Intro: D 

             D 
They learned readin', writin', Route 23 
       G                                          D 
To the jobs that lay waiting in those cities' factories 
            A 
they didn't know that that old highway 
      G                          D 
Could lead them to a world of misery 
         D 
Have you ever been down Kentucky way 

Say south of Prestonburg 

Have you ever been up in a holler 

Have you ever heard 
  G 
A mountain man cough his life away 

From diggin' that black coal 
              D                      
In those dark mines, those old dark mines 
       C 
If you had you might just understand 
    G                              D 
The reason that they left is all behind 


[Refrão]
Chorus: 
                    D 
'cause They learned readin', wrightin', Route 23 
       G                                           D 
To the jobs that lay waitin' in those cities' factories 

They learned readin', writin', roads to the north  
       G                                      D 
To the luxury and comfort a coal miner can't afford 

They thought readin', writin', Route 23 
         G                                              D 
Ah Would take them to the good life that they had never seen 
            A 
They didn't know that old highway 
      G                       D 
Could lead them to a world of misery 

guitar Solo:  D A G D 

D 
Have you ever seen 'em 

Put the kids in the car after work on Friday night 

Pull up in a holler about 2 A. M. 

And see a light still shinin' bright 
      G 
Those mountain folks sat up that late 

to hold those little grandkids 
         D 
In their arms, in their arms 
        C 
And I'm proud to say that I've been blessed 
    G                                D 
And touched by their sweet hillbilly charm 


[Refrão]
Chorus: 
             D 
They learned readin', writin', Route 23 
       G                                           D 
To the jobs that lay waiting in those cities' factories 

They learned readin', writin', roads to the north 
       G                                       D 
To the luxury and comfort a coal miner can't afford 

They thought readin', writin', Route 23 
         G                                              D 
Oh Would take them to the good life that they had never seen 
            A 
They didn't know that old highway 
      G                         D 
Could lead them to a world of misery 
               A 
Yeah, it turns out that that old highway, 
G                         D 
Leads you to a world of misery 

.