The Loretta Lynn Coal Miner’s Daughter song was was originally released as a single in 1970 and became a number one hit on the Billboard country chart starting December 19, 1970. The song was later released on an album of the same name.
The Inspiration Behind the Song
Born on April 14, 1932, in Butcher Hollow, Kentucky, Loretta Lynn was the second of eight children in a working-class family. Her father, Melvin “Ted” Webb, was a coal miner who worked tirelessly to provide for his family. Loretta’s childhood in the Appalachian mountains was filled with hardship, but it was also rich in love, faith, and music.
In “Coal Miner’s Daughter,” Loretta paints a vivid picture of her upbringing, singing about growing up poor but proud. The lyrics reflect her deep appreciation for her parents’ sacrifices and the strong family values they instilled in her. The song tells the story of Lynn’s coal-mining father in rural Kentucky during the Great Depression. Lynn, who was born in 1932 and experienced the Great Depression as a child, This song also describes her childhood and the circumstances she was raised in during those years.
Watch the recitation music video, the official audio video and check out the written lyrics below.
Loretta Lynn Coal Miner’s Daughter Recitation Music Video
Loretta Lynn Coal Miner’s Daughter Official Audio Video
This song was written by Loretta Lynn.
Loretta Lynn Coal Miner’s Daughter Lyrics
Well, I was borned a coal miner’s daughter
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 shoveled 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
Beyond its chart success, “Coal Miner’s Daughter” became the basis for Loretta Lynn’s 1976 autobiography, which was later adapted into the 1980 biographical film of the same name starring Sissy Spacek. The movie was a major success, winning an Academy Award for Best Actress and introducing Loretta’s story to an even wider audience.
Even decades later, “Coal Miner’s Daughter” remains a defining song in country music. It has been covered by numerous artists, and its storytelling influence can be seen in the works of later country stars like Miranda Lambert, Kacey Musgraves, and Ashley McBryde.
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