Highwayman
The Highwaymen Lyrics
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Along the coach roads, I did ride
With sword and pistol by my side
Many a young maid lost her baubles to my trade
Many a soldier shed his lifeblood on my blade
The bastards hung me in the spring of twenty-five
But I am still alive
I was a sailor
I was borne upon the tide
And with the sea, I did abide
I sailed a schooner round the Horn to Mexico
I went aloft and furled the mainsail in a blow
And when the yards broke off they said that I got killed
But I am living still
I was a dam builder
Across the river deep and wide
Where steel and water did collide
A place called Boulder on the wild Colorado
I slipped and fell into the wet concrete below
They buried me in that great tomb that knows no sound
But I am still around
I'll always be around and around and around and around and around and around
I fly a starship
Across the Universe divide
And when I reach the other side
I'll find a place to rest my spirit if I can
Perhaps I may become a highwayman again
Or I may simply be a single drop of rain
But I will remain
I'll be back again and again and again and again and again and again
The Highwaymen's song, Highwayman, recounts the tales of a man who has lived many lives and taken on different roles, from a highwayman to a sailor, a dam builder, and even a starship pilot. The song speaks of his experiences and how he has survived despite the challenges thrown his way.
In the first verse, the singer describes himself as a highwayman who rode the coach roads with a sword and pistol, robbing young women of their possessions and soldiers of their lives. Despite being hanged in 1825, he claims to still be alive. The second verse sees him take on the life of a sailor, who sailed around the Horn to Mexico and met his supposed death when the yards broke off. However, he insists he is still living.
In the third verse, he says he was a dam builder and fell into the wet concrete below in Boulder, Colorado. Although he was buried in a tomb, he claims to still be around. In the final verse, the singer says he now flies a starship across the universe and will find a place to rest his spirit if he can. He may become a highwayman again or a single drop of rain, but he knows he will remain and will always be back again.
The song is a narrative poem that tells the story of a man's various lives, and how he has defied death and mortality by surviving each life, yet always returning. The theme of reincarnation and rebirth is prevalent throughout the song, as the singer repeatedly claims to still be alive.
Line by Line Meaning
I was a highwayman
I used to rob people on the roads.
Along the coach roads, I did ride
I traveled on horses along the roads where people traveled by coach.
With sword and pistol by my side
I carried a sword and a gun with me to protect myself and to rob others.
Many a young maid lost her baubles to my trade
I have stolen from many young women in the past.
Many a soldier shed his lifeblood on my blade
I have killed many soldiers in the past.
The bastards hung me in the spring of twenty-five
I was caught and hanged by the authorities in 1825.
But I am still alive
Despite being hanged, I am still alive and I continue to exist.
I was a sailor
I also used to work as a sailor.
I was borne upon the tide
I traveled on the waves of the ocean.
And with the sea, I did abide
I spent a lot of time on the sea.
I sailed a schooner round the Horn to Mexico
I sailed a ship around Cape Horn to get to Mexico.
I went aloft and furled the mainsail in a blow
I climbed the ship's mast to furl the sail during a storm.
And when the yards broke off they said that I got killed
There was a rumor that I had died when the ship's yardarm broke.
But I am living still
I survived and I'm still alive.
I was a dam builder
I also worked as a builder of dams.
Across the river deep and wide
I built dams across wide and deep rivers.
Where steel and water did collide
The dams I built were in places where steel and water met.
A place called Boulder on the wild Colorado
I built a dam in a place called Boulder on the wild Colorado river.
I slipped and fell into the wet concrete below
I fell into the wet concrete while working on the dam.
They buried me in that great tomb that knows no sound
They buried me in a place without any noise or sound.
But I am still around
Despite being buried, I am still alive and I continue to exist.
I'll always be around and around and around and around and around and around
I will continue to exist forever in some form or another.
I fly a starship
I now travel through space in a spaceship.
Across the Universe divide
I travel across the vast distances of the universe.
And when I reach the other side
When I reach my destination on the other side of the universe.
I'll find a place to rest my spirit if I can
I will try to find a peaceful place to rest my spirit.
Perhaps I may become a highwayman again
I might go back to being a highwayman if the opportunity arises.
Or I may simply be a single drop of rain
I might also just be a small drop of rain.
But I will remain
I will continue to exist in some form or another.
I'll be back again and again and again and again and again and again
I will return time and time again, continually existing.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Jimmy Webb
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Raider Joe
This one is for Orio Palmer, Batallion 7 Chief of FDNY.
I was a fire chief.
Into the Towers I did go.
And my fear I did not show,
We looked for survivors among the smoke and all the flames,
We refused to leave if someone still remained.
And there we stayed until the Towers fell to the ground.
But I am still around.
Rest in peace, Chief Palmer. You are remembered.
SantaClaus HawkeyeNJ
I was a highwayman, along the coach roads I did ride
Sword and pistol by my side
Many a young maid lost her baubles to my trade
Many a soldier shed his lifeblood on my blade
The bastards hung me in the spring of twenty five
But I am still alive
I was a sailor, I was born upon the tide
With the sea I did abide
I sailed a schooner 'round the Horn to Mexico
I went aloft and furled the mainsail in a blow
And when the yards broke off, they said that I got killed
But I am livin' still
I was a dam builder across a river deep and wide
Where steel and water did collide
A place called Boulder on the wild Colorado
I slipped and fell on the wet concrete below
They buried me in that gray tomb that knows no sounds
But I am still around
I'll always be around, and around
And around, and around, and around
I'll fly a starship across the universe divide
And when I reach the other side
I'll find a place to rest my spirit if I can
Perhaps I may become a highwayman again
Or I may simply be a single drop of rain
But I will remain
And I'll be back again and again
And again and again and again
Monjurul Ekram
I was a highwayman
Along the coach roads I did ride
With sword and pistol by my side
Many a young maid lost her baubles to my trade
Many a soldier shed his lifeblood on my blade
The bastards hung me in the spring of twenty-five
But I am still alive
I was a sailor
I was born upon the tide
And with the sea I did abide
I sailed a schooner round the Horn to Mexico
I went aloft and furled the mainsail in a blow
And when the yards broke off they said that I got killed
But I am living still
I was a dam builder
Across the river deep and wide
Where steel and water did collide
A place called Boulder on the wild Colorado
I slipped and fell into the wet concrete below
They buried me in that great tomb that knows no sound
But I am still around
I'll always be around and around and around and around and around
I fly a starship
Across the Universe divide
And when I reach the other side
I'll find a place to rest my spirit if I can
Perhaps I may become a highwayman again
Or I may simply be a single drop of rain
But I will remain
And I'll be back again, and again and again and again and again
WhatIsTheDill
I played this song for a few friends. None of them liked it. Clearly, I need new friends.
idk what to name myself
Clearly
Prod Uisce
Your friends should get cultured
Sang Sanga
No just still stick with the same ones
Frederik Gram
YES
Brenda Cook
This song came out shortly after my father died with cancer. He told us that he would always be around. Those words in this song definitely touch my heart each time I hear it.
Mr. Intensity
I lost my dad in 1976, when I was just 3 years old. I see the day that he died as time on the clock and think of him...and whenever I can see the moon in the blue sky on a bright sunny day! He liked to take pictures of the moon in the daytime.
Brenda Cook
@Mr. Intensity Such a beautiful remembrance of your father. My condolences on losing him at such a young age.
Ecthelion1967
God bless!
TabbyBee66
Yea com back