Down In The Hole
James Taylor · New Moon Shine [1991]
Got to let your eyes adjust
I'm sorry about your suit
Can't do nothing about the dust
Welcome down underground
Hunker down a spell
Gets to feel like home to me
Though I know it looks like hell
Down in the hole
Lord, it's deep and the sides are steep
And the nights are long and cold
Down in the hole
Light and love and the world above
Mean nothing to the mole
(Don't mean nothing to the mole)
Never gets real hot down here
Fifty five degrees
It's always a little bit damp, I fear
But I've never seen it freeze
Mushrooms and earthworms
Fancy stuff to eat
A world of quiet contemplation (Oh, yes)
Just below the street
Down in the hole
Lord, it's deep and the sides are steep
And the nights are long and cold
Down in the hole
Light and love and the world above
Mean nothing to the mole
I'm in a hole
Since I lost my baby
Living in a hole
Since I lost my girl
Would you play in the moonlight
Would you dance in the dirt
Come home way past daybreak
Cockleburs all stuck in your shirt
Come back home to twilight
Come back home to me
Subterranean river you are
Meets the molten sea
Down in the hole
Lord, it's deep and the sides are steep
And the nights are long and cold
Down in the hole
Light and love and the world above
They show nothing to the mole
Down in the hole
Light and love and the world above
Got nothin' for the mole
Ain't got nothin'
For the mole
Look out for that
Look out for that
Look out for that root
Look out for that root
Welcome down underground
Welcome
Down In The Hole
James Taylor's "Down In The Hole" appears on the 1991 album *New Moon Shine*, marking a significant return to her solo career after a long hiatus. The track exemplifies Taylor's signature acoustic style, blending folk sensibilities with a reflective, introspective mood that has defined her discography for decades. Released during a period where she revisited her early songwriting roots, the recording captures the emotional depth characteristic of her work from the 1960s and 1970s. As a staple of her catalog, the song remains a poignant representation of her ability to translate personal vulnerability into universal themes of heartbreak and resilience, continuing to resonate with listeners who appreciate her nuanced approach to storytelling in music.