Em   Em  Em


[Verse 1]
Em                  D        Em
Travelin down that coal town road.
Em               D            Em
Listenin to my rubber tires whine.
Em                     D         Em
Goodbye to Buckeye and bright Sycamore.
Em           D      Em
I'm leavin' you be-hind.
G                    D          G
I've been coal miner all of my life.
G           D            C  D
Layin' down track in the hole.
      G                     C          G
Gotta back like an ironwood, bent by the wind.
G          D           Em
Blood veins blue as the coal.
C           D           Em
Blood veins blue as the coal.

[Verse 2]
Em                        D          Em
Somebody said, "That's a strange tattoo
 Em               D            Em
you have on the side of your head."
Em                            D          Em
I said,"That's the blueprint left by the coal.
        Em              D         Em
Just a little more and I'd been dead.
    G                       D        G
Well, I love the rumble and love the dark.
G          D            C D
I love the cool of the slate,
         G                        C           G
And it's on down the new road, lookin' for a job.
       G      D        Em
This travelin' nook in my head.



[Verse 3]
Em                        D          Em
I stood for the union  walked in the line
 Em                  D    Em
fought against the company.
Em                    D     Em
I stood for the U. M. W. of A.
     Em          D        Em
Now, whos gonna stand by me?
      G                 D      G
I've got no house and I got no pay,
 G          D      C D
Just got a worried soul
      G                  C           G
And a blue tattoo on the side of my head
 G           D           Em
Left by the number nine coal.
 C           D           Em
Left by the number nine coal.


[Verse 4]
Em              D       Em
Some day when I die and go
   Em            D           Em
To heaven, the land of my dreams.
   Em                       D       Em
I wont have to worry 'bout losin my job,
    Em             D     Em
To bad times and big machines.
    G                D     G
I ain't gonna pay my money away
   G       D         C D
On dues or hospital plans.
     G                       C            G
I'm gonna pick coal while the blue heavens roll
     G            D      Em
And sing with the angels band.


[Outro]
   G                D     G
I ain't gonna pay my money away
   G       D         C D
On dues or hospital plans.
     G                       C            G
I'm gonna pick coal while the blue heavens roll
     G            D      E
And sing with the angels band.