"Dark as a Dungeon" was written by singer-songwriter Merle Travis. It is based on the experiences of his father and others in the area of Kentucky where he grew up. It laments about the danger and drudgery of being a coal miner in an Appalachian coal mine. It has become a rallying song among miners seeking improved working conditions. Travis composed the last verse listed here and used it in some concerts but it did not appear on his or Tennessee Ernie Ford's record). This is not a folk song but a composed country song. Because Travis's songs are so close to traditional forms, Alan Lomax included it in his book The Folk Songs of North America. It was recorded by many people including:     Merle Travis (1946)     Cisco Houston (Early 1950s)     Tennessee Ernie Ford (1955)     Harry Belafonte (1962)     Grandpa Jones (1963)     Johnny Cash (1968)     The Weavers (1980)     The Chieftains with Vince Gill (2002)     Willie Nelson (2010)     John Mellencamp (2017) I first learned this from the Tennessee Ernie Ford recording. Merle Travis also wrote "Sixteen Tons" (in this section).