Well, I was born in West Virginia
Where that land is black with coal
For a man to feed his family
digging in a big black hole
Way down in the bottom of a hole
Way down in the bottom of a mountain
I'm a -pickin' and a -shovelin'
Loadin' out the dirty black coal
Now I draw a strip for most of my money
But I never see a lot of that
Work all week, go to church on Sunday
Preacher gonna get what's left
in the bottom of a mountain
Way down, in the bottom of a hole
Way down in the bottom of a mountain
Lord, I'm a -pickin' and a -shovelin'
Loadin' out the dirty black coal
Now, some men give their wives jewelry
Some men give their wives gold
All I can give to my sweet woman
It isn't a few dollars I make
diggin' out this dirty black coal
Way down in the bottom of a hole
Way down in the bottom of a mountain
Lord, I'm a -pickin' and a -shovelin'
loadin' out the dirty black coal
Lord, I'm a -pickin' and a -shovelin'
Loadin' out that dirty black coal