Verse 1:
        Dm         F        C          G
In the deep, dark hills of eastern Kentucky
            Dm             F            Bb
That's the place where I trace my bloodline
          Bb      F         C         G
And it’s there I read on a hillside gravestone
          Bb          A7      Dm
You will never leave Harlan alive


Verse 2:
Well my granddad’s dad walked down Katahrins Mountain
And he asked Tillie Helton to be his bride
Said, won’t you walk with me out of the mouth of this holler
Or we’ll never leave Harlan alive


Chorus:
                    F        Bb  C       F
Where the sun comes up about ten in the morning
             Dm             Bb    F      Bb
And the sun goes down about three in the day
                   F                 Bb      C          F
And you fill your cup with whatever bitter brew you’re drinkin’
                    Dm                   Bb          Dm
And you spend your life just thinkin’ of how to get away


Verse 3:
No one ever knew there was coal in them mountains
‘Til a man from the Northeast arrived
Waving hundred dollar bills said, I’ll pay you for your minerals
But he never left Harlan alive

Bb   A7   Dm

Verse 4:
Granny sold out cheap and they moved out west of Pineville
To a farm where big Richland River winds
I bet they danced them a jig, laughed and sang a new song
Who said we’d never leave Harlan alive

Instrumental Break: (same chords as verse)

Verse 5:
But the times they got hard and tobacco wasn’t selling
And ole granddad knew what he’d do to survive
He went and dug for Harlan coal and sent the money back to granny
But he never left Harlan alive


Repeat Chorus (last chord changes from Dm to F)


Last Chorus:
                    F        Bb  C       F
Where the sun comes up about ten in the morning
             Dm             Bb    F      Bb
And the sun goes down about three in the day
                   F                 Bb      C          F
And you fill your cup with whatever bitter brew you’re drinkin’
                    Dm                         Bb             Dm
And you spend your life digging coal from the bottom of your grave


Last verse:
       Dm (one strum)
In the deep, dark hills of eastern Kentucky
            Dm (one strum)  
That's the place where I trace my bloodline
          Dm (one strum)
And it’s there I read on a hillside gravestone
        Dm (one strum)
You'll never leave Harlan alive