You'll Never Leave Harlan Alive lyrics

In the deep, dark hills of eastern KentuckyThat's the place where I trace my bloodlineAnd it's there I read on a hillside gravestone"You will never leave Harlan alive"Well my grandad's dad walked down Katahrin's MountainAnd he asked Tillie Helton to be his brideHe said, "Won't you walk with me out of the mouth of this holleror we'll never leave Harlan alive"Where the sun comes up about ten in the morningAnd the sun goes down about three in the dayAnd you fill your cup with whatever bitter brew your drinkingAnd you spend your life just thinking how to get awayNo one ever knew there was coal in them mountainsTil a man from the northeast arrivedWaving hundred dollar bills, he said "I'll pay you for your minerals"But he never left Harlan aliveWell Granny, she sold out cheap and they moved out west to PinevilleTo a farm where Big Richland River windsAnd I'll bet they danced them a jig, and they laughed and sang a new song"Who said we'd never leave Harlan a
live?"But the times, they got hard and tobacco wasn't sellingAnd old Granddad knew what he'd do to surviveHe went and dug for Harlan coal and sent the money back to GrannyBut he never left Harlan alive