Coal Tattoo

Travelin' down that coal town road

Listenin' to my rubber tires whine

Goodbye to Buckeye and white Sycamore

I'm leavin' you behind

I've been coal miner all of my life

Layin' down track in the hole

Gotta back like an ironwood, bit 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

A little more and I'd been dead"

Well, I love the rumble and I love the dark

I love the cool of the Slade

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

This travelin' nook in my head

I stood for the union and walked in the line

And fought against the company

I stood for the U. M. W. of A

Now, who's gonna stand for me?

I've got no house and I got no job

Just got a worried soul

And a blue tattoo on the side of my head

Left by the number nine coal

Left by the number nine coal.

Some day when I'm dead and gone

To Heaven, the land of my dreams

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

On bad times and big machines

I ain't gonna pay my money away

On dues or hospital plans

I'm gonna pick coal where the blue Heavens roll

And sing with the Angel Band

I ain't gonna pay my money away

On dues or hospital plans

I'm gonna pick coal where the blue Heavens roll

And sing with the Angel Band