Black Dust Angels
Alex Wilson
Description
"Black Dust Angels" is a haunting Appalachian folk gospel ballad, steeped in the somber beauty of hardship and resilience. It paints a vivid portrait of the women left behind by coal miners, their unwavering faith and quiet strength becoming a beacon of hope against the ever-present darkness. Alex Wilson's raw, soulful vocal delivery, reminiscent of early gospel recordings, anchors the song in a place of genuine emotion, transforming grief into a communal act of defiant hope. The stark arrangement amplifies the song's emotional weight, drawing the listener into the heart of a community bound together by loss and unwavering love.
Lyrics
Verse 1 ‘Neath the holler’s twisted pines, where the night winds moan, They stand like ghosts in lamplight, carved from weary bone. Shawls pulled tight ‘gainst the chill, where the shaft mouth gapes, Murmurin’ prayers to the stars for souls the dark escapes. Chorus Black dust angels, keepin’ watch through the storm, Weavin’ hope from the shadows, hearts steadfast and warm. With their lantern eyes ablaze, where the black veins crawl, They’re the guardians of the lost, waitin’ for the call. Verse 2 Fingers knot on beads of faith, worn smooth by years of care, Starin’ down the mine’s black maw, with a whispered, trembling prayer. Each groan of earth’s old bones hums a hymn of fear, Yet they hold the line unbroken, with their strength so fierce and clear. Chorus Black dust angels, keepin’ watch through the storm, Weavin’ hope from the shadows, hearts steadfast and warm. With their lantern eyes ablaze, where the black veins crawl, They’re the guardians of the lost, waitin’ for the call. Bridge When the siren wails its grief, and the ground lies still, They spin their love to starlight, on that lonesome hill. In the coal-seam’s endless hush, their faith a beacon’s flame, Callin’ through the dark and dust, whisperin’ each name. Verse 3 Some’ll hold their men at dawn, some’ll face the night alone, But their spirits brace the mountain, carved in grit and stone. Through the hush of starless hours, their courage lights the deep, For the hearts still bound below, in the dark they keep. Chorus Black dust angels, keepin’ watch through the storm, Weavin’ hope from the shadows, hearts steadfast and warm. With their lantern eyes ablaze, where the black veins crawl, They’re the guardians of the lost, waitin’ for the call. Outro So lift a hymn for the angels, with their faces etched in clay, Standin’ firm at the shaft mouth, through the night into the day. In the holler’s ceaseless dark, their love will never break, Black dust angels, holdin’ fast for every soul’s sake. Black dust angels, holdin’ fast for every soul’s sake.