not to the father of her first child, daughter Christina Ciminella. Christina, born May 30, 1964, became known as Wynonna Judd when the mother-daughter duo stormed the country charts in the 1980s.
After Naomi Judd divorced, she moved from Hollywood, back to Morrill, Ky., with Wynonna and another daughter Ashley. There, she worked as a nurse in a local infirmary. Outside working and school hours, she and the children would sing anything from bluegrass to showbiz standards for their own amusement. However, when Wynonna nurtured aspirations to be a professional entertainer, her mother lent her encouragement, to the extent of moving the family to Nashville in 1979. Naomi's contralto subtly underlined Wynonna's tuneful drawl.
In addition to many performances on Ralph Emery's morning television show, Naomi elicited an audition for RCA Records while tending a hospitalized relation of label producer Brent Maher. With a past that read like a Judith Krantz novel, the Judds -- so the executives considered -- would have more than an even chance in the country market. An exploratory mini-album, which contained proved the executives correct. The single "Had a Dream (From the Heart)" peaked at No. 17 in 1984. Later that year, the Judds scored their first of 14 No. 1 hits with "Mama He's Crazy."
Self-composed songs included Naomi's 1989 composition "Change of Heart," dedicated to her future second husband (and former Elvis Presley backing vocalist) Larry Strickland. Meanwhile, Maher co-wrote hits such as 1985's Grammy-winning "Why Not Me," "Turn It Loose," "Girls Night Out," "Grandpa (Tell Me 'Bout The Good Ol' Days)" and "Rockin' With the Rhythm of the Rain."
Most Judds records exhibited an acoustic bias and a penchant for star guests that included the Jordanaires on "Don't Be Cruel," Emmylou Harris on "The Sweetest Gift," Mark Knopfler on his "Water of Love" and Bonnie Raitt playing slide guitar on the album Love Can Build a Bridge. In 1988, the pair became the first female country act to found their own booking agency (Pro-Tours), but a chronic hepatitis infection forced Naomi to retire from the concert stage two years later.
The Judds toured America in a series of farewell concerts before Wynonna began her solo career. Wynonna got off to a strong start, as her first two singles both went to #1. Her 1994 single "Girls With Guitars" featured Naomi (as well as Lyle Lovett) on backup vocals.
In 1998, The Judds appeared in a commercial for the retail chain Kmart, singing Wynonna's single "Woman To Woman".
In 1999, Wynonna reunited with her mother for a New Year's Eve concert in Phoenix. The following year, the duo recorded four new tracks for a bonus disc issued with Wynonna's album New Day Dawning, and undertook a multi-city tour. The results were issued as the album Reunion Live. A 2004 single, "Flies On The Butter (You Can't Go Home Again)" was recorded with Naomi; however, the single was credited as "Wynonna with Naomi Judd" instead of "The Judds".
Working in the Coal Mine
The Judds Lyrics
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Goin' on down, down
Workin' in a coal mine
Oops, about to slip down
Workin' in a coal mine
Goin' on down, down
Workin' in a coal mine
Oops, about to slip down
Five o'clock in the mornin'
I'm already up and gone
Lord, I'm so tired
How long can this go on?
Workin' in the coal mine
Goin' on down, down
Workin' in a coal mine
Oops, about to slip down
Workin' in a coal mine
Goin' on down, down
Workin' in a coal mine
Oops, about to slip down
'Cause I make a little money
Haulin' coal by the ton
When Saturday rolls around
I'm too tired for havin' fun
Workin' in the coal mine
Goin' on down, down
Workin' in a coal mine
Oops, about to slip down
Workin' in a coal mine
Goin' on down, down
Workin' in a coal mine
Oops, about to slip down
Lord I'm so tired
How long can this go on?
Workin' in the coal mine
Goin' on down, down
Workin' in a coal mine
Oops, about to slip down
Workin' in a coal mine
Goin' on down, down
Workin' in a coal mine
Oops, about to slip down
Five o'clock in the mornin'
I'm already up and gone
Lord, I'm so tired
How long can this go on?
Workin' in the coal mine
Goin' on down, down
Workin' in a coal mine
Oops, about to slip down
Workin' in a coal mine
Goin' on down, down
Workin' in a coal mine
Oops, about to slip down
The Judds' song "Working in the Coal Mine" is an ode to the tireless, back-breaking work of coal miners. The song opens with the repetition of "working in a coal mine, going on down, down" which serves to underline the repetitive and physically exhausting nature of the job. The second line of the chorus, "oops, about to slip down," is an indication that the work is not only exhausting but also hazardous. This is reinforced later in the song when the singer, who identifies as a coal-hauler, says he is "too tired for having fun" on Saturdays.
The song's theme of hard work and exhaustion is also evident in the verse, where the singer reports waking up at 5 am and being already "up and gone." He laments "how long can this go on?" as if the unrelenting nature of the job is weighing him down. The final repetition of the chorus reinforces this sense of weariness and resignation.
Overall, "Working in the Coal Mine" reflects the reality of a working-class lifestyle, where manual labor is required to earn a living, and the toll it takes on a person's body and mind.
Line by Line Meaning
Workin' in the coal mine
I am doing the hard manual labor of extracting coal from the earth
Goin' on down, down
Descending deeper into the mine to do more work
Oops, about to slip down
I am in danger of losing my footing and falling in the difficult terrain of the mine
Five o'clock in the mornin'
I am waking up extremely early to start my difficult workday
I'm already up and gone
I start my workday as soon as I can to get it over with
Lord, I'm so tired
I am physically and mentally exhausted from working so hard
How long can this go on?
I am questioning my ability to continue working in these difficult conditions
'Cause I make a little money
The only reason I am working in such a dangerous and exhausting job is to make a small amount of money
Haulin' coal by the ton
I am responsible for moving large amounts of coal out of the mine
When Saturday rolls around
When the weekend comes, I am too exhausted from working all week to enjoy myself
I'm too tired for havin' fun
I am too physically and mentally drained to partake in any leisure activities
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Allen Toussaint
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind