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