Bobby Bare - Coal River lyrics

Many is the times I'd walked it's banks With tearful pride and humble thanks It's baptized my soul and made me whole Freed my hands from dirty coal Many small houses sit on it's banks Catalogs of dreams and prayers of thanks Washed my body and cleaned my mind It's been cruel and it's been kind Coal river Coal river Coal river I've come home I see my daddy all tired and worn A gentle man yet full of scorn We sit on the front porch and watch it rain Dream of knowledge and talk of pain But that old city got too big for me Just like the river our love runs free So here I am and here I'll stay I'll just live my life from day to day On coal river Coal river Coal river