Potter Valley Mill words by Darryl Cherney & Judi Bari

Potter Valley Mill

words by Darryl Cherney & Judi Bari, music by Darryl Cherney

Now the (C) mill in Potter Valley
It's (F) been here 50 (C) years
Milling all those fir trees
That used to grow 'round (G) here
But now they're (C) running out of timber
And the (F) mill is shutting (C) down
They're (F) packing up their (C) band saws
And they're (C) moving (G) out of (C) town

And they're (F) closing down the mill in (C) Potter Valley
(F) Leaving all us good folks in a (G) bind
They're (F) closing down the mill in Potter (C) Val--(F) ley
And I (C) can't be-(F) lieve the (C) mess we'll (G) leave be-(C) hind

Now Ray says there's timber back there
They'll haul it right past town
Sam says they'll only reopen if another mill burns down
The company says it's environmentalists crimpin' up their style
But as I look out on the Mendocino Forest--can't see a tree for miles

Chorus

Now when they doubled our shift five years ago
I knew we soon would see this day
And now our property values are dropping
I can't sell and can't pay
That machinery ought to stay right here
To move it would be a crime
We've kept it fixed and running for 50 years
We ought to fix it one last time

White Tribal Music

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