[Verse 1]
Many a man down in these here hills
Made a living off that old black gold
Now there ain’t nothing but welfare and pills
And the wind never felt so cold

[Verse 2]
I’ll be one of the first in a long long line
Not to go down from that old black lung
My death will be slower than the rest of my kind
And my life will be sadder than the songs they all sung[E/F#][E/G#]

Old King Coal what are we gonna do
When the mountains are gone and so are you[E/F#][E/G#]

They come from the city to lend a hand
Carrying signs saying, “Shut the mines down”
We ain’t looking for pity and you don’t [E/F#]un – [E/G#]der – stand
So go back to your city now cause this ain’t your town

[Instrumental]

[Verse 3]
My Great Grandfather spent his days in a coal mine
And his nights on the porch in a chair
Now he’s in heaven and down here in hell
The rivers run muddy and the moun – [A/G#]tains [A/F#]are bare[E/F#][E/G#]

Old King Coal what are we gonna do
When the mountains are gone and so are you[E/F#][E/G#]
Old King Coal what are we gonna do
When the mountains are gone and so are you

Capo 2

You could have told me you didn’t care about me
You could have told me you was the cheating kind
I’d be out on the town, runnin’ ‘round
Seeing what else I could find
Instead of sitting here without you
And with you on my mind

[Verse 1]
I’m all alone in the night
And I know you ain’t coming back to me
There’s a moon over me so bright
It lights up my sorrow for everyone to see

You could have told me you didn’t care about me
You could have told me you was the cheating kind
I’d be out on the town, runnin’ ‘round
Seeing what else I could find
Instead of sitting here without you
And with you on my mind

|A |E |E |B7 E |

[Verse 2]
Don’t have to tell nobody how I’m feeling
Don’t have to tell nobody how I cry
It’s written on my face cause’ I know you’re out there stealing
N.C. B7 E
All them sweet, sweet kisses from all them other guys

You could have told me you didn’t care about me
You could have told me you was the cheating kind
I’d be out on the town, runnin’ ‘round
Seeing what else I could find
Instead of sitting here without you
And with you on my mind
I’d be out on the town, runnin’ ‘round
Seeing what else I could find
Instead of sitting here without you
And with you on my mind

Capo 3

[Verse 1]
Well they say you live & learn but it really seems more to me
Like all along I’ve been learning how to live
Well for years I been drifting like a boat lost out at sea
I’ve been out walking them ties on the railroad of sin

Well now looking back on my life now at some of the things I done
Makes me wanna hang my head in shame
I was a no good, no account, low down heartbreaker
On that railroad of sin I was a highballing train[E/F#][E/G][E/G#]

I’m just a poor boy had to beg, steal, & borrow
Just a leaf blowing lonesome in the wind
I’m just a hitchhiker on that old highway of sorrow
Just a highballing train on that railroad of sin

|A |E |E |B7 E |E |

[Verse 3]
Well you won’t feel it and you won’t hear it coming
Cause when she’s rolling slow it don’t make a sound
But I got that throttle to ten on the railroad of sin
I’m coming off of the rails and I can’t slow it down

I’m just a poor boy had to beg, steal, & borrow
Just a leaf blowing lonesome in the wind
I’m just a hitchhiker on that old highway of sorrow
Just a highballing train on that railroad of sin

|A |E |E |B7 E |

Well I’m a poor boy had to beg, steal, & borrow
Just a leaf blowing lonesome in the wind
I’m just a hitchhiker on that old highway of sorrow
Just a highballing train on that railroad of sin

Capo II

They say that life can decide in the blink of eye
If our silly little dreams will ever come true
But the dreams in my mind all go by so slow
What the hell else can I do

I wanna slow it all down and watch it roll by
See where the sweet melody falls
I wanna roll off the tempo, lay back and get high
Cause it’s only time and time after all

I’ve grown tired of cold places and the same old cold faces
and I’m tired of the smoke they all blow in my eyes
I’m sick of the banging, can’t take no more clanging
I’m tired of yelling over top that back line
They say time takes care of itself
It gets by without no help at all
Like a jar of sand that sits on the shelf
It’s only time and time after all

I wanna slow it all down and watch it roll by
See where the sweet melody falls
I wanna roll off the tempo, lay back and get high
Cause it’s only time and time after all

Cause it’s only time and time after all

[Verse 1]
Come and gather around me good people
My life I must reveal
Well tomorrow might have been different
And I know how my darling ought to feel

[Verse 2]
Well that last time I saw my woman
She had a wine glass in her hand
She was drinking down her troubles
With a low down sorry man

[Verse 3]
Well I wrote my Momma a letter
And I told her I was in jail
Well she wrote me back in a hurry
Saying honey I’m gonna come and throw your bail

[Verse 4]
Well I’m a laying around in this old jail house
Forty dollars will pay my fine
Pretty women swarming all around me
Marijuana has destroyed my mind

Give me corn bread when I’m hungry
Corn whiskey when I’m dry
Pretty women swarming all around me
Sweet Heaven when I die

[Verse 5]
Well my Daddy taught me plenty
And my Momma she taught me more
She said if I didn’t quit my rowdy ways
I’d have trouble knocking at my door

[Verse 6]
When my Earthly trials are over
Throw my cold dead body in the sea
Tell that false hearted lover of mine
That the whales are gonna fuss over me

Give me corn bread when I’m hungry
Corn whiskey when I’m dry
Pretty women swarming all around me
Sweet Heaven when I die