Parton began performing as a child, singing on local radio and television in East Tennessee. At age 12 she was appearing on Knoxville TV, and at 13, she was recording on a small label and appearing at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville. When she graduated from high school in 1964 she moved to Nashville, taking many traditional elements of folklore and popular music from East Tennessee with her.
Parton's initial success came as a songwriter, with her songs being covered by Kitty Wells, Hank Williams, Jr., Skeeter Davis, and a number of others. She signed with Monument Records in late 1965, where she was initially pitched as a bubblegum pop singer, earning only one national chart single, "Happy, Happy Birthday Baby," which did not crack the Billboard Top 100. Additional pop singles also failed to chart.
The label agreed to have Parton sing country music after her composition "Put It Off Until Tomorrow" as recorded by Bill Phillips (and with Parton, uncredited, on harmony) went to No. 6 on the country charts in 1966. Her first country single, "Dumb Blonde" (one of the few songs during this era that she recorded but didn't write), reached No. 24 country 1967, followed later the same year with "Something Fishy," which went to No. 17. The two songs anchored her first full-length album, Hello I'm Dolly, that same year.
In 1967, Parton was asked to join the weekly syndicated country music TV program hosted by Porter Wagoner, replacing Norma Jean. She also signed with RCA Records, Wagoner's label, during this period, where she would remain for the next two decades. Wagoner and Parton immediately began a hugely successful career as a vocal duet in addition to their solo work and their first single together, a cover of Tom Paxton's "The Last Thing on My Mind," reached the top ten on the U.S. country charts in late 1967, and was the first of over a dozen duet singles to chart for them during the next several years.
Parton is a hugely successful songwriter, having begun by writing country songs with strong elements of folk music in them based upon her upbringing in humble mountain surroundings. Her songs "Coat of Many Colors" and "Jolene" have become classics in the field, as have a number of others. As a composer, she is also regarded as one of country music's most gifted storytellers, with many of her narrative songs based on persons and events from her childhood.
In 1982 Dolly Parton sang her song "I Will Always Love You", for the movie "The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas", starring Parton and Burt Reynolds. The song - originally composed around 1974 - made few ripples, but it wasn't until Whitney Houston re-recorded it for "The Bodyguard" a decade later, that the song made yet another international hit for Dolly Parton. She later put out her own version on the 1996 album of the same name.
In 1987, Parton left her longtime label, RCA, and signed with Columbia Records, where her recording career continued to prosper, but by the mid 1990s, Parton, along with many other performers of her generation, found that her new music was not welcome on country radio playlists. She recorded a series of critically acclaimed bluegrass albums, beginning with "The Grass is Blue" (1999) and "Little Sparrow" (2001), both of which won Grammy Awards. Her 2002 album "Halos and Horns" included a bluegrass version of the Led Zeppelin classic Stairway to Heaven. In 2005, Parton released Those Were The Days, her interpretation of hits from the folk-rock era of the late 1960s through early 1970s. The CD featured such classics as John Lennon's "Imagine," Cat Stevens' "Where Do The Children Play," Tommy James' "Crimson & Clover," and the folk classic "Where Have All The Flowers Gone", as well as the title track.
In 2007, Dolly paved new musical ground by forming her own record label, Dolly Records. The label's first release - Backwoods Barbie - debuted at #2 on the Billboard country albums charts and marks Parton's first mainstream country album in 17 years. Parton is touring North America and Europe throughout 2008 in support of her latest release.
1955
Dark As A Dungeon
Dolly Parton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Come and listen you fellows
So young and do fine
And seek not your fortune
In the dark, dreary mines
It will form as a habit
Seep in your soul
Runs as black as the coal
There's many a man
That I've known in my day
Who lived just to labor
His whole 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
Damp as the dew
The danger is double
And the pleasures are few
Where the rain never falls
Where the sun never shines
It's dark as a dungeon
Way down in the mine
I hope when I'm gone
And the ages shall roll
My body will blacken
And turn into coal
Then I'll look out the door
Of my heavenly home
And I'll pity the miners
A-diggin' my bones
It's dark as a dungeon
Damp as the dew
The danger is double
And the pleasures are few
Where the rain never falls
Where the sun never shines
It's dark as a dungeon
Way down in the mine
Where the rain never falls
Where the sun never shines
It's dark as a dungeon
Way down in the mine
Dolly Parton's "Dark As A Dungeon" is a powerful song that sheds light on the harsh realities of coal mining. The lyrics, written by Merle Travis, warn young men to not seek their fortunes in the mines. They describe how the conditions of the mines can become a habit that seeps into the soul, causing the blood in one's veins to turn as black as the coal. The verse also states that many men have lived their entire lives laboring in the mines, much like a fiend with his dope or a drunkard with his wine. The lure of the mine is strong.
The chorus expresses the starkness and peril of the mines, which are dark and damp, where danger is double, and pleasures are few. The second verse repeats the chorus and reminds us that there is no rain or sun in the mines. The bridge reflects on the afterlife, where the coal miner's body will blacken and turn into coal, and they will look out of their heavenly home and pity the miners digging their bones.
Overall, "Dark As A Dungeon" highlights the emotional and physical toll that mining takes on workers and their families. It describes the danger and the poverty that can drive men to the mines and keep them there, as well as the legacy that remains long after they are gone.
Line by Line Meaning
Come and listen you fellows
Listen up, young men
So young and so fine
You're young and have potential
And seek not your fortune
Don't look for your future
In the dark, dreary mines
In the dangerous and gloomy mines
It will form as a habit
Working in the mine will become routine
Seep in your soul
It will affect you deeply
'Til the blood in your veins
Until your very blood
Runs as black as the coal
Turns as dark as coal itself
There's many a man
I've known many men
That I've known in my day
During my lifetime
Who lived just to labor
Who worked their whole lives away
His whole life away
Their entire lives
Like a fiend with his dope
Like a drug addict
And a drunkard his wine
Like an alcoholic
A man will have lust for
Men will crave
The lure of the mine
The appeal of mining
It's dark as a dungeon
The mines are pitch black
Damp as the dew
Mines are humid
The danger is double
The potential harm is twice as high
And the pleasures are few
But there are very few rewards
Where the rain never falls
Where it never rains
Where the sun never shines
Where the sun never reaches
It's dark as a dungeon
It's pitch-black like a dungeon
Way down in the mine
Deep inside the mine
I hope when I'm gone
When I pass away
And the ages shall roll
As time goes on
My body will blacken
My body will turn into coal
And turn into coal
Transformed into coal
Then I'll look out the door
I'll peer through the doorway
Of my heavenly home
From my eternal resting place
And I'll pity the miners
And I'll sympathize with those who work in mines
A-diggin' my bones
Extracting coal from my remains
Where the rain never falls
Where it never rains
Where the sun never shines
Where the sun never reaches
It's dark as a dungeon
It's pitch-black like a dungeon
Way down in the mine
Deep inside the mine
Lyrics © Kanjian Music
Written by: Merle Travis
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Daniel Collins
Yet another one of Dolly's haunting gems. So beautiful.
B. W.
One of her prettiest songs and I had never heard it before tonight, lovely wow.
William B
I remember listening this song back in 1982 on my parents 8 track I was 7 years old at the time
Don Hawkins
This song was popular in 1957 by Merle Travis we sang this on the front porch back in Tennessee...deep in the hot summer yet I got 'cold chills' then & now) country soul & Dolly Parton was part of that place & time...She has always been part of us hill country folk..
Kriz Rogers
Even though this is a dark song, it brings me to a place of light/peace because of its simplicity and beauty.
Frank Machotka
I can't get enough of Dolly Parton I remember this song in 1957 and I still love her music she is the best singer in the whole wide world he is the best even rock and roll Hall of Fame yes she should win the Hall of Fame I say yes. 🏆🏆🏆🏆
Wayne A White
Dolly can deliver on any song with any musical arrangements, she is just so versatile
Awesome ALMIGHTY
Great song from our legendary singer and a model to all music lovers worldwide. Thanks for uploading this classic, Littlesparrow185.
Awesome ALMIGHTY
The Unbeatable👍. One of the best songs in the world. Classical voice in a beautiful and silently great song👍.
William B
my parents had this album on 8 track back in the day & they still have it