Don't Go Down To The Quarry Lyrics

Don't go down to the quarry in the middle of the night
You'll never come back, you'll never be right
We lost Maggie there just last spring and Big Ben Johnson, he couldn't do a thing.

Big Ben Johnson made a bet with Mad Man Mike
That he could cross the quarry in the middle of the night
He got there, 'bout halfway across when he started sinking down in the red clay moss.

Nearby standin' on the tracks where the trains used to come
Was Mad Man Mike, beatin' on his drum laughin' out loud, eyes rollin' in his head
Standin' on the tracks in the Lucifer's stead .

With a long red cape and fire in his eyes He lifted up his hands to the midnight skies
And the thunder start to roll and the lightenin' flashed wild
And Big Ben Johnson start a cryin' like a child.

Don't go down to the quarry, don't, don't go down
Don't go down to the quarry, don't, don't go down
Don't go down to the quarry, don't, don't go down, down, down, down, down.

Then the earth gave a shudder, the quarry start to split
Screamin' down went Johnson into the fiery pit
With a laugh that shivered the center of the bone
Mad Man Mike just standin' there alone.

He's callin' all the people, to take their turn and fall into the pit and eternally burn
Down, down, don't go down. down, down, down, down.

Lucifer's caught on the railraod track, he's howlin' at the moon 'cause he can't come back
And in the evenin' while we're sittin' there in front of the fire
We laugh at old Lucifer before we retire

Don't go down to the quarry in the middle of the night
You'll never come back, you'll never be right
We lost Maggie there just last spring, and Big Ben Johnson, he couldn't do a thing.

Don't go down to the quarry, don't, don't go down
Don't go down to the quarry, don't, don't go down
Don't go down to the quarry, don't, don't go down, down, down, down, down
(Repeat)2x
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Cover art for Don't Go Down To The Quarry lyrics by Peter, Paul and Mary

I've been playing this for my grandkids just before Halloween. I don't think the song has any deep meaning, my feeling is that they sang this song for children in their audiences in order to create a creepy atmosphere. This is sort of like their ding Puff The Magic Dragon, they use it to help children create imaginary scenes, whether it is a friendly dragon at your beck and call, or a creepy place to avoid at night.

Either way, children get to fill in the blanks and use their imagination.