The Death of Floyd Collins

Oh, come all you young people and listen while I tell
The fate of Floyd Collins, a lad we all know well
His face was fair and handsome, his heart was true and brave
His body now lies sleeping in a lonely sandstone cave

How sad, how sad the story, it fills our eyes with tears
Its memories too, will linger for many, many years
A brokenhearted father, who tried his boy to save
Will now weep tears of sorrow at the door of Floyd's cave

Oh, mother, don't you worry; dear father, don't be sad
I'll tell you all my troubles in an awful dream I had
I dreamed that I was a prisoner, my life I could not save
I cried, "Oh, must I perish within this silent cave?"

"Oh, Floyd," cried his mother, "Don't go, my son, don't go
'Twould leave us brokenhearted if this should happen so"
Though Floyd did not listen, advice his mother gave
So his body now lies sleeping in a lonely sandstone cave

His father often warned him from follies to desist
He told him of the danger and the awful risk
But Floyd would not listen to the oft advice he gave
So his body now lies sleeping in a lonely sandstone cave

Oh, how the news did travel! Oh, how the news did go
It traveled through the papers and over the radio
A rescue party gathered, his life they tried to save
But his body now lies sleeping in a lonely sandstone cave

The rescue party labored, they worked both night and day
To move the mighty barrier that stood within the way
To rescue Floyd Collins, this was their battle cry
"We'll never, no, we'll never let Floyd Collins die."

But on that faithful morning, the sun rose in the sky
The workers were still busy, we'll save him by and by
But, oh, how sad the ending, his life could not be saved
His body then was sleeping in a lonely sandstone cave

Young people, oh, take warning from Floyd Collins' fate
And get right with your Maker before it's too late
It may not be a sand cave in which we find our tomb
But at the bar of judgement, we, too, must meet our doom

The mining experts gathered, they sought to find a plan
To lift poor Floyd's body from far beneath the sand
And oh, how they did struggle with hearts brave and stout
But the cave that swallowed Collins would never leave him out