Lyrics: Bill Browning
Music: Bill Browning
Played by the Grateful Dead in acoustic sets in 1970 and again in 1980, with a couple of electric performances in 1971.
The versions differ a little (thanks to John Krulish for pointing this out to me). This is the 1980s version of the lyrics, with changes noted:
I'd rather be in some dark hollow (note 1)Notes
Where the sun don't ever shine
Than to be in some big city
In a small room with a girl on my mind (note 2)
Chorus
So blow your whistle freight train
Take me far on down the track
I'm going away, I'm leaving today
I'm going but I ain't coming back
I'd rather be in some dark hollow (note 3)
Where the sun don't ever shine
Than to see you another man's darling
And to know that you'll never be mine
[chorus]
I'd rather be in some dark hollow
Where the sun don't ever shine
Than to be home alone, knowing that you're gone
Would cause me to lose my mind
[chorus]
I'm going away, I'm leaving today
Well I'm going, but I ain't coming back
Grateful Dead Recordings | |||||
14 Feb 1970 | Bear's Choice (History Of The Grateful Dead Vol 1) | ||||
19 Feb 1971 | Three From The Vault | ||||
29 Apr 1971 | Ladies And Gentlemen ... The Grateful Dead | ||||
7 Oct 1980 | Reckoning (note 5) | ||||
9 Oct 1980 | The Warfield, San Francisco, CA 10/9/80 & 10/10/80 | ||||
10 Oct 1980 | The Warfield, San Francisco, CA 10/9/80 & 10/10/80 | ||||
23 Oct 1980 | Reckoning (note 4) | ||||
25 Apr 1981 | Sing Out! Bear's Sonic Journals | ||||
Other Recordings | |||||
2011 | The Wheel: A Musical Celebration of Jerry Garcia | Jesse McReynolds, David Nelson et al |
I'd rather be in some dark hollowThis version of the song was a minor hit for Jimmy Skinner (to be found on the cassette of his 20 greatest hits) and was a favourite of Del McCoury, who first sang it as a member of Bill Monroe's Blue Grass Boys. It was also recorded by Mac Wiseman and others.
Where the sun don't never shine
Than to be at home alone, just knowing that she's gone
That would cause me to lose my mind
Chorus
So freight train blow your whistle
Take me far on down the track
I'm going away, I'm leaving today
I'm going but I ain't coming back
I'd rather be in some dark hollow
Where the sun don't never shine
Than to be in some big city
In a small room with her on my mind
[chorus]
"Yeah, sorta. I think me and Weir got into our little duet version of it and it's more or less loosely based on Clarence and Roland's [White's] duet version. They used to do a duet version in the Kentucky Colonels."Clarence Ashley recorded a song called "Dark Holler" in 1929 that shows its close links to East Virginia Blues:
I was born in old Virginia
South Carolina I did go
There I courted a pretty little women
But her age I did not know
Well her hair was brown and curly
And her cheeks was rosy red
On her breasts she wore white lilies
For the tears that I have shed
When I'm asleep I'm dreaming about you
When I wake I have no rest
Ever moment seems like an hour
All the pain rolls through my breast
I'd rather be in some dark hollow
Where the sun don't ever shine
Than for you to be some other man's darling
When you ain't no longer mine
Papa says I must not marry
Papa says it'll never do
But little girl if you are willing
I will run away with you
For I'd rather be in some dark hollow
Where the sun don't ever shine
Than for you to be some other man's darling
When you ain't no longer mine
When I'm asleep I'm dreaming about you
When I wake I have no rest
Every moment seems like an hour
All the pain rolls through my breast