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