Coal Tattoo

Travelling down this coal town road

Listening to my rubber tires whine

Good-bye to buckeye and white sycamore

I'm leaving you behind

I've been a coal man all my life

Laying down track in the hole

Got a back like an ironwood,

Warped by the wind,

Blood veins as blue as the coal

Blood veins as 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 be dead"

Well, I love the rumble and I love the dark

I love the cool of the slate

But this travelling around, looking for a job

Travelling and looking I hate

Travelling and looking I hate

I stood in line for the union

Fought against the company

Stood for the U.M.W.A.

Now who's gonna stand by me?

I got no job and I got no pay

I just got a weary soul

And this blue tattoo on the side of my face

Left by the number nine coal

Left by the number nine coal

Someday, when I'm dead and gone

To heaven, the land of my dreams

I won't have to worry on losing my job

To hard times and big machines

And I ain't gonna pay my money away

On dues and hospital plans

I'm gonna pick coal, where the blue heaven's roll

And sign with the angel band

Sing with the angel band...