Phil Ochs - Highwayman lyrics

rate me

The wind was a torrent of darkness

Among the gusty trees

The moon was a ghostly galleon

Tossed upon cloudy seas

And the road was a ribbon of moonlight

Over the purple moor

And the highwayman came riding, riding, riding

Yes, the highwayman came riding

Up to the old inn door

Over the cobbles he clattered

And clashed in the darkened yard

And he tapped with his whip at the window

But all was locked and barred

So he whistled a tune to the window

And who should be waiting there

But the landlord's black eyed daughter

Bess the landlord's daughter

Plaiting a dark red love knot

Into her long black hair

One kiss, my bonny sweetheart

For I'm after a prize tonight

But I shall be back with the yellow gold

Before the morning light

Yet if they press me sharply

Harry me through the day

Oh, then look for me by moonlight

Watch for me by moonlight

And I'll come to thee by moonlight

Though Hell should bar the way

He did not come at the dawning

No, he did not come at the noon

And out of the tawny sunset

before the rise of the moon

When the road was a gypsy's ribbon

Looping the purple moor

Oh a redcoat troop came marching, marching, marching

King George's men came marching

Up to the old inn door

And they bound the landlord's daughter

with many a sniggering jest

And they bound the musket beside her

With the barrel beneath her breast

Now keep good watch and they kissed her

She heard the dead man say

"Oh look for me by moonlight

Watch for me by moonlight

And I'll come to thee by moonlight

Though Hell should bar the way"

Look for me by moonlight

Hoof beats ringing clear

Watch for me by moonlight

Were they deaf that they did not hear

For he rode on the gypsy highway

She breathed one final breath

Then her finger moved in the moonlight

Her musket shattered the moonlight

And it shattered her breast in the moonlight

And warned him with her death

Oh he turned; he spurred on to the west

He did not know who stood

Out with her black hair a flowing down

Drenched with her own red blood

Oh not 'til the dawn had he heard it

And his face grew gray to hear

How Bess the landlord's daughter

The landlord's black eyed daughter

Had watched for her love in the moonlight

And died in the darkness there

Back he spurred like a madman

Shrieking a curse to the sky

With the white road smoking behind him

And his rapier brandished high

Blood red were his spurs in the golden noon

Wine red his velvet coat

When they shot him down on the highway

Down like a dog on the highway

And he lay in his blood on the highway

With a bunch of lace at his throat

And still on a winter's night they say

When the wind is in the trees

When the moon is a ghostly galleon

Tossed upon cloudy seas

When the road is a ribbon of moonlight

Over the purple moor

Oh the highwayman comes riding, riding, riding

Yes the highwayman comes riding

Up to the old inn door.