I was born in West Virginia
Where the land is black with coal
For a man to feed his family
It takes twelve hours a day a
Digging in a dirty black hole

Way down in the bottom of a mountain
Way down in the bottom of a hole
Way down in the bottom of a mountain
I'm digging and a shoveling and a
Loading out the dirty black coal

Some men give their wives jewelry
Some men give their wives gold
But all I can give to my sweet woman
Are the few dollars I make from
Digging out the dirty black coal

I draw script for most of my money
I never see a lot of that
I work all week and go to church on Sunday
Well the preacher going to get what's
Left when they pass the hat

Way down in the bottom of a mountain
Way down in the bottom of a hole
Way down in the bottom of a mountain
I'm digging and a shoveling and a
Loading out the dirty black coal
I'm digging and a shovelin' and a
Loading out the dirty black coal