Oh, the green rolling hills of West Virginia
Are the nearest thing to heaven that I know
Though the times are sad and drear
And I cannot linger here, they'll keep me
And never let me go

My daddy said: "Don't ever be a miner
For a mines grave is all I'll ever know"
There's hard times everywhere
I can't find a dime to spare
These are the worst times I've ever known

But the green rolling hills of West Virginia
Are the nearest thing to heaven that I know
Though the times are sad and drear
And I cannot linger here, they'll keep me
And never let me go

So I'll move away into some crowded city
In some northern factory town you'll find me there
Though I'll leave the past behind
I'll never change my mind
These troubled times are more than I can bear

But the green rolling hills of West Virginia
Are the nearest thing to heaven that I know
Though the times are sad and drear
And I cannot linger here, they'll keep me
And never let me go

Someday I'll go back to West Virginia
To those green rolling hills I love so well
Well, someday I'll go home
And I know I'll might be wrong
These hard times will follow me no more

Oh, the green rolling hills of West Virginia
Are the nearest thing to heaven that I know
Though the times are sad and drear
And I cannot linger here, they'll keep me
And never let me go

Though the times are sad and drear
And I cannot linger here, they'll keep me
And never let me go