Black Lung
The Dead South
Key of Em · Chords: I III V VI i
Open in Bluegrass Book: transpose, play alongIntro
E B E B E B E B Em G Em G Em G Em G
Verse 1
Em G Basically we are all alone in the centre of a pickaxe mine. Em Black lung stings as the pickaxe swings. Em G As the void of the mine closes in, Em The Devil came and the angels sang. Em G A Song of the Holy Ghost. Em Tempted the soul from the pennies to the gold, Em G Like the dust I spit from my mouth.
Chorus
Em G Wooa Wooa oooo oo oo oooooooo oo oo oooooooo oo Em G Wooa Wooa oooo oo oo oooooooo oo oo oooooooo oo
Verse 2
Em Remember the night with the barroom fight Em G Where I killed all my best friends. Em We gambled it away with the whiskey open keg, Em G And we never saw it again. Em Well I had a wife that I met back in high school; Em G Her name was Lyla-Jean. Em We saved away to escape some place Em G On a local miner's minor pay.
Chorus
Em G Wooa Wooa oooo oo oo oooooooo oo oo oooooooo oo Em G Wooa Wooa oooo oo oo oooooooo oo oo oooooooo oo
Verse 3
Em We saved so long, the fall came and gone Em G At Least 27 times. Em It fell through the floorboards into deep dark darkness, Em G And we never saw it again. Em So West Virginia's home and that's where we're staying Em G To the blade of the bible hymn. Em Jesus says we're wicked so we just keep on pickin' Em G At the scab of the open mine
Chorus
Em G Wooa Wooa oooo oo oo oooooooo oo oo oooooooo oo Em G Wooa Wooa oooo oo oo oooooooo oo oo oooooooo oo Em G Wooa Wooa oooo oo oo oooooooo oo oo oooooooo oo Em C Em Wooa Wooa oooo oo oo oooooooo oo oo oooooooo oo
Outro
Em
(Single strum)