You’ll Never Leave Harlan Alive

In the deep, dark hills of eastern Kentucky That's the place where I traced my bloodline

And it's there I read on a hillside gravestone, "You'll never leave Harlan alive."

Well my granddaddy's dad walked down Caterin's Mountain and asked Tilly Elton to be his bride.

He said, "Won't you walk with me out of the mouth of this heart, never leave Harlan?"

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 thinkin' how to get away

No one ever knew there was cold in their mind

'Til a man from the northeast arrived

Wavin' hundred-dollar bills, says I'll pay for your minerals

But he never left Harlan alive

Granny's sold out cheap, and they moved out west to Pineville

To a farm where big Richland River winds

And I bet they danced in a jig

And laughed and sang a new song

Who said we'd never leave Harlem and fly

But the times they got hard

And tobacco wasn't sellin'

And old Granddad knew what he'd have to do to survive

Went and dug for Harlan gold

And sent the money back to Granny

And never left Harlan alive

Where the sun comes up

About 10 in the mornin' and the sun goes down

About three in the day and you spill your cup

With whatever bitter brew you're drinkin'

And you spend your life thinkin' how to get away

Where the sun comes up

About 10 in the mornin' 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 diggin' coal

From the bottom of your grave

In the deep dark hills of eastern Kentucky

That's the place where I'll trace my bloodline

And it's there I read on a hillside gravestone

You'll never leave Harlem