This is Chuck Ragan's cover of  Coal Tattoo' originally done by Billy Ed Wheeler 
and covered by numerous artists through the years. This version however is mainly 
based on Hazel Dicken's version, a personal favourite of Chuck's. On Capo 5. 
_______________________________________________________
Intro (x2): A5 , C5 , A5 , C5 , 
                  A5 C5 , G5 , A5

Verse 1: 
A5                              C5               A5
Travelin' down that coal town road. 
C5                            G5                 A5
Listenin' to my rubber tires whine.
A5                     F5                                A5
Goodbye to Buckeye and white Sycamore. 
C5           G5               A5
I'm leavin' you behind.
G5      C5     G5        C5       G5              C5
I've been coal miner all of my life. 
G5      C5     G5        C5    G5          C5
Layin' down track in the hole.
F5                               A5                             G5
Gotta back like an ironwood, bit by the wind. 
A5                     C5          A5
Blood veins blue as the coal. 
F5                    C5                A5
Blood veins blue as the coal.


Verse 2: 
A5               C5
Somebody said, 
                                 A5             C5                      G5              A5
"That's a strange tattoo you have on the side of your head."
A5
I said, 
                        C5                       A5           
"That's the blueprint left by the coal. 
A5        G5            C5                 A5
A little more and I'd been dead.
A5     G5            C5                   G5                C5
Well, I love the rumble and I love the dark. 
G5     C5      G5                      C5 
I love the cool of the shade,
                           C5               A5                        C5
And it's on down the new road, lookin' for a job. 
  C5                    G5                  A5
This travelin' nook in my head. (Sometimes x2)


Interlude: Intro Chords


Verse 3: 
A5                                          C5            A5 
I stood for the union and walked in the line
C5                                            A5 
And fought against the company.
A5                 C5                A5
I stood for the U. M. W. of A.
F5                                 C5             A5
Now, who's gonna stand by me?
C5                  G5                         C5       G5
I've got no house and I got no job, 
G5              C5             G5
Just got a worried soul
F5                           C5                               A5
And a blue tattoo on the side of my head 
F5                       C5            A5
Left by the number nine coal. 
F5                       C5            A5 
Left by the number nine coal.


Verse 4: 
A5                              C5            A5
Some day when I'm dead and gone 
G5                     C5                        A5
To heaven, the land of my dreams.
A5                             C5                        A5
I won't have to worry on losin' my job, 
          C5                    G5               A5
On bad times and big machines.
C5                         G5                       A5
I ain't gonna pay my money away 
G5                    C5              G5
On dues or hospital plans.
G5                            A5                          C5
I'm gonna cut coal where the blue heavens roll 
F5                                G5           A5
And sing with the angel band.
F5                                G5           A5
And sing with the angel band.


Outro:
F5                                G5           A5
And sing with the angel band.
F5                                G5           A5
And sing with the angel band.