In Johnson county holler
Where the minin' comp'ny bloomed
He lived in a house with all five brothers
His dearest sisters too
The summer heat was as bad as the mud that the human air did brew
In the winter the snow just blowed on in
Through holes in the wall you could throw a dog through

As an able-bodied boy he lied about his age
To help his father break away from the rattle of a poor man's ball and chain
They made him shoot their coal
And he was grateful at the time
There was many a boy that'd done the same
And they'd never come out alive

Better run coalshooter run
Run away as fast as you can
And when you get to the end of the tunnel
Just keep on runnin' my friend
'Cause this ain't no kind of life that a young man should live
If you can run faster than gunpowder burns you might see the light again

Well they were bitin' down on blasting caps
Just doing like daddy asked
Even though they knew that the next bite down could surely be their last
You ain't got no time to be scared no
With dynamite in your hands
Don't hesitate boy cause if you slip up, son you're as good as dead

Better run coalshooter run
Run away as fast as you can
And when you get to the end of the tunnel
Just keep on runnin' my friend
'Cause this ain't no kind of life that a young man should live
If you can run faster than gunpowder burns you might see the light again

They sent him deep into the mine where a boy can't see the light of day
Guided by the lamp on his head in the dark he begins
To pray that the fuses were all cut right
And that a stray spark don't take light
And prays that he won't die in this mine, he hates the thought
Mama cries

You better run coalshooter run
Run away as fast as you can
And when you get to the end of the tunnel
Just keep on runnin' my friend
'Cause this ain't no kind of life that a young man should live
If you can run faster than gunpowder burns you might see the light again
You might see the light again