Story Behind The Song

John Prine wrote a classic song titled "Paradise" in which Mr. Peabody's coal train hauls paradise away. This is Peabody's side of the story.

Song Description

Old Man Peabody appears to be a ruthless boss who earns his fortune from coal mining. But he uses someone else's sons, husbands, fathers and brothers to haul his fortune from the mountain. Peabody effectively lends insight to his side of the story...but I am not sure the listener likes him any better or sympathizes any more for it.

Lyrics

My Name is Peabody
Jeffrey W. Posey

My name is Peabody, this is my story
It ain't like what you heard from others before me
Lend me your ear and I'll whisper honest
The coal train is leavin? with paradise on it

My daddy's daddy sailed over oceans
With nothin' but prayer and fool hearted notions
The rest of his life spent diggin' and dyin?
My daddy's daddy died in this mine

Now my name is Peabody, this is my mountain
Lend me your boys let mine do the countin'
Lend me their arms and backs for the coal
It's black and it's hard Kentucky gold

Dad swore that he'd never die a black-lunger
But he knew the mountain and knew what lay under
With sweat and what little his dad left behind
He bought that mountain one breath at a time

When he wasn't minin' he worked at the prison
Long since abandoned , I guess all were forgiven
But not so for Dad and I won't live to see
The day they stop cussin' my coal train and me

'Cause... I still hear the curses of mothers and wives
Throw his ashes in the mine when ol' Peabody dies
Our men they will breathe him in deep with the coal
An eternal marriage, black lung and black soul

This county still blames me for paradise dyin'
But the hole was here first and I'm only tryin'
To stay above water without goin' below
Hell the fact of the matter is it's all I know

I promised the truth as best I remember
And admit that I've tortured my share of timber
Black is the scar of my greed on the face
And the lungs of the boys I sent in my place