This ballad comes from “Two Sides to Every Story,” the 1977 follow up to Gene Clark’s seminal “No Other.” The opening is fragile, and the initial vocals sound raw, almost naked. When the pianos and strings come in there’s definitely a flirtation with schmaltzy territory, but as the song builds they provide a haunting atmosphere. The original was written by James Talley and appeared on his album “Tryin’ Like the Devil,” in a stripped-down form reminiscent of John Prine. The subject matter, a dying coalminer, might seem a stretch for Gene—he was a rock star, a founding Byrd, rich and famous by the time he was 22—but I find this performance totally believable. The conviction in the vocals makes this track authentic and convincing, “sold” as only Gene Clark could do it.