Coal Tattoo chords by Chuck Ragan

and covered by numerous artists through the years. This version however is mainly
based on Hazel Dickens version, a personal favourite of Chucks. On Capo 5.
This is the second upload because the spacing on the first one messed up.
_______________________________________________________
Intro (x2): Am, C, Am, C,
                  Am C, G, Am

Verse 1:
Am      C/G               Am
Travelin down that coal town road.
C          G                 Am
Listenin to my rubber tires whine.
Am       F                 Am
Goodbye to Buckeye and white Sycamore.
C           G               Am
I'm leavin' you behind.
G      C     G        C       G      C
I've been coal miner all of my life.
G      C     G        C    G      C
Layin' down track in the hole.
F         Am                             G
Gotta back like an ironwood, bit by the wind.
Am       C/G          Am
Blood veins blue as the coal.
F           C/G          Am
Blood veins blue as the coal.

Verse 2:
Am               C/G
Somebody said,
                   Am             C       G              Am
"That's a strange tattoo you have on the side of your head."
Am
I said,
       C                       Am
"That's the blueprint left by the coal.
Am        G            C/G        Am
A little more and I'd been dead.
Am     G       C      G                C
Well, I love the rumble and I love the dark.
G     C      G          C
I love the cool of the shade,
 C/G               Am                        C/G
And it's on down the new road, lookin for a job.
  C                    G                  Am
This travelin nook in my head. (Sometimes x2)


Interlude: Intro Chords


Verse 3:
Am                  C/G            Am
I stood for the union and walked in the line
C/G                 Am
And fought against the company.
Am       C/G                Am
I stood for the U. M. W. of A.
F           C             Am
Now, whos gonna stand by me?
C                  G              C       G
I've got no house and I got no job,
G         C/G             G
Just got a worried soul
F          C/G           Am
And a blue tattoo on the side of my head
F          C/G            Am
Left by the number nine coal.
F          C/G            Am
Left by the number nine coal.


Verse 4:
Am              C/G            Am
Some day when I'm dead and gone
G                   C               Am
To heaven, the land of my dreams.
Am               C               Am
I wont have to worry on losin my job,
    C                    G          Am
On bad times and big machines.
C                  G                Am
I ain't gonna pay my money away
G                 C              G
On dues or hospital plans.
C                Am                          C
I'm gonna cut coal where the blue heavens roll
F              G           Am
And sing with the angel band.
F               G           Am
And sing with the angel band.


Outro:
F               G           Am
And sing with the angel band.
F               G           Am