Lyrics

[Verse 1] 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'll never leave Harlan alive" [Verse 2] Well, my granddad's dad walked down Katahrin's Mountain And he asked Tillie Helton to be his bride He said, "Won't you walk with me out of the mouth of this holler Or we'll never leave Harlan alive" [Chorus] Where the sun comеs up about 10 in the morning And the sun goes down about 3 in thе day And you fill your cup with whatever bitter brew you're drinking And you spend your life just thinking how to get away [Verse 3] No one ever knew there was coal in them mountains 'Til a man from the northeast arrived Waving hundred dollar bills, he said, "I'll pay you for your minerals" But he never left Harlan alive [Verse 4] Well, Granny, she sold out cheap and they moved out west of Pineville To a farm where Big Richland River winds And they danced them a jig and laughed and sang a new song "Who said we'd never leave Harlan alive?" [Verse 5] But the times, they got hard and tobacco wasn't selling And old Granddad knew what he'd do to survive He went and dug for Harlan coal, sent the money back to Granny But he never left Harlan alive [Chorus] Where the sun comes up about 10 in the morning And the sun goes down about 3 in the day And you fill your cup with whatever bitter brew you're drinking And you spend your life just thinking how to get away Where the sun comes up about 10 in the morning And the sun goes down about 3 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