Nine Pound Hammer Songtext
von Merle Travis

Roll on buddy
Don′t you roll so slow
How can I roll when the wheels won't go?

Up in East Kentucky around Harlan and Perry County
The coal miner sings a little song called, The Nine Pound Hammer
Now just picture yourself a-driving four inch spikes
In hard black oak track ties
About five miles back under the mountain
Where the top′s so low in the mines
That you can't straighten up to rest your back just for a minute
And lots of time, the air gets so foul back there
That you just can't get a good deep breath


This nine pound hammer is a little too heavy
For my size
Honey, for my size
I′m going on the mountain, gonna see my baby
But I ain′t coming back
Oh well, I ain't coming back

Roll on buddy
Don′t you roll so slow
How can I roll when the wheels won't go?
Roll on buddy, pull a load of coal
How can I pull when the wheels won′t roll?

It's a long way to Harlan
It′s a long way to Hazard
Just to get a little brew, just to get a little brew
When I'm long gone, you can make my tombstone
Out of a number nine coal, out of a number nine coal

Roll on buddy
Don't you roll so slow
How can I roll when the wheels won′t go?
Roll on buddy, pull a load of coal
How can I pull when wheels won′t roll?


Roll on buddy
Don't you roll so slow
How can I roll when the wheel won′t go?