Youll Never Leave Harlan Alive

G   =   320003


[Verse]

       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

       Dm           F              C         G
Well my granddad's dad walked down Katahrins Mountain
       Dm           F                Bb
And he asked Tillie Helton to be his bride
        Bb                F             C             G
Said, won't you walk with me out of the mouth of this holler
         Bb         A7      Dm
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]

       Dm   F              C            G
No one ever knew there was coal in them mountains

       Dm           F         Bb
'Til a man from the Northeast arrived
       Bb             F                C                G
Waving hundred dollar bills said, I'll pay you for your minerals
       Bb         A7     Dm
But he never left Harlan alive

Bb      A7     Dm

       Dm       F         C                      G
Granny sold out cheap and they moved out west of Pineville
     Dm         F                  Bb
To a farm where big Richland River winds
  Bb       F             C                G
I bet they danced them a jig, laughed and sang a new song
         Bb               A7     Dm
Who said we'd never leave Harlan alive


[Instrumental Break]

(same chords as verse)

        Dm        F        C              G
But the times got hard and tobacco wasn't selling
        Dm            F               Bb
And ole granddad knew what he'd do to survive
            Bb             F                 C             G
He went and dug for Harlan coal and sent the money back to granny
    Bb            A7     Dm
But he never left 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          F
And you spend your life just thinkin' of how to get away


[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

       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

• A7
• Bb
• C
• Dm
• F
• G