In the deep dark hills of eastern Kentucky
Thats the place where I trace my bloodline
And its there I read on a hillside gravestone
You will never leave Harlan alive
Oh, my granddads dad walked down
Katahrins Mountain
And he asked Tillie Helton to be his bride
Said, wont you walk with me out of the mouth
Of this holler
Or well never leave Harlan alive
Where the sun comes up about ten in the morning
And the sun goes down about three in the day
And you fill your cup with whatever bitter brew youre drinking
And you spend your life just thinkin of how to get away
No one ever knew there was coal in them mountains
Til a man from the Northeast arrived
Waving hundred dollar bills he said Ill pay ya for your minerals
But he never left Harlan alive
Granny sold out cheap and they moved out west
Of Pineville
To a farm where big Richland River winds
I bet they danced them a jig, laughed and sang a new song
Who said wed never leave Harlan alive
But the times got hard and tobacco wasnt selling
And ole granddad knew what hed do to survive
He went and dug for Harlan coal
And sent the money back to granny
But he never left Harlan alive
Where the sun comes up about ten in the morning
And the sun goes down about three in the day
And you fill your cup with whatever bitter brew youre drinking
And you spend your life just thinkin of how to get away
Where the sun comes up about ten in the morning
And the sun goes down about three in the day
And you fill your cup with whatever bitter brew youre drinking
And you spend your life digging coal from the bottom of your grave
In the deep dark hills of eastern Kentucky
Thats the place where I trace my bloodline
And its there I read on a hillside gravestone
You will never leave Harlan alive
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