I was born in the canebrake
Shovel in hand
Lookin' for the strawboss
In the firedamp
The pillar's been robbed and
The tipples brim
Oh, the air grows colder
And the lamp's light dims
Deep in the coal bed
Where the songbird sleeps
The cribs are crying
And the Earth, it bleeds
But down in the canebrake
Some happy day
I'll serenade her
And this is what I'll say
Come my love, come
My boat lies low
I'm high and dry on The Ohio
Come my love, come
Won't you come along with me
And I'll take you down to Tennessee
I was born in the canebrake
To a yellow moon
Out by the old mill
In the collier's tomb
The walls are working
And the cage it creaks
Oh, the timbers moan and
The widows weep
The kettle's creeping
And the brow hangs low
Muscle and blood
And skin and bone
But down in the canebrake
With an angel's psalm
I'll serenade her
And this'll be my song
Come my love, come
My boat lies low
I'm high and dry on The Ohio
Come my love, come
Won't you come along with me
And I'll take you down to Tennessee
I was born in the canebrake
Shovel in hand
Lookin' for the strawboss
In the firedamp
The walls are working
And the cage it creaks
Oh, the timbers moan and
The widows weep
Deep in the coal bed
Where the songbird sleeps
The cribs are crying
And the Earth, it bleeds
But she'll be waiting
By the cabin door
With a pose so comely
That I'll say once more
Come my love, come
My boat lies low
I'm high and dry on The Ohio
Come my love, come
Won't you come along with me
And I'll take you down to Tennessee
I told her, it's the weight
The weight of all the world
I can feel it as it all begins to gently leave me now
Lord, and it's the weight
The weight of all the world
I can feel it as it all begins to gently leave me now