THE MOUNTAIN
(Steve Earle)
(performed by Steve Earle & The Del McCoury Band)

key: D
                                       
I was bor[D]n on this mountain a long time ag[Bm]o
               
'fore they kn[D]ocked down the ti[Em]mber and str[G]ip-mined the co[Bm]al.
                                          
When you ro[D]se in the mornin' before it was li[Bm]ght,
      
Go do[D]wn in that da[Em]rk hole and co[G]me back up at ni[Bm]ght. [A]

                                          
CHORUS:
I was bo[D]rn on this mountain, this mountain's my ho[Bm]me
         
And she ho[D]lds me and ke[Em]eps me from wo[G]rry and wo[A]e.
          D                                          
Well, they took everything that she gave, now they're go[Bm]ne,
         D          Em               
But I'll die on this mountain, this mo[G]untain's my ho[D]me.

                                       
I was yo[D]ung on this mountain but now I am o[Bm]ld,
                  
And I kn[D]ew every ho[Em]ller, every co[G]ol swimmin' ho[Bm]le
                                    
Till one ni[D]ght I lay down and woke up to fi[Bm]d
       D             Em            
That my childhood was over; I went do[G]wn in the mi[Bm]ne. [A]


(Chorus)

Instrumental SOLO

                                          
There's a ho[D]le in this mountain; it's dark and it's de[Bm]ep
                     
And Go[D]d only kno[Em]ws all the se[G]crets it ke[Bm]eps.
                                       
There's a chi[D]ll in the air only miners can fe[Bm]el

And there's gho[D]sts in the tu[Em]nnels that the co[G]mpany se[Bm]aled. [A}


Audio of the song, with montage of miner and mountain images:
The Mountain: Steve Earle & Del McCoury Band