The Highwayman

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 and 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 be fore 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 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
the highwayman comes riding, riding, riding
Yes, the highwayman comes riding
Up to the old inn door...