"Working in the Coal Mine" is a song written by Allen Touissant which was well-known for being a hit by Lee Dorsey in 1966, and a cover version in 1981 by Devo. The song was performed by the gulag's "Prison King" (played by Jemaine Clement) in the 2014 film Muppets Most Wanted.
Lyrics[]
Gulag Prisoners:
Working in the coal mine
Going down, down, down
Working in the coal mine
Whoops, about to slip down
Working in the coal mine
Going down, down, down
Working in the coal mine
Whoops, about to slip down
Prison King:
Five o'clock in the morning
I'm already up and gone
Lord, I'm so tired
How long can this go on?
Gulag Prisoners:
Working in the coal mine
Going down, down, down
Working in the coal mine
Whoops, about to slip down
Working in the coal mine
Going down, down, down
Working in the coal mine
Whoops, about to slip down
Prison King:
'Cause I work every morning
Hauling coal by the ton
But when Saturday rolls around
I'm too tired to have any fun
Gulag Prisoners:
Working in the coal mine
Going down, down, down
Working in the coal mine
Whoops, about to slip down
Working in the coal mine
Going down, down, down
Working in the coal mine
Whoops, about to slip down
Prison King:
Lord, I'm so tired
How long can this go on?
Gulag Prisoners:
I'm just working in the coal mine
Going down, down down
Working in the coal mine
Whoops, about to slip down
Working in the coal mine
Going down, down down
Working in the coal mine
Whoops, about to slip down
Prison King: In a coal mine...