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, to the mine 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 Keeps 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 get down to the Cumberland Mine Gotta get down to the Cumberland Mine That's where I mainly spend my time Make good money, five dollars a day Made anymore, I might move away Lotta poor man got the Cumberland Blues He can't win for losin' Lotta poor man got to walk the line Just to pay his 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
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, to the mine 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 Keeps 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 get down to the Cumberland Mine Gotta get down to the Cumberland Mine That's where I mainly spend my time Make good money, five dollars a day Made anymore, I might move away Lotta poor man got the Cumberland Blues He can't win for losin' Lotta poor man got to walk the line Just to pay his 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