In the year of '98 The Julian mine became our grave Forty of us couldn't come upstairs Of the dirty black leg miners Forty wives and children were Left alone in these hard years We tried to help them how we could We're dirty black leg miners Two months later came to us Bob McLean to tell 'bout the trust Told us we should fight for the rights Of the dirty black leg miners It was the first time we've heard How to found a union here Next day we began the strike For the dirty black leg miners We were striking 14 weeks Before police with guns showed up 112 were killed by them Of the dirty black leg miners They were hanging Bob McLean And we started work again This strike was down but we are strong We're dirty black leg miners In the year of '98 The mining trust became our fate The weight of work now breaks the backs Of the dirty black leg miners In the future hopefully Our children all will tell the tale How Bob McLean laid down his life For the dirty black leg miners