Story Behind The Song

Rock Creek Mine debate in Montana

Song Description

concerning polution of the rivers

Lyrics

Here's a story about the bass and the trout
watching the big ones chase summertime flies
on the great Clark Fork river
where there's gold and there's silver
where the water is clearer than Montana skies

2. Came big city wheels
they tunneled the hills
at the Old Rock Creek mine, there's gold in their eyes
but the river's been traded for promises made
guess the end of the rainbow is what money buys
(Chorus)
They sing "gold in the mountains"
gold in the hills
gold for the whole family
now the river runs down
through an empty gold town
gold where the fish used to be
gold where the fish used to be.

3. They said they could handle
the environmental problems they never did handle before
for gold you dig faster, not knowing disaster
is standing there knockin' right on your back door

4. Because of gold trailings
because of our failings
because the great river runs close to the mine
the fish they did whisper
but they found no listener
the poison was golden and the waters did cry.

5. Now the lake stopped its growin'
and the eagles flew on
tha folks in the gold town
they moved down the line
now the ocean is waiting for the choices we made
one monument standing
it's the Old Rock Creek mine.

Dennis Coats /Five String MUsic/ BMI (208)255-1055