Steamin' down the muddy waters
Travelin' yonder from bay to bay
I been workin' on the barge line
Fourteen years ago today
Eighteen hours hard labor by the day
Ain't much pay for a manChorus:
Haulin' coal down the down river
And he won't be comin' home for a long timeTorches burning by the riverside
Cast their shadows grey as stone
And the cool October days replacing
Much warmer thoughts of home
I can still see grandma sittin' on the porch
Tellin' the neighbors she's got a grandsonChorus:
Haulin' coal down the down river
And he won't be comin' home for a long timeRiver's rising up the marker line
While the willows softly moan
Sun is rising over the starboard shore
Paving the golden road back homeI can still see the kids jumpin' rope
But there ain't much hope for a manChorus:
Haulin' coal down the down river
And he won't be comin' home for a long timeHaulin' coal down the down river
I'll be gone a long timeHaulin' coal down the down river
I'll be gone a long while