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 own 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 Oh, someday I'll go home and I know I'll right the 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