Lyr Add: You'll Never Leave Harlan Alive

Subject: Lyr Add: YOU'LL NEVER LEAVE HARLAN ALIVE (D Scott)
From: Stewie
Date: 06 Dec 01 - 11:12 AM

YOU'LL NEVER LEAVE HARLAN ALIVE
(Darrell Scott)

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

Oh, my grandfather's dad crossed the Cumberland Mountains
Where he took a pretty girl 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 drinkin'
And you spend your life just thinkin' of how to get away

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

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

But the times they got hard and tobacco wasn't selling
And old granddad knew what he'd do to survive
He went and dug for Harlan coal, and sent the money back to grandma
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 drinkin'
And you spend your life digging coal from the bottom of your grave
You'll never leave Harlan alive

Source: Patty Loveless 'Mountain Soul' Epic EK 85651

--Stewie.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: You'll Never Leave Harlan Alive
From: Joe Offer
Date: 06 Dec 01 - 12:58 PM

Stewie, do you have any idea when this was written, or anything about the background of the song? Seems to me there was mention of this song s few weeks ago - it's a gem.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: You'll Never Leave Harlan Alive
From: GUEST,BigDaddy
Date: 06 Dec 01 - 03:12 PM

Here's the songwriter's website: click

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: You'll Never Leave Harlan Alive
From: Stewie
Date: 06 Dec 01 - 05:41 PM

Sorry, Joe, I have no background to the song. I know of Scott only from his beaut Howdy Skies CD with Tim O'Brien and as a session muso. I had been to the website linked by BigDaddy, but it doesn't shed any light on this song. It seems that Patty Loveless was drawn to it because her father 'worked at Federal Mines [Elkhorn City,KY], four miles into the earth, sometimes mining coal on his knees'.

--Stewie.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: You'll Never Leave Harlan Alive
From: Stewie
Date: 06 Dec 01 - 06:27 PM

Searching the net for more info, I found a site with an MP3 of Scott performing the song at 1997 Telluride Bluegrass Festival:

Click

--Stewie.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: You'll Never Leave Harlan Alive
From: bigchuck
Date: 06 Dec 01 - 06:44 PM

I've got it on Darrel's CD called Aloha Nashville. It is indeed a great song by a fine writer and musician. Same CD also has a great song based on Old Joe Clark.
Sandy

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: You'll Never Leave Harlan Alive
From: katlaughing
Date: 22 Apr 11 - 10:19 PM

There is a REALLY nice video of Scott singing this song on youtube HERE. Beautiful song, voice, and pickin'.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: You'll Never Leave Harlan Alive
From: michaelr
Date: 22 Apr 11 - 11:12 PM

Check out this version from Transatlantic Sessions. With Jerry Douglas, Aly Bain, Russ Barenberg, Karen Matheson, etc.

Transatlantic Sessions has got to be the most brilliant trad series ever made for TV.