Coal Tattoo

Travelin' down that coal town road

Listen to my rubber tires whine

Goodbye to buckeye and white sycamore

I'm leavin' you behind

I've been a coal man all of my life

Layin' down track in the hole

Got a back like an ironwood bent 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

Just a little more and I'd be dead"

But I love the rumble and I love the dark

And I love the cool of the slate

But it's on down the new road lookin' for a job

This travelin' and lookin' I hate

I stood for the union, walked in the line

I fought against the company

Stood for the U.M.W. of A

Now who's gonna stand for me?

I got no house and I got no pay

Just got a worried soul

And this blue tattoo on the side of my head

Left by the number nine coal

Left by the number nine coal

Someday when I die and go to Heaven

The land of my dreams

I won't have to worry on losin' my job

To bad times and big machines

No, I ain't gonna pay my money away

On dues and hospital plans

I'm gonna pick coal while the blue heavens roll

And sing with the angel band

Yeah, I've been a coal man all of my life

Layin' down track in the hole

Got a back like an ironwood bent by the wind

Blood veins blue as the coal

Blood veins blue as the coal