Got married at 16, had a 15 year old wife
Guess I've been a grown man, just about all my life
Like my daddy before me, I've done the best I could
Somehow things turned out a little worse than they should

Logan West Virginia is a hundred mile behind
Coal mines took my boys life and my Janie's piece of mind
All I know is back in Logan and I ain't never been that smart
But I know I had to leave there to heal my Janie's heart

Damn these hard times, damn the coal mines
Damn the good dreams gone cold
While I'm at it, damn this crooked road

Me and Janie worked hard to get our children grown
Junior was our first born it's cut us to the bone
We learned long ago that you don't doubt the good lords plan
But some things is hard to take lord, we just tryin' to understand

But damn these hard times, damn the coal mines
Damn the good dreams gone cold
While I'm at it, damn this crooked road

There's a big blue ocean another 300 mile
Sun on the water just might make my Janie smile
Light in her eyes is worth more to me than gold
Hope runs straight line right down this mountain road

So damn these hard times, damn the coal mines
Damn the good dreams gone cold
While I'm at it, damn this crooked road
While I'm at it, damn this crooked road