Black Lung

[Verse 1]

Sunrise lighting up a ridgetop

Slicing through the frost like a red-hot knife

Sometimes I'm dreaming I'm a running across

But I couldn't now to save my life

Hound dog, yipping in the holler

Musta jumped a bear, bubba listen to him run

Somebody oughta catch him by the collar

But I ain't going nowhere 'cause I'm down with black lung

[Chorus]

Black lung never gets better

Every breath a little bit harder to draw

Shotgun loaded in the corner

Reckon I'm a' lie here and die of black lung

[Verse 2]

Some days are better than the other ones

Sit out on the porch when it's cool at night

Can't say there ain't then but I'm some suffering

Every breath I take like a twelve round fight

Grandbabies out beneath the willow tree

Hollering and laughing, and it sound like fun

Can't pick 'em up, hug their necks anyway

Sorry honey Granddaddy's down with black lung

[Chorus]

Black lung never gets better

Every breath a little bit harder to draw

Shotgun loaded in the corner

Reckon I'm a' lie here and die of black lung

[Instrumental Verse]

[Verse 3]

It seemed like it was only yesterday

I pulled my first shift down a longwall mine

First breath of fresh air at the whistle

And I already knew it's just a matter of time

If I'd never been down in a coal mine

I'd live a lot longer, hell that ain't a close call

But then again I'd a' never had anything

And half a life is better than nothing at all

[Chorus]

Black lung never gets better

Every breath a little bit harder to draw

Shotgun loaded in the corner

Reckon I'm a' lie here and die of black lung

Black lung never gets better

Every breath a little bit harder to draw

Shotgun loaded in the corner

Reckon I'm a' lie here and die of black lung

Black lung never gets better

Every breath a little bit harder to draw

Shotgun loaded in the corner

Reckon I'm a' lie here and die of black lung