“Darby’s Castle” was written by Kris Kristofferson and first recorded by Roger Miller, who released it on a 1969 album. It is a Kristofferson parable, told with the economy of a folk tale.
The song follows John Darby, a man who pours himself into building a grand house — his “castle” — while neglecting the wife who only ever wanted him. The story ends in fire, the house and the marriage consumed together. It is a sharp moral about mistaking possessions for love.
The mandolinist Jason Davis recorded “Darby’s Castle” on his 2013 album Second Time Around. Kristofferson’s tightly built story songs have long appealed to bluegrass musicians, and this dark little tale of misplaced devotion is a natural fit for the tradition.
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