The Hills of West Virginia

My brother Jeb left Saturday
Where he gone, can’t no one say
Ain’t no surprise he went away
It’s so cold in the hills of West Virginia

Sister-in-law moans through the night
Her babies bawl til morning light
The way Jeb left, it wasn’t right
It’s so cold in the hills of West Virginia

It’s cold, blowin’ cold, bitter tears turn to ice in the snow
And even though coal fire is burnin’ down below
It’s so cold in the hills of West Virginia

We had us jobs in Freeman’s Mine
And daddy did too in his time
The way it ended was a crime
One day we showed and the gates was locked forever

Just to survive, I’s dealing ‘Ludes
But Jeb had morals, he refused
I said “We can’t afford that attitude
It’s so cold in the hills of West Virginia”

It’s cold, blowin’ cold, bitter tears turn to ice in the snow
And even though coal fire is burnin’ down below
It’s so cold in the hills of West Virginia

My baby’s crawlin’ cross the floor
They shut my credit at the store
Don’t know if I can take much more
It’s so cold in the hills of West Virginia