Phil Ochs No Christmas in Kentucky lyrics

Christmas shoppers shopping on a neon city street
Another Christmas dollar for another Christmas treat
There's satin on the pretty dolls that make the children glow
While a boy walking ragged in the cold Kentucky snow

No, they don't have Christmas in Kentucky
There's no holly on a West Virginia door
For the trees don't twinkle when you're hungry
And the jingle bells don't jingle when you're poor

There's lots of toys for children when the Christmas time is near
But the present for the miners is a stocking full of beer
In the dark hills of Kentucky there's one gift that may be found
The coal dust of forgotten days that's lying on the ground

No, they don't have Christmas in Kentucky
There's no holly on a West Virginia door
For the trees don't twinkle when you're hungry
And the jingle bells don't jingle when you're poor

Let's drink a toast to congress and a toast to Santa Claus

And a toast to all the speeches that bring the loud applause
There's not enough to give, no, there's not enough to share
So, let's drown the sounds of sorrow with a hearty Christmas cheer

No, they don't have Christmas in Kentucky
There's no holly on a West Virginia door
For the trees don't twinkle when you're hungry
And the jingle bells don't jingle when you're poor

Have a merry, merry Christmas and a happy new year's day
For now's a time of plenty and plenty's here to stay
But if you knew what Christmas was, I think that you would find
That Christ is spending Christmas in the cold Kentucky mine

No, they don't have Christmas in Kentucky
There's no holly on a West Virginia door
For the trees don't twinkle when you're hungry
And the jingle bells don't jingle when you're poor