Run Rufus Run

The mountains were a prison for their family of nine
No where to go no place to work unless you crawled down in the mines

And his momma knew the sound of a man's lungs turnin' black
So when daddy found another way to make a livin' it was easy to turn her back
Now Rufus was the oldest and he knew Bell County well
He could hunt and fish like any grown man and take care of his self
So his daddy put him to runnin' shine when he was just 12 years old
Said it might not be the right thing, but it sure beats minin' coal

Run Rufus run, run across the mountains darlin'
Daddy wants you to take a load of shine to a man up near Harlan
And hе feared for his life еvery time his daddy would put him on the run again
He said a boy's no match for the shotgun blast from the gun of a revenue man

So one fall night when the moon was bright enough to light his way
Rufus loaded up that old sedan, said i'll be back 'fore the break of day
But as he turned onto highway 119 he heard three shot gun blasts
And his blood ran cold and wondered, could this run be his last?
And his momma never closed her eyes that night when he left home
She tossed and turned and walked the floor prayin' nothin' would go wrong
'Cause her thoughts were on a stranger she'd heard about from town
He had a funny talk and a brand new car and been askin' around

Run Rufus run, run across the mountains darlin'
Daddy wants you to take a load of shine to a man up near Harlan
And he feared for his life every time his daddy would put him on the run again
He said a boy's no match for the shotgun blast from the gun of a revenue man

Oh but Rufus knew those mountain roads like the back of his hand
He could take those curves on two wheels in a beat up old Sedan
So he ran 'em up the holler and lost 'em somewhere round William's Branch
There was one bad road that they didn't know they never knew they never had a chance

Run Rufus run, run across the mountains darlin'
Daddy wants you to take a load of shine to a man up near Harlan
And he feared for his life every time his daddy would put him on the run again
He said a boy's no match for the shotgun blast from the gun of a revenue man
He said a boy's no match for the shotgun blast from the gun of a revenue man