Arkansas Coal

(album: Nancy & Lee Again - 1972)

Not so long ago just outside Paris Arkansas
A young lady had a mountain to climb

Gonna climb up this mountain
Cause there's one thing I know
My daddy's in this mountain
Digging Arkansas coal

Yes I hear my mama calling
I'll let her wait ten minutes more, she'll be sold
Cause I like to lay on the ground
And listen to the sound of my daddy digging Arkansas coal

I was born in this mountain
Went down here since I was nine years old
And I know some day I'll die in this mountain
Digging, digging Arkansas, Arkansas coal, Arkansas coal

Married me a good man
Back in '59
Knew he was an Arkansas coal miner
And that suited me fine
Got us a little daughter
She's only eight years old
Wishing she was a man like her daddy
Digging Arkansas coal

Billy, get off of that mountain
Billy, you got to go to school
Billy, your mama and daddy
Ain't gonna raise you no natural fool
Ain't gonna raise you no natural fool

Mama, why's the earth shaking?
Mama, is the world coming to an end?
Mama, why are you crying?
Is it another cave-in?

My God, the rocks are falling
Ten thousand tons on my head
I knew someday this would happen
So this is how it feels to be dead
So this is how it feels to be dead

Gonna climb up that mountain
Cause there's one thing I know
My daddy's in that mountain
Digging Arkansas coal