Bobby Bare - Dark As A Dungeon Lyrics






Come listen you fellows so young and so fine
And seek not your fortune in the dark dreary mine
It will form as a habit and seep in your soul
'Till the stream of your blood is as black as the coal

It's dark as a dungeon and damp as the dew
Where the danger is double and the pleasures are few
Where the rain never falls and the sun never shines
It's dark as a dungeon way down in the mines

It's many a man I've known in my day
Who lived just to labor his young life away
Like a fiend with his dope and a drunkard his wine
A man will have lust for the lure of the mine

It's dark as a dungeon and damp as the dew
Where the danger is double and the pleasures are few
Where the rain never falls and the sun never shines
It's dark as a dungeon way down in the mines

I hope when I'm gone and the ages shall roll
My body will blacken and turn into coal
Then I'll look from the door of my heavenly home
And pity the miner a-digging my bones

It's dark as a dungeon and damp as the dew
Where the danger is double and the pleasures are few
Where the rain never falls and the sun never shines
It's dark as a dungeon way down in the mines





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Bobby Bare Dark As A Dungeon Comments
  1. K.... P....

    Okayyyy how bout a little Miley Cyrus now?
    Kidding. What a magnificently moving song

  2. C.... ....

    TBBT brought me to some great songs and this is one of them. Thanks, Cooper!

  3. K.... W....

    I remember when Johnny Cash sang the song now I know where it came from

  4. M.... G....

    Working men can relate

  5. s.... p....

    Cooper also brought me here gotta say he cant keep a beat lol but its still a good song

  6. D.... ....

    Fully stacked diamonds

  7. G.... M....

    Lovely to listen to :) Different lyrics from the English version i grew up with : https://www.fsc.org.uk/glee/d/dark.htm

  8. Y.... K....

    Saw him proform this song at the 1967 Newport Folk Festival.

  9. T.... ....

    Love this song glad it was in 76

  10. T.... B....

    Ok how bout miley cyrus next

    T.... B....

    Hahahahahaha

  11. M.... ....

    Sheldon Cooper sings it better

  12. L.... W....

    I dedicate this song to KY senator 'Moscow Mitch" !

  13. s.... p....

    Awesome stuff! Im from South Wales and it gives my goose bumps to think of the old coal miners singing this, which I'm almost certain they would have done coz we love a good sing sing in these parts.

  14. R.... E....

    Brought me here, brought me here, what a bunch of sheep! Try thinking an original thought once in a while.

  15. K.... B....

    Beautiful song and singing

  16. 4.... T....

    is this copyright free?

  17. X.... x....

    For a generation where the smoked cigarettes most of the day, he has nice teeth😂

  18. S.... F....

    Come and listen, you fellers, so young and so fine,
    And seek not your fortune in the dark dreary mine.
    Where the demons of death often come by surprise,
    One fall of the slate and you’re buried alive.

    Where it’s dark as a dungeon, and damp as the dew,
    Where dangers are double, and pleasures are few.
    Where the rain never falls and the sun never shines,
    It’s dark as a dungeon way down in the mine.

    It’s a many of man I have known in my day
    Who lived just to labor his whole life away.
    Like the fiend with his dope and the drunkard his wine,
    A man will have lust for the lure of the mine.

    Where it’s dark as a dungeon, and damp as the dew,
    Where dangers are double, and pleasures are few.
    Where the rain never falls and the sun never shines,
    It’s dark as a dungeon way down in the mine.

    I hope when I’m gone and ages shall role,
    My body will blackened and turn into coal.
    Than I look from the door of my heavenly home,
    And pity the miner, who diggin’ my bones.

    Where it’s dark as a dungeon, and damp as the dew,
    Where dangers are double, and pleasures are few.
    Where the rain never falls and the sun never shines,
    It’s dark as a dungeon way down in the mine.

  19. C.... S....

    Lord amight that voice is so clear and resonant and enunciated and ringing... I arrived at Merle Travis via Townes van Zandt. Funny enough, their voices are almost diametrically different

  20. M.... C....

    Merle Travis one of the greatest guitar players ever and I mean every one !

  21. S.... ....

    This song is scary bruh lmao

  22. t.... ....

    Being a old fart brought me here.

  23. M.... ....

    Sheldon didnt bring me here, neither did fallout 76. Mr. Mizell did.

  24. M.... B....

    Adaptation par un chanteur corse (Jean-Paul Poletti) : "A strada di l'omu"

  25. M.... T....

    Damn you, Sheldon!

  26. F.... H....

    Johnny cash brought me here, i actually thought it was him till i found this.

  27. c.... ....

    They used to play this clip at the Country Music Hall of Fame back in the '70s. It was featured along with Jimmie Rodgers' "Waiting for a Train": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gbzc77Tz6PA and Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys' "Ida Red." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xvw4_YOWNXM

  28. R.... W....

    Fallout 76.

  29. m.... s....

    This is so saddd.....😢

  30. V.... B....

    Johnny Cash did the best version, but Merle is good.

  31. C.... H....

    Best mining song ever....

  32. B.... N....

    Heard Cash's version. But not the original. So powerful! Also check out Freakwater's version for something a bit different.

  33. B.... B....

    Sheldon Cooper brougth me here

  34. L.... O....

    My dad had a beautiful tenor and could belt this out with more of a Celtic feel. This one is for you, Dad xx

  35. E.... C....

    Español Salvaje Ataca

  36. J.... L....

    This song hit home for some sad reason

  37. N.... 5....

    Spotify brung me

  38. M.... M....

    Merle is the man.

  39. P.... G....

    Fallout 76 anyone ?

  40. J.... J....

    Sheldon sang it better, lol

  41. J.... S....

    It's hard to admit but Sheldon Copper was singing this song better than this guy

  42. c.... b....

    Fallout 76 brought me here

    c.... b....

    Yo fallout 76 soundtrack was neat

  43. C.... ....

    Merle Travis = Soul.

  44. P.... B....

    I was watching some Johnny Cash Show episodes and this man appeared on a few and I could easily see how much of a influence Merle was on Johnny. This guy is the real deal, he has heart and you can see in his eyes and voice that he means what he sings. It's a shame that he wasn't known to more people, it really is as not only is he a great talent but he seems like a real good fellow.

  45. G.... 7....

    I found this song in fallout 76 and its perfect for exploring the mines in the ash heap which is literally a giant coal mountain

  46. H.... v....

    Bobby bares cover of this is the best

  47. b.... g....

    2018, 57 years after this song was written. I wonder if this dude knew how long lasting this song would be?

    b.... g....

    He did from his heavenly home

    b.... g....

    Don't think itd matter. It's just a way to express how miserable his life was at the time.

    b.... g....

    Actually, Travis was chronicling the miserable life of all coal miners of old, especially his father's. Another coal mining song he wrote, Sixteen Tons, went on to become even more popular when covered by Tennessee Ernie Ford, and many, many others:
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zUpTJg2EBpw
    Travis was also a great guitar virtuoso, pioneering the "thumbpicking" style of playing, very similar to what Chet Atkins is famous for.

  48. K.... H....

    Fallout 76 lowkey brought me here

  49. T.... S....

    Mon’ ye fallout 76.

  50. O.... V....

    The fallout fandom has claimed this video. Fak off Sheldon

    O.... V....

    Omar Vasquez war has changed

    O.... V....

    big bang theory played this song before Fallout soooooo........

  51. R.... F....

    Fallout 76 brought me here

  52. A.... D....

    Fallout 76 brought me here.

  53. s.... w....

    Fallout 76 brought me here

  54. J.... Q....

    like frosty said; 'welcome ,lads'

  55. P.... _....

    Sheldon Cooper brought me here.

  56. A.... M....

    Nobody gives a fuck who brought you here

  57. G.... S....

    Fallout 76 <3

  58. b.... ....

    Fallout 76 brought me here

  59. h.... ....

    fuck everyone who came here from sheldon cooper

  60. D.... D....

    inb4 "Fallout 76 Brought me here"

  61. F.... ....

    Those from Fallout 76 with a taste for good music... Welcome, Lads.

    F.... ....

    @Garfolf The great Good to see our kind in these parts

    F.... ....

    I loved this song long before F76, but anyone discovering this great music from the game should be fully welcomed!

    F.... ....

    FrostyA -Yes!

    F.... ....

    Good to see another fellow dweller in the ruins

    F.... ....

    I moved 'way from Appalachia west towards the arch side of the Mississippi back in 2150. Loved the Ozarks ever since I was a lad growin' up there

  62. j.... l....

    I'm here from Fallout 76

  63. M.... ....

    Fallout 76 <3

  64. Y.... I....

    I don’t wanna be that person to state why I’m here but wow. I’m so early and everyone should be ready for a flood of Fallout 76 fans.

    Y.... I....

    Also I already knew of this song, Fallout 76 just made me like it again because I could associate it with one of my favorite game series.

  65. K.... S....

    Yeah Sheldon brought me here

  66. V.... b....

    FALLOUT 76

  67. k.... ....

    Don't know and don't give a shit who sheldon cooper is. I came to listen to Merle Travis.

  68. A.... R....

    Fallout76 brought me here

  69. K.... M....

    Sheldon Cooper brought me here too

  70. S.... C....

    Nitty Gritty Dirt Band brought me here. Merle was a great, up there with Doc, Big Mon, Vassar and Clarence. RIP.

  71. M.... C....

    Who is Sheldon Cooper? The Country Gentlemen brought me here. They did a better version of this song.

  72. K.... D....

    An old guy busking in Bowness brought me here, his acoustic version was beautiful, I had to find it!

  73. X.... x....

    **makes a song about coal mining**
    **only person in his family who wasn’t a coal miner**

  74. G.... F....

    Sheldon cooper didn't bring me here.my dad playing this song on the guitar did

  75. N.... 1....

    fuck Sheldon Copper

  76. N.... 1....

    i fucking hate the people who always .. always have to say ...... brought me here.
    it is like a tick they can't get rid of

  77. p.... l....

    NO WONDER MINERS GO ON STRIKE AND FORM UNIONS GOD BLESS THE COAL MINERS WHO GO IN THE COAL MINES I WOULD NOT WANT THAT JOB MINES ARE NOT SAFE LIKE BLACK LUNG DESEASE AND OTHER DANGERS

  78. B.... D....

    Beautiful.

  79. M.... A....

    Brace yourself for all the "Sheldon Cooper brought me here" comments.

  80. M.... ....

    Just a great song.

  81. M.... f....

    sheldon sung a better tune

  82. D.... m....

    Sheldon Cooper brought me here.

  83. Y.... O....

    omg and wtf, sheldon cooper? u serious? associative misled poor boys'n'girls...

  84. b.... g....

    I like the Johnny Cash version a lil better, but much respect to this man who wrote the song.

  85. M.... C....

    It was Sheldon

  86. S.... ....

    Sounds like an English ballad

  87. W.... F....

    WOV is better

  88. M.... W....

    would yall just quit saying that Sheldon Cooper brought yall here. stupid and ignorance, Just look up Merle Travis on google. Or better yet, start listening to older country songs more often, that would fix it

  89. M.... H....

    sheldon cooper brought me here

  90. Z.... &....

    Sheldon Cooper brought me here hahahaha

  91. b.... f....

    Will the Circle be Unbroken brought me here. Nitty Gritty Dirt Band (and many others). Thanks so much for posting this wonderful piece of music history.

  92. g.... ....

    Sheldon Cooper drove me to drink.

  93. R.... C....

    If I would’ve counted on Shelton Coogler to bring me ANYWHERE, I’d still be waiting.
    It’s the legendary Merle Travis, after all.

  94. T.... 1....

    me listining to my grandmas mom cassets brought me here

  95. E.... ....

    I feel embarrassed for anyone who says they came here because of Sheldon Cooper. People, do yourselves a big favor and google "Merle Travis." The ignorance is astounding!

  96. M.... M....

    None better than Merle Travis. He added so much to the understanding of his time and place in our history.

    PLUS WHICH: One of the finest songs ever written IMO. Makes me feel like a hard-working miner...as much as any old gal from Arkansas can.

  97. C.... c....

    My family being miners brought me here Fuck sheldon cooper

  98. K.... R....

    Okay. How 'bout a little Miley Cyrus next?

  99. I.... P....

    Sheldon Cooper did not bring me here.