Harlan County

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[Verse 1]
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In the back hills of Kentucky, I was raised
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In a shack on Big Bone Mountain
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Born into poverty, bathed in misery
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  The times I went hungry you can’t count ‘em

[Chorus 1]
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Where the cold winds blow and the crops don’t grow
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  A man’s tired of livin’ when he’s twenty
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  I was diggin’ hard coal at twelve years old
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Way down in Harlan County

[Verse 2]
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Mama tried hard, poor ol’ Daddy got tired
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Couldn’t even get a job with a shotgun
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One winter I was out cuttin’ kindlin’
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The news came to Mama that mornin’

[Chorus 2]
           Bm
They had a penny ante poker game down at the junction
N.C.
Big Jack caught Daddy cheatin’ and he shot him over fifteen cents
D                           D
To buy a loaf of bread with

[Post-Chorus]
       Gbm
(Swing low sweet chariot)
N.C.
We are gathered here today to ask the Lord
   G              A      D      D
To take us out of Harlan County

[Verse 3]
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Mama married Willie, he stood five-six
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His brother was a shovelin a coal mine pick
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With the heart of a lion and the soul of a man
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He worked twelve hours a day
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Seven days ever’ week
N.C.
Forty days ever’ month
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Diggin’ for a bone in a hillside

[Chorus 3]
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Where a little child’s dream is a new pair of shoes
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To keep its little feet warm in the winter
                           A
But dreams they don’t ever come true, I know
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Way down in Harlan County

[Verse 4]
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  You know what I did folks?
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I'm gonna tell ya
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I put a shirt on my back and a brown paper sack
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A big piece of my Mama’s cold cornbread
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I hit the road Jack forgot to look back
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  I walked all the way down to somewhere

[Chorus 4]
     Ab
I’ve been all over this whole wide world
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I’ve slept on a northwest mountain
                   Bb
The coldest place, Lord, I’ve ever seen
       Ab            Bb     Eb     Eb
Is the hills back in Harlan County

[Post chorus]
       Gm
(Swing low sweet chariot)
N.C.
Everybody bow their heads in prayer - ask the Lord
   Ab             Bb     Eb     Ab Eb Ab
To take us out of Harlan County

[Outro]
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Lord would you please
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Let your light shine
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Let your light shi-hi-hi-hi-hi-hi-hi-
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Hi-ih-ih-hiine..
Eb
Let your light, shine on