Drawing us in with an immersive, almost thunderous energy with astral guitar arpeggios and a dramatic allure, Ken Woods and The Old Blue Gang open Lily White with intrigue and a cinematic nature as they share a brooding timbre with another captivating tale with an important message.
“Folks here tell stories about the old Lily White, about how the mine’s owner paid in dynamite, he said he blew up the mineshaft so his miners were trapped…” sings Ken as he brings to life this traumatic historical event.
Ken Woods and The Old Blue Gang explores this tale, and whether it is a myth, legend or the truth. The prose is descriptive, melancholic, vivid and brings to life the trauma that the miners may have suffered… “It’s blacker than midnight in the Lily White mine, when you’re buried alive and nobody cares…”.
The composition takes a sonic shift into an intricate acoustic solo accompanied by soft drums, inviting us to reflect on the sad story that we have just heard. The prose returns with the hook of the song, embedded into our minds. A trauma created by greed.
Legend has it that between 1886 and 1889, up to 100 Chinese miners were trapped inside the Lily White Gold Mine, located in Oregon’s Wallowa Mountains, either by accident or on purpose.
People believe that the ghosts of the victims sing and dance above the mine on moonlit nights. Though no bodies have ever been found, the mystery continues to haunt the area, raising unanswered questions.
Naturally, we are in awe once again of Ken Woods and The Old Blue Gang‘s historical and educational approach to song creation, and their pursuit of the truth – teaching us all about tales forgotten, and reminding us that there is still so much work to be done to manifests peace and equality on planet Earth.
We have added Lily White to our New Music Spotlight playlist, and our TIMELESS and TRIPPY playlists, whilst we continue to stream the wider discography of Ken Woods and The Old Blue Gang, including Sundown Town, and Ride the Rails!