Travelin' down that coal town road,
Listen to my rubber tires whine;
Goodbye to buckeye and white sycamore
I'm leavin' you behind.
Oh I've been a coal man all my life
Layin' down tracks in the hole,
Got a back like an ironwood
Bent by the wind
Blood veins blue as the coal.
Blood veins blue as the coal.
Somebody said "That's a strange tattoo
You have on the side of your head."
I said "That's a blue print, left by the coal
Just a little more and I'd be dead"
And I love the rumble and I love the dark
I love the cool of the slate.
But it's on down the new road lookin' for a job
It's the travelin' and lookin' I hate.
I've stood for the union, walkin' the line,
Fought against the company;
Stood for the U. M. W. of A.
Now who's gonna stand for me?
I got no house and I got no pay,
Just got a worried soul;
And this blue tattoo on the side of my head
Left by the number nine coal.
Someday when I'm dead and gone
To Heaven, the land of my dreams,
I won't have to worry on losin' my job
To bad times 'n big machines.
I ain't gonna pay my money away
For pensions and hospital plans.
I'm gonna pick coal where the blue heavens roll
And sing with the angel bands.
Coal Tattoo Lyrics performed by Jim Croce are property and copyright of the authors, artists and labels. You should note that Coal Tattoo Lyrics performed by Jim Croce is only provided for educational purposes only and if you like the song you should buy the CD