daddy was a god fearin' man

used to go with my grandpa up to the town square

set him down up there on a picnic bench and he used to play checkers with them other old men up there. they used to tell stories bout when they were kids. grandpa says he shot the chief of police when he was nine years old. n' i believe him

cause they tell me that hazard

kentucky's the baldest place in the world. why

they say they used to sit out there on there front porch

shoot then revenuers when they'd come down the hollow. said they was so young

took two o' them boys to hold the rifle and one to pull the trigger

hymn! well

grandpa

he'd lie a little bit

but i'll tell you

there's a lot of stories in harlan county. yea

folks in harlan county

lord

they knew that we were poor

they always called my daddy preacher dan

but daddy weren't no preacher

least ways i don't recollect

never hear of poppa talk of nothing' but the land

and daddy was a god fearing' farmer yes he was

could not read nor write

lord

he could barley spell his name

daddy was a god fearing' farmer all his life

someday when i'm grown ill be the same. well he always grew tobacco though he did not smoke himself

he had the best tobacco crop around

and he never touched a drop of liquor that i can recall

papa made his living' on the ground. yes sunday-go-to-meeting' called for more than he could stand

i guess he felt at home in his old clothes

but he never missed a sunday taking momma to the church

maybe it was habit

lords

but heaven only knows

yea

folks in harlan county

lord

they knew that we were poor

they always called my daddy preacher dan

but daddy weren't no preacher

least ways i don't recollect

never hear of grandpa talk of nothing' but the land