Dark Was the Night, Cold Was the Ground

About this song

Blind Willie Johnson hums an 18th century Anglican hymn called Gethsemane over slow, hypnotic guitar. Johnson, himself a preacher, likely knew the hymn and tried to express its meaning in his music. The song was included on the Voyager golden record to represent loneliness, and it is his most far-reaching success.

What it's about

The song is considered one of the loneliest and saddest songs ever made. It conveys a sense of sorrow drawn from the hymn Gethsemane.

Summary written with AI, based on the song's page on Genius.

Fun facts

• Covered 5 times, including “Dark Was the Night, Cold Was the Ground by Rickie Lee Jones”.
• Written by Blind Willie Johnson and Traditional.