If you gonna be king of the hill you can't make it at the cotton mill)

If you gonna be king of the hill you can't make it at the cotton mill
Get put on at the Harlan mine be the last one out at quittin' time
You already workin' when the whistle blew never complain about a job to do
When they say who can you say I will if you ever gonna be king of the hill
(If you gonna be king of the hill you can't make it at the cotton mill)

You need a good woman to share your bed to keep you loved and to keep you fed
To help you to face another day to get you up and on your way
Where the golden rule don't rule out true you do them before they do to you
Watch out for yourself or nobody will if you ever gonna be king of the hill
(If you gonna be king of the hill you can't make it at the cotton mill)

Saturday night you go to Harlan town you shoot some pool and you fool around
You watch the girls and you drink bootleg get starved to death before you beg
You trust in luck till your luck is gone then jump right in and you hang right on
There may be times you would have to kill if you ever gonna be king of the hill
(If you gonna be king of the hill you can't make it at the cotton mill)

When the last of the coals out of every vein
Had long been gone an the northbound train
Woke up to the top and if you're standing still you can call yourself king of the hill
But if you fall like a lot have done by accident or knife or gun
When they lay you high on the mountain still you can call yourself king of the hill
(If you gonna be king of the hill) you can't make it at the cotton mill