You'll Never Leave Harlan Alive
In the deep dark hills of eastern KentuckyThat's the place where I trace my bloodlineAnd it's there I read on a hillside gravestoneYou will never leave Harlan alive
Oh, my granddad's dad walked downKatahrins MountainAnd he asked Tillie Helton to be his brideSaid, won't you walk with me out of the mouthOf this hollerOr we'll never leave Harlan alive
Where the sun comes up about ten in the morningAnd the sun goes down about three in the dayAnd you fill your cup with whatever bitter brew you're drinkingAnd 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 arrivedWaving hundred dollar bills he said I'll pay ya for your mineralsBut he never left Harlan alive
Granny sold out cheap and they moved out westOf PinevilleTo a farm where big Richland River windsI bet they danced them a jig, laughed and sang a new songWho said we'd never leave Harlan alive
But the times got hard and tobacco wasn't sellingAnd ole granddad knew what he'd do to surviveHe went and dug for Harlan coalAnd sent the money back to grannyBut he never left Harlan alive
Where the sun comes up about ten in the morningAnd the sun goes down about three in the dayAnd you fill your cup with whatever bitter brew you're drinkingAnd you spend your life just thinkin' of how to get away
Where the sun comes up about ten in the morningAnd the sun goes down about three in the dayAnd you fill your cup with whatever bitter brew you're drinkingAnd you spend your life digging coal from the bottom of your grave
In the deep dark hills of eastern KentuckyThat's the place where I trace my bloodlineAnd it's there I read on a hillside gravestoneYou will never leave Harlan alive