You'll Never Leave Harlan Alive

In the deep dark hills of eastern Kentucky

That′s the place where I trace my bloodline

And it′s there I read on a hillside gravestone

You will never leave Harlan alive

Well, my granddad′s dad walked down katahrins Mountain

And he asked Tillie Helton to be his bride

He said, won′t you walk with me out of the mouth f this holler

Or we′ll never leave Harlan alive

Well 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 you′re drinking

And you spend your life just thinking of how to get away

No one ever knew there was coal in them mountains

Till a man from the Northeast arrived

Waving hundred dollar bills he said I′ll 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 we′d never leave Harlan alive

But the times got hard and tobacco wasn′t selling

And ole granddad knew what he′d do to survive

He went and dug for Harlan coal

And sent the money back to granny

But he never left Harlan alive

Well 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 you′re drinking

And you spend your life just thinkin′ of how to get away

And 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 you′re drinking

And you spend your life digging coal from the bottom of your grave

In the deep dark hills of eastern Kentucky

That′s the place where I trace my bloodline

And it′s there I read on a hillside gravestone

You will never leave Harlan alive