Take the Girl out of Harlan, but Never Harlan out of the girl!

Well I've took my mom out today. In the car the DH had a Patty Loveless tape (yes I still use cassettes!! so sue me! ;) ) in the deck.
So I was very happy to find that one playing. We bought the tape specifically for "You'll Never Leave Harlan Alive".

Harlan is so rich in history and lore. I miss it terribly at times. I long for the day to go back. Although on some days I suspect I may never get back. The mountains call to my blood like no other place on earth. I remember climbing around the hills as a girl with my dogs and cats. I had a pony too that I rode around the hillside. We had all the water from our pump we needed, but no one else would have it. ROFL it was SULFUR water. And I'll tell anyone anywhere it's the best stuff in the entire world.

The mountains are so dark it's surprising. I think that helps give it the richness that can't be found anywhere else. It's dark because of the coal. The trees are a dark green where anywhere else I look most greens are bright and vibrant. I'm going back soon. It's spring and I need new mountain pictures. Time has lost the many I took before when I lived there, watching the sunset daily. So it's time for new ones I think.

So I'm posting the lyrics to You'll Never Leave Harlan Alive in honor of Spring and a wonderful area of Kentucky. I think it's true, that once touched by those Kentucky Mountains you'll never leave Harlan alive, because once you leave, part of you dies missing it. My dad didn't leave Harlan alive, and deep down neither did I.

(listen to it on this website buy the CD and support our folk singers!
sung by Dave Cantrell
by the way - I've never heard Dave Cantrell until I did a search on the song- He's does a Marvelous job!)

You'll Never Leave Harlan Alive

In the deep dark hills of eastern Kentucky
That's the place where I trace my bloodline
And it's there I read on a hillside gravestone
You will never leave Harlan alive

Oh, my granddad's dad walked down
Katahrins Mountain
And he asked Tillie Helton to be his bride
Said, won't you walk with me out of the mouth
Of this holler
Or we'll never leave Harlan alive

Where the sun comes up about ten in the morning
And the sun goes down about three in the day
And you fill your cup with whatever bitter brew you're drinking
And you spend your life just thinkin' of how to get away

No one ever knew there was coal in them mountains
'Til a man from the Northeast arrived
Waving hundred dollar bills he said I'll pay ya for your minerals
But he never left Harlan alive

Granny sold out cheap and they moved out west
Of Pineville
To a farm where big Richland River winds
I bet they danced them a jig, laughed and sang a new song
Who said we'd never leave Harlan alive

But the times got hard and tobacco wasn't selling
And ole granddad knew what he'd do to survive
He went and dug for Harlan coal
And sent the money back to granny
But he never left Harlan alive

Where the sun comes up about ten in the morning
And the sun goes down about three in the day
And you fill your cup with whatever bitter brew you're drinking
And you spend your life just thinkin' of how to get away

Where the sun comes up about ten in the morning
And the sun goes down about three in the day
And you fill your cup with whatever bitter brew you're drinking
And you spend your life digging coal from the bottom of your grave

In the deep dark hills of eastern Kentucky
That's the place where I trace my bloodline
And it's there I read on a hillside gravestone
You will never leave Harlan alive.