Intro: D

             D
They learned readin', writin', Route 23
       G                                          D
To the jobs that lay waiting in those cities' factories
            A
they didn't know that that old highway
      G                          D
Could lead them to a world of misery
         D
Have you ever been down Kentucky way

Say south of Prestonburg

Have you ever been up in a holler

Have you ever heard
  G
A mountain man cough his life away

From diggin' that black coal
              D                     
In those dark mines, those old dark mines
       C
If you had you might just understand
    G                              D
The reason that they left is all behind

Chorus:
                    D
'cause They learned readin', wrightin', Route 23
       G                                           D
To the jobs that lay waitin' in those cities' factories

They learned readin', writin', roads to the north 
       G                                      D
To the luxury and comfort a coal miner can't afford

They thought readin', writin', Route 23
         G                                              D
Ah Would take them to the good life that they had never seen
            A
They didn't know that old highway
      G                       D
Could lead them to a world of misery

guitar solo:  D A G D

D
Have you ever seen 'em

Put the kids in the car after work on Friday night

Pull up in a holler about 2 A. M.

And see a light still shinin' bright
      G
Those mountain folks sat up that late

to hold those little grandkids
         D
In their arms, in their arms
        C
And I'm proud to say that I've been blessed
    G                                D
And touched by their sweet hillbilly charm

Chorus:
             D
They learned readin', writin', Route 23
       G                                           D
To the jobs that lay waiting in those cities' factories

They learned readin', writin', roads to the north
       G                                       D
To the luxury and comfort a coal miner can't afford

They thought readin', writin', Route 23
         G                                              D
Oh Would take them to the good life that they had never seen
            A
They didn't know that old highway
      G                         D
Could lead them to a world of misery
               A
Yeah, it turns out that that old highway,
G                         D
Leads you to a world of misery