“Sixteen Tons,” “Coal Miner’s Daughter,” “Big Bad John,” “You’ll Never Leave Harlan Alive,” and “Rich Men North of Richmond.” Coal-mining ballades have landed in the top tier of the charts multiple times in the past 75.00 years. Whether they became radio hits, reached broader culture as soundtrack selections, or went viral on social media, Coal-mining songs have continued to reverberate in American culture. Nicolas Johnson of the Federal Communications Commission once quipped, “All television is educational television, the question is merely, ‘What is it teaching?’” In a similar vein, one might say, “All songs are theological, the question is merely, ‘What beliefs do they represent?” This paper examines the American Coal-Mining Ballade through a theological and cultural hermeneutic. It explores these musical reflections on death, justice, and the problem of suffering. In so doing, Christians may better understand the heart concerns behind these popular lamentations.
This project grew out of a course I teach entitled, “The Problem of Evil in the Literary Imagination.” In this course, students learn how to engage in cultural hermeneutics and interpret cultural texts that engage the problem of evil. Students give presentations on songs, interpret the worldview, and engage that worldview with the gospel. This led me–a descendent of Kentucky coal miners–to consider this compelling genre of music theologically. At minimum, I hope to develop it into an article, but I am considering a book-length treatment.