Coal River

Many is the times I'd walked its banks

With tearful pride and humble thanks

It's baptized my soul and made me whole

Freed my hands from dirty coal

Many small houses sit on its banks

Catalogs of dreams and prayers of thanks

Washed my body and cleaned my mind

It's been cruel and it's been kind

Coal river

Coal river

Coal river

I've come home

I see my daddy all tired and worn

A gentle man, yet full of scorn

We sit on the front porch and watch it rain

Dream of knowledge and talk of pain

But that old city got too big for me

Just like the river our love runs free

So here I am and here I'll stay

I'll just live my life from day to day

On coal river

Coal river

Coal river