Key: E
Introduction:
Em G D C G DEm
(No chords)
In the deep dark hills of Eastern Kentucky
Em G D C
And its there I read on a hillside gravestone
G D Em
You'll never leave Harlen alive
G D C
Oh my Grandfathers Dad crossed the Cumberland Mountains
Em G C
Where he took a pretty girl to be his bride
Em G D C
Said "Won't you walk with me out of the mouth of this holler
Em D Em
Or we'll never leave Harlen alive"
G C G
Where the sun comes up about ten in the mornin
Em F C
And the sun goes down about three in the day
G C Em
And you fill your cup with whatever bitter brew you're drinkin
D Em
And you spend your life just thinkin of how to get away
Em G D C
No one ever knew there was coal in them mountains
Em G C
Till a man from the northeast arrived
Em G
Wavin hundred dollar bills
D C
Said "I'll pay for your minerals"
Em D Em
But he never left Harlen alive
Em G D C
Grandma sold out cheap and they moved out west of Pineville
Em G C
To a farm where Big Richland River winds
Em G
And I bet they danced them a jig
D C
And they laughed and sang a new song
Em D Em
"Who said we'd never leave Harlen alive"
Em G D C
But the times got hard and tobacco wasn't sellin
Em G C
And old Granddad knew what he'd do to survive
Em G
He went and dug for Harlan coal
D C
And sent the money back to Grandma
Em D Em
But he never left Harlen alive
G C G
Where the sun comes up about ten in the mornin
Em F C
And the sun goes down about three in the day
G C Em
And you fill your cup with whatever bitter brew you're drinkin
D Em
And you spend your life diggin coal from the bottom of your grave
D Em
Mmmmmmmm You'll never leave Harlen alive