Coal Tattoo

Travelin' down that coal town road. Listenin' to my rubber tires

whine.

Goodbye to Buckeye and white Sycamore. I'm leavin' you behind.

I've been coal miner all of my life. Layin' down track in the

hole.

Gotta back like an ironwood, bit by the wind. Blood veins blue

as the coal. Blood veins blue as the coal.

Somebody said, "That's a strange tattoo you have on the

side of your head."

I said, "That's the blueprint left by the coal. A little

more and I'd been dead.

Well, I love the rumble and I love the dark. I love the cool of

the slade,

And it's on down the new road, lookin' for a job. This travelin'

nook in my head.

I stood for the union and walked in the line and fought against

the company.

I stood for the U. M. W. of A. Now, who's gonna stand for me?

I've got no house and I got no job, just got a worried soul

And a blue tattoo on the side of my head left by the number nine

coal. Left by the number nine coal.

Some day when I'm dead and gone to heaven, the land of my

dreams.

I won't have to worry on losin' my job, on bad times and big

machines.

I ain't gonna pay my money away on dues or hospital plans.

I'm gonna pick coal where the blue heavens roll and sing with

the angel band.