[Verse] I can't stay much longer, Melinda, the sun is getting high I can't help you with your troubles, if you won't help with mine I gotta get down, I gotta get down, I gotta get down to the mine You keep me up just one more night, I can't sleep here no more Little Ben clock says quarter to eight; you kept me up 'till four I gotta get down, I gotta get down, or I can't work there no more A lot of poor man make a five dollar bill, keep him happy all the time Some other fella's making nothing at all and you can hear him cry "Can I go, buddy, can I go down take your shift at the mine?" Gotta get down to the Cumberland mine Gotta get down to the Cumberland mine That's where I mainly spend my time Make good money, five dollars a day Made anymore, I might move away Lotta poor man got the Cumberland blues he can't win for losing Lotta poor man got to walk the line just to pay his union dues I don't know now, I just don't know if I'm going back again