I was born in west virginia
Where the land is black with coal
For a man to feed his family takes twelve hours a day
A diggin' in the big black hole

Way down in the bottom of a mountain way
Down in the bottom of a hole
Way down in the bottom of a mountain I'm diggin'
And a shovelin' and a loadin' out the dirty black coal

Some men give their wives jewelry
Some men give their wives gold
But all I can give to my sweet woman
Are the few dollars I make a diggin' out the dirty black coal

Way down in the bottom of a mountain way
Down in the bottom of a hole
Way down in the bottom of a mountain I'm diggin'
And a shovelin' and a loadin' out the dirty black coal

I draw script for most of my money
I never see a lot of that
I work all week and go to church on sunday
Well the preacher gonna get what's left when they pass the hat

Way down in the bottom of a mountain way
Down in the bottom of a hole
Way down in the bottom of a mountain I'm diggin'
And a shovelin' and a loadin' out the dirty black coal
I'm diggin' and a shovelin' and a loadin' out the dirty black coal