Coalshooter

In a Johnson County holler, where the mining company bloomed
He lived in a house with all five brothers, his dearest sisters, too
The summer heat was as bad as the mug that the humid air did brew
In the winter the snow just blowed on in through holes in the wall you could throw a dog through
As an able bodied boy, he lied about his age
To help his father break away from the rattle of a poor man's ball and chain
They made him shoot their coal and he was grateful, at the time
But there was many a boy that had done the same and they never came out alive
You better run, Coalshooter, run
Run away as fast as you can
And when you get to the end of the tunnel,
Just keep on a' running, my friend
'Cause this ain't no kind of life
That a young man should live
If you can run faster than gunpowder burns, you might see the light again
They were biting down on blasting caps, just doing like Daddy asked
Even though they knew that the next bite down could surely be their last
You ain't got no time to be scared, no, with dynamite in your hand
Don't hesitate, boy, 'cause if you slip up, son, you're as good as dead
You better run, Coalshooter, run
Run away as fast as you can
And when you get to the end of the tunnel,
Just keep on a' running, my friend
'Cause this ain't no kind of life
That a young man should live
If you can run faster than gunpowder burns, you might see the light again
They send him deep into the mine, where a boy can't see the light of day
Guided by the lamp on his head, in the dark, he begins to pray
That the fuses were all cut right and that a stray spark don't take light
He prays that he won't die in this mine, he hates the thought of Momma cryin'
You better run, Coalshooter, run
Run away as fast as you can
And when you get to the end of the tunnel,
Just keep on a' running, my friend
'Cause this ain't no kind of life
That a young man should live
If you can run faster than gunpowder burns, you might see the light again
You might see the light again"