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The Decemberists – Rox in the Box Lyrics 15 years ago
Considering the Decemberists' penchant for historical references, I'd say it's a fair bet that the song is about the Granite Mountain Mine disaster--it's even mentioned in the song...

In the disaster, 160+ men died from a fire, most from smoke inhalation, which fits with the lyric "on the wrong side of the lee" (lee probably refers to the leeward side, sheltered from the wind/smoke). I'm not sure about the "shuffle back in line" but the "plenty of men to die" also seems to point to the Granite Mountain Mine disaster.

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