Merle Travis - Dark As A Dungeon (Snader Telescription 1951)

[@soocleghorn2106]

My parents had this and sixteen tons on record back in the sixties. I liked listening to them, but made me sad also because my dad was a coal miner.

[@spyderstompers7180]

“Where the demons of death come by surprise”. I’ve never heard that set of lyrics

[@christopher19894]

"It's a many a man I have known in my day, who lived just to labor his whole life away." The lamentation of every man who has experienced a life of tough manual labor with other men. There's a pure and honest form of pride however when you finish a difficult job and make it out alive...

[@middletech]

Of all the versions I heard this one is the most sincere.

[@jeremyhuff6626]

I love every version and cover of this song. I came to it through Johnny Cash but I'm enjoying every rendition especially the original...

[@antroby1492]

W song it’s been 3 years since I’ve listened to it.

[@dih2606]

Wow

[@Oliisawesome]

The audio interference near the end makes it sound so weirdly good

[@Berschmann]

Ich als ehemaliger Steinkohle Bermann bin froh, wenn ich hier solche Songs finde. Glückauf

[@Andreas_Gerold]

Und ich als Enkel eines Bergmanns. Leider gibt es kein deutsches Lied - oder ich kenne es nicht - das diese Arbeit so schön verewigt hat wie das hier von Merle Travis.

[@Berschmann]

@@Andreas_Gerold 16 Tons gibt es hier auf deutsch.

[@RafWu]

This one seems pretty close to the Sheldon Cooper version on The Big Bang Theory. The tempo is the same and the singing style is similar. Anyway, very sad what has happened to many miners. It's important for all workers to be given a safe working environment, and good pay that reflects the hardship involved.

[@Hoppy_Harrington]

That first verse

[@billdunson4174]

Amen , i love the coal, im proud of my work

[@oki45kurniawan]

is he the songwriter?

[@Allagi22]

Yes.

[@jerryripken]

Yes

[@ethan35123]

He also wrote the original 16 tons song too

[@curtgottler9961]

I heard he was accused of being a communist sympathizer because of this song.

[@natetheannihilnater1886]

​@@curtgottler9961 Corporatists have always been fear mongering people who even slightly question the establishment. It was because he wrote songs for the people about the people. He was no communist.

[@derpmeyer5902]

literally the worst version of this song

[@amirosman5134]

Is not

[@caiden-_-]

It's like the original version

[@zen234]

This bloke wrote it