I can’t stay much longer, Melinda,
The sun is getting high.
I can’t help you with your troubles,
If you won’t help with mine.
I gotta get down,
I gotta get down,
I gotta get down to the mi-ine.
You keep me up just one more night,
I can’t sleep here no more.
Little Ben clock says quarter to eight;
You kept me up ’til four.
I gotta get down,
I gotta get down,
Or I can’t work there no more.
A lotta poor man make a five dollar bill,
Keep him happy all the time.
Some other fella’s makin’ nothin’ at all
And you can hear him cry,
«Can I go, buddy, can I go down
Take your shift at the mine ?»
Gotta git down to the Cumberland Mine.
Gotta git down to the Cumberland Mine.
That’s where I mainly spend my time.
Make good money, five dollars a day.
Make anymore, I might move away.
A lot of poor man got the Cumberland Blues
He can’t win for losin’
Lot of poor man got to walk that line
Just to pay their union dues.
I don’t know now, I just don’t know
If I’m goin’ back again.
I don’t know now, I just don’t know
If I’m goin’ back again.
I don’t know now, I just don’t know
If I’m goin’ back again.