901. The Dying Doctor (Woody Guthrie)

Woody Guthrie wrote several songs in support of the miners who were often in conflict with the companies which exploited them. These lyrics were written in September, 1945, but were never recorded. It is not known whether he ever wrote a tune to this or just intended it as a poem. As far as I know, nobody has performed this song before. Also known as "The Company Town Doctor", it was published in the 1965 book "Born To Win", which he co-wrote with Robert Shelton. I have put a tune to it, which I hope is close enough to Woody's style. Thanks to Tony Oppegard, for providing me with the lyrics. Please note - if anyone believes this song is breaching copyright in any way, please contact me and I will remove it. Lyrics and chords: D Doctor Leo Hayes was our company doctor; ............... A7 .......................... D ............ A7 From the big coal companies he got his pay. ........ D For thirty-nine years he tried to cure us ........ A7 ......................... D And now today on his deathbed lay. ....... G .................................. D He called his five boys and his three daughters ....... G ..................... D ........ A7 And at his bed we stood around. ........ G ................................... D We heard him tell the history of the coal miners ............................................... A7 ........ D And he said, "Don't let these people down. "You are all connected with the practice of medicine. You promise you'll keep true I know. You will do your best to help these people. I close my eyes for I must go." His youngest girl was Doctor Betty With her face so pretty and her smile so sweet. She walked the coal towns of Force and Byrndale; She saw the sewage waters flowing down the street. She saw the children drink the cankered water, She saw the chickens fly up on the roof, She saw the waters overflow the sewers And flood their gardens of victory. She went to the big shots of the Shawmut Company; She did not beg and she did not plead. She stood flatfooted and pounded the table. "Sewer pipes and bathrooms are what we need. "My daddy told me to fight to cure sickness But I can't cure sickness with sewage all around. These germs kill people quicker than I can cure them We need a foundation under every house. We need a bathroom for every family. Yes, you can set there and blink your eyes. Three hundred miners are out behind me. We will clean this town or know the reason why." I quit my job as the family doctor I nailed up my shingle and went on my own. I carried my pillbag and waded those waters. I set by a deathbed in many a home. I saw you catch rainwater in rusty washtubs. I saw you come home dirty up out of your pits, Watched you ride with your coffin up to your graveyard With not a nickel to pay your burying debt. On July the fifteenth from the hills around Three hundred miners walked down through town. The state inspector was testing the water; While he was working you stood around. One miner asked him to have a drink free. The inspector looked out toward our pits. He set his hat back on his head and says, "I wouldn't drink a drop of that on a bet." I think of my daddy and brothers and sisters When we stood around his dying bed. When I walk the streets of the company towns I can hear every word my daddy said. The Shawmut Company is caught in its own paws, The people not worth the money they cost. A hundred have died, three hundred not working, Thirty thousand tons of coal is lost. You can see a playlist of my Woody Guthrie songs here: http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=PL17655A5F634428D4 You can see a playlist of my mining songs here: http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=PLCF909DA14CE415DF Lyrics and chords of many of my songs are no longer available, as my website has expired. I am currently posting lyrics to the information panels on all my videos and those that are too long to post in full will be found on my new website: https://raymondsfolkpage.wordpress.com

Added 12 Jun 2026