I come from the mountains, Kentucky's my home
Where the wild deer and the black bear so lately did roam
By the cool rushing waterfalls the wildflowers dream
And through every green valley, there runs a clear stream
Now there's scenes of destruction on every hand
And there's only black waters run down through my land
Sad scenes of destruction on every hand
Black waters, black waters, run down through the land
Well, the quail, she's a pretty bird, she sings a sweet tongue
In the roots of the tall timber she nests with her young
But the hillside explodes with the dynamite's roar
And voices of the small birds will sound there no more
And the hillsides come a sliding so awful and grand
And the flooding black waters rise over my land
Sad scenes of destruction on every hand
Black waters, black waters, run down through the land
In the rising of the springtime we planted our corn
In the ending of springtime we buried our son
In the summer come a nice man, says "Everything's fine
My employer just requires a way to his mine"
Then they tore down my mountain and covered my corn
And the grave on the hillside's a mile deeper down
And the man stands and talks with his hat in his hand
As the poisonous waters rise over my land
Sad scenes of destruction on every hand
Black waters, black waters, run down through the land
Well I ain't got no money, not much of a home
(I come from the mountains, Kentucky's my home)
I own my own land, but my land's not my own
(Where the wild deer and the black bear so lately did roam)
But, if I had ten million, somewheres thereabout
(By the cool rushing waterfalls the wildflowers dream)
I would buy Perry County and I'd throw them all out
(And through every green valley, there runs a clear stream)
Sit down on the banks with my bait and my can
(Scenes of destruction on every hand)
And just watch the clear waters run down through my land
Well, wouldn't that be like the old promised land?
Black waters, black waters no more in my land
Black waters, black waters no more in my land
