album: Part II [Arista Nashville] (2001)

Send "You'll Never Leave Harlan Alive" Ringtone to Cell Phone

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 

Oh, my granddad's dad walked down Catron's Mountain 
And he asked Tillie Helton to be his bride 
Said, won't you walk with me out of the mouth of this holler 
Or we'll 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 you're drinkin'
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 
Said, I'll pay you 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 

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 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

Send "You'll Never Leave Harlan Alive" Ringtone to Cell Phone