Black Waters

I come from the mountains, Kentucky's my home

Where the wild deer and the black bear so lately did roam

By the cool rushing waterfall the wildflowers dream

And through every green valley, there runs a clear stream

Now there's scenes of destruction on every hand

And only black waters run down through my land

Sad scenes of destruction on every hand

Black waters, black waters, run down through my land

Oh the quail, she's a pretty bird, she sings a sweet tongue

In the roots of tall timber she nests with her young

Then the hillside explodes with the dynamite's roar

And the voice of the small bird is heard there no more

Then the mountain comes tumbling so awful and grand

And the poison black waters run down through my land

Sad scenes of destruction on every hand

Black waters, black waters, run down through my land

In the coming of the springtime we planted our corn

In the ending of the springtime we buried a son

In the summer come a nice man, says everything's fine

My employer just requires a way to his mine

Then they blew down the timber and covered my corn

And the grave on the hillside's a mile deeper down

And the man stands and talks with his hat in his hand

As the poison black waters rise over my land

Sad scenes of destruction on every hand

Black waters, black waters, run down through my land

Well I don't have much money, not much of a home

I own my own land, but my land's not my own

But, if I had ten million, somewhere's thereabouts

Well, I'd buy Perry county and I'd drive 'em all out

Then I'd sit on the bank with my bait and my can

And watch the clear waters run down through my land

Well, wouldn't that be just like the old promised land?

Black waters, black waters no more in my land

Black waters, black waters no more in my land