I come from the mountains, Kentucky's my home
Where the wild deer and the black bear so lately did roam
By the cool rushing waterfall the wildflowers dream
And through every green valley, there runs a clear stream

Now there's scenes of destruction on every hand
And only black waters run down through my land
Sad scenes of destruction on every hand
Black waters, black waters, run down through my land

Oh, the quail, she's a pretty bird, she sings a sweet tongue
In the roots of tall timber she nests with her young
Then the hillside explodes with the dynamite's roar
And the voice of the small bird is heard there no more

And the mountain comes down tumbling so awful and grand
As the poisoned black waters run down to my land
Sad scenes of destruction on every hand
Black waters, black waters, run down through my land

In the coming of a springtime we planted our corn
In the ending of a springtime we buried our son
In the summer come a nice man says everything's fine
My employer just requires a way to his mine

Then he blew down my timber and covered my corn
And the grave on the hillside's a mile deeper down
And the man stands a' talks with his hat in his hand
As the poison black waters rise over my land
Sad scenes of destruction on every hand
Black waters, black waters, run down through my land

Now I don't have much money, not much of a home
I own my own land, but my land's not my own
But if I had ten million, somewhere's thereabout
I'd buy Perry county and I throw them all out

And I just sit down on the banks with my bait and my can
And watch the clear waters run down through my land
Oh, wouldn't that be just like the old promised land?
Black waters, black waters no more in my land
Black waters, black waters no more in my land