"Working in the Coal Mine" is a song with music and lyrics by the American musician and record producer Allen Toussaint.

He produced a number of singles performed by Lee Dorsey in 1965 and 1966, including "Ride Your Pony" and "Working in the Coal Mine".

[1] Written, arranged and produced by Toussaint, the song concerns the suffering of a man who rises before 5 o'clock each morning in order to work in a coal mine, five days a week, where the conditions are very harsh and dangerous, but which offers the only prospect of paid employment.

"[2] The recording took place at Cosimo Matassa's Governor Nichols Street studio in the French Quarter of New Orleans.

Musicians included guitarist Roy Montrell, drummer Albert "June" Gardner,[3][4] and bassist Walter Payton.

"[8] Over time, Dorsey's version of "Working in the Coal Mine" has been featured in many movies and television programs, including Where the Action Is (1966), Everybody's All-American (1988), Moonlighting (1988), Waiting for the Light (1990), Married... with Children (1990), The Wonder Years (1990), The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (1993), Casino (1995), Secret Diary of a Call Girl (2010), Muppets Most Wanted (2014), The Simpsons (2019) and The Conners (2019).