[Verse 1]
Elijah the breaker boy has the black lung
Elijah is one of the lucky few
It looks to me the rest of his story is no fun at all

[Chorus]
The caged bird has flown
Dead and gone like all the others
All the men and the boys
All the boys in the mine

[Verse 2]
Henry, oh Henry: the husband of Bonnie
Oh, Bonnie, your man has left you
When it feels too cold
Bonnie wears her dear Henry's coat

[Chorus]
The caged bird has flown
Dead and gone like the others
Lost in the tunnels
Their narrow coal homes

[Verse 3]
Worst of all were the children of Quincy
They have a history of wandering
When the ground fell down
The twins were never found
[Chorus]
The caged bird has flown
Dead and gone like the others
All the rain is a black veil of suffering
And it falls on the Caroline Mine

[Verse 4]
The Caroline Mine
Death and injury
Under the surface
Your sons and mine
Suddenly silent