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'll never leave Harlan alive"

Well, my grandad'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"

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 just thinkin' 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 you for your minerals"

But he never left Harlan alive

Well, Granny, she sold out cheap

They moved out west of Pineville

To a farm where Big Richland River winds

And I'll bet they danced them a jig

And they laughed and sang a new song

"Who said we'd never leave Harlan alive"

But the times, they got hard and tobacco wasn't selling

And old Grandad knew what he'd do to survive

Well, 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 just thinkin'g 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 diggin' 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'll never leave Harlan alive"