Hello,

I am new to this site, so would like to strart by saying what a lovely resource you folks have here. I thought maybe some of you might be able to help me with some research I am doing on the song Dark as a Dungeon. I know Merle Travis wrote the song, but I was wondering if it has any relationship to older folk songs (mabye from Ireland?) I know that there are a few older songs with similar lyrics, but I was wondering particularly about the melody: is it completely original, or is it inspired from some older source. (I have sung the song before to people in England who claim it is very close to a folk song from somewhere in the UK but they didn't know the title). I have been trying to research this to the best of my (limited) abilities, but have as yet come up with nothing. I thought mabye someone on this forum might know something.

Thanks