- published: 30 Jul 2012
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Guam (i/ˈɡwɑːm/ or /ˈɡwɒm/; Chamorro: Guåhån; formally the Territory of Guam) is an unincorporated and organized territory of the United States. Located in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, Guam is one of five American territories with an established civilian government. The capital city is Hagåtña, and the most populous city is Dededo. In 2015, 161,785 people were residing on Guam. Guamanians are American citizens by birth. Guam has an area of 544 km2 (210 sq mi) and a density of 297/km² (770/sq mi). It is the largest and southernmost of the Mariana Islands, and the largest island in Micronesia. Among its municipalities, Mongmong-Toto-Maite has the highest density at 1,425/km² (3,691/sq mi) and Inarajan has its lowest density at 46/km² (119/sq mi). The highest point is Mount Lamlam at 406 meters (1,332 ft) above sea-level.
The Chamorros, Guam's indigenous people, settled the island approximately 4,000 years ago. Portuguese-explorer Ferdinand Magellan discovered the island on March 6, 1521. Guam was colonized in 1668 with settlers, like Diego Luis de San Vitores, a Catholic missionary. Between the 1500s and the 1700s, Guam was an important stopover for the Spanish Manila Galleons. During the Spanish–American War, the United States captured Guam on June 21, 1898. Under the Treaty of Paris, Spain ceded Guam to the United States on December 10, 1898. Guam is amongst the seventeen Non-Self-Governing Territories of the United Nations.
"Dark as a Dungeon" is a song written by singer-songwriter Merle Travis. It is a lament about the danger and drudgery of being a coal miner in an Appalachian shaft mine. It has become a rallying song among miners seeking improved working conditions.
The song achieved much of its fame when it was performed by Johnny Cash in his Folsom Prison concert (At Folsom Prison). During this live performance, one of the prisoners in the background was laughing, and Cash started to chuckle. He gently admonished the man, "No laughing during the song, please!" The man yelled something about "Hell!" and Cash answered, "I know, 'hell'!" When he finished the song, Cash made a comment that was largely repeated, somewhat out of context, by Joaquin Phoenix in the 2005 film Walk the Line: "I just wanted to tell you that this show is being recorded for an album released on Columbia Records, so you can't say 'hell' or 'shit' or anything like that."
Oh, come all you young fellers, young and so fine
Seek not your fortune in the dark dreary mine
It'll form as a habit and seep in your soul
Till the stream of your blood runs as black as the coal
Where it's dark as a dungeon, damp as the dew
Danger is double, pleasures are few
Where the rain never falls, the sun never shines
It's dark as a dungeon way down in the mine
Well, I pray when I'm dead and the ages shall roll
That my body will blacken and turn into coal
Then I'll look from the door of my heavenly home
And pity the miner digging my bones
Where it's dark as a dungeon, damp as the dew
Danger is double and the pleasures are few
Where the rain never falls, the sun never shines