You'll Never Leave Harlen 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
Said "You will never leave Harlen alive"
Well, my grand-dad's dad walked down Katahrin's Mountain
And he asked Tellie Helton to be his bride
Said "Won't you walk with me out of the mouth of this holler?
Or we'll never leave Harlen alive"
Where the sun comes up about ten in the morning
And the sun goes down about three everyday
And you fill your cup with whatever bitter brew you're drinking
And you spend your life just thinking of how to get away
No one ever knew there was coal in them mountains
'Til a man from the northeast arrived
He was waving them hundred-dollar bills and said
"Hey, I'll pay you for your minerals"
But he never left Harlen alive
Well, granny, she sold out cheap
And moved out west to Pineville
To a far 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 Harlen alive?"
But the times got hard and tobacco wasn't selling
And ol' grand-dad knew what he'd do to survive
He went and dug for Harlen coal
And sent the money back to granny
But he never left Harlen 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
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 Harlen alive".