This is a song about a Springhill Nova-Scotia Coal Mines.  I grew up there and was fortunate to get to know some really incredible people.  This song is true about Joe Comeau and his wife Laura.  Over 400 coal miners died in the mines before they closed.  Joe Comeau survived but died years later from Black Lung with no compensation.

Lyrics "Black Walls Black Ceilings"

Verse 1
A short man in stature perfect for working the coal mine
Coal dust embedded in his hands black lung took his life
He sat on the wall in Springhill watching the days go by
Thinking of men of the deep friends in the mine they did die

Chorus:
Black walls Black ceilings Black floors beneath our feet
The Devils layer lurking thousands of feet underneath
Tell the dragerman to save me the air is so dry
Tell my wife I love her the mine will take me this time

Verse 2
A coal lamp hung on his belt he wore each day
A light on his weathered helmet from a friend in colliery eight 
He kissed his wife Laura the ground beneath his feet
Off to the pit of hell where many of his friends met defeat

Chorus

Verse 3
Joe Comeau spent his life working through bumps and borrowed time
A friend Maurice Ruddick a black man was the hero of the mine
Holding his wife's hand he smiled as children passed by
Thanking God for saving him from the black demon dust of the mine


Black Walls Black Ceilings

My ancestors The Campbell's Of The Gaspe' Coast came over on The Anne Of Campbellton.  The ship landed at Black  Cape

Anne Of Campbellton

A true song about a Canadian soldier in WW2, his mother gave him a picture of her to give him comfort.  He served with The First Nova-Scotia Highlanders, the same unit I served with.

Did You Hear Me Call Your Name

This song Bossman is dedicated to Robert Baltovich who served eight years for the murder of his Unoversity Of Toronto girlfriend Elizabeth Bain, he did not commit.  I looked after Robert for two years as an inmate at The Metropolitan Toronto East Detention Centre.  He told me several times "Boss I'm innocent I didn't kill my girlfriend I loved her".  The murderer rapist Paul Bernardo was on the other side of the range admiring himself on Toronto City TV.  It is claimed Paul Bernardo likely killed her and disposed of her body although this has not been proven.  I believed Robert at the time, the only inmate I truly believed was innocent.  Eye witness account was wrong and the Rat that was in his cell his testimony was thrown out.   Robert was free, they were in such a rush to convict him an absolute shame, it ruined this fine young man's life.  I played this song last week at SongStudio for Canadian Recording artist Damhnait Doyle.

Bossman

This is a song about a Canadian Veteran I met in downtown Toronto.  He was living on the street.  We were fortunate to be able to get him off and street.

A Cardboard Sign Marked Veteran Master

This is a true song about my brother who has passed.  We were given bibles as young boys going to Sunday School.  He kept and read his all his life and really cherished it.

My Brothers Bible

This is a song I wrote for a pastor in New Richmond, Quebec.  He was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer and was given 3 months to live.  He did hear this song before he passed a simple demo and enjoyed it.  He leaves behind two boys and a wife.  The whole family is musical and Jean Louis the pastor loved to spend time on the Bay Of Chaleur canoeing and sailing.  This I did not know when I wrote the song.  May the good Lord keep his family safe and at peace.  This song was recorded all acoustic as the pastor was a simple kind man that was so loved.

Sailing Down The Bay

I've been playing guitar and singing covers all my life. When I was twelve I used to sign out vinyl albums from the library of Gordon Lightfoot and Burton Cummings, Canadian Artists.  I wanted to record at some point, but things just didn't work out that way.  I've played at backyard bbq's and various parties.  I started writing songs at a late age and have enough songs to record an album.  

I play all acoustic, so the album I'm doing is a Folk album about places, people and things of Canada.  I'm from Springhill Nova-Scotia, also lived in Gaspe and Oromocto NB.  My musical influence is Celtic, Country, and Folk.  I wanted to record all my life.

Vince Campbell

Popular tracks