In the rock (and roll) community, Bill Monroe may be best known via one of Elvis Presley's earliest recordings at Sun Records, that of Monroe's 'Blue Moon of Kentucky'. Patsy Cline also made a highly regarded version of this song.
The Long Black Veil
Bill Monroe Lyrics
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There was someone killed neath the town hall light
There were few at the scene, but they all agreed
That the man who ran looked a lot like me
She walks these hills in a long black veil
She visits my grave while the night winds wail
Nobody knows, nobody sees
The judge said "Son, what is your alibi
If you were somewhere else, then you don't have to die"
I spoke not a word thought it meant my life
For I'd been in the arms of my best friend's wife
The scaffold was high and eternity near
She stood in the crowd and shed not a tear
But sometimes at night when the cold winds moan
In a long black veil she cries over my bones
The Long Black Veil by Bill Monroe & The Bluegrass Boys tells the story of a man who was wrongly accused of murder and sentenced to death. Ten years ago, on a cold and dark night, someone was killed beneath the town hall light. There were very few witnesses, but they all agreed that the man who killed the victim looked like the singer. The accused man keeps his silence and does not reveal his alibi, fearing that it could cost him his life. In truth, he was in the arms of his best friend's wife when the murder occurred. The singer is ultimately sentenced to death by hanging.
The song also introduces a mysterious woman in a black veil, who visits the singer's grave site to mourn him. She walks these hills in a long black veil, and nobody knows who she is or what her connection is to the singer. The singer seems to believe that only he knows who this woman is, and it's possible that she is the wife of the best friend he betrayed.
This song is rich with symbolism and emotion. The long black veil represents secrecy, grief, and mourning. The fact that the woman in the veil visits the singer's grave every night suggests that she cared about him deeply and may have been deeply affected by his death. The song's use of nature imagery, like the cold winds and the hills, underscores the idea that this story is tied to the land and its people. Overall, The Long Black Veil tells a story of loyalty, betrayal, and the consequences of keeping secrets.
Line by Line Meaning
Ten years ago, on a cold, dark night
The singer sets the scene when he is suspected of a murder that happened ten years ago on a cold, dark night.
There was someone killed neath the town hall light
A murder took place under the light of the town hall that night, and the killer is still at large.
There were few at the scene, but they all agreed
Although there were only a few people there, everyone saw the same thing: the killer was someone who looked like the singer.
That the man who ran looked a lot like me
The artist is the prime suspect because the man who was seen running from the scene of the crime resembled him greatly.
She walks these hills in a long black veil
The woman who is secretly in love with the artist wears a long black veil when she visits him, as a symbol of mourning.
She visits my grave while the night winds wail
The woman often goes to the singer's grave, especially on windy nights when the sound of the wind reminds her of his absence.
Nobody knows, nobody sees
The woman is the only one who knows the truth about the murder and the singer's innocence, but she keeps it a secret and doesn't reveal it to anyone.
Nobody knows but me
The artist is the only person who knows about the woman's love for him and her secret visits to his grave.
The judge said "Son, what is your alibi
The judge asks the artist if he has an alibi to prove that he was not at the scene of the crime when the murder happened.
If you were somewhere else, then you don't have to die"
The judge tells the artist that if he has a valid alibi, he will not be sentenced to death.
I spoke not a word thought it meant my life
The singer doesn't say anything because he knows that if he reveals the truth, he will be putting his life in danger.
For I'd been in the arms of my best friend's wife
The reason why the artist doesn't have an alibi is that he was having an affair with his best friend's wife at the time of the murder.
The scaffold was high and eternity near
The singer knew that he was going to be hanged, and he was aware that death was imminent.
She stood in the crowd and shed not a tear
Although the woman was present when the singer was hanged, she doesn't cry because she knows that he is finally at peace and that he will always be in her heart.
But sometimes at night when the cold winds moan
The woman still thinks about the singer, especially on cold, windy nights when she feels his absence more acutely.
In a long black veil she cries over my bones
The woman continues to visit the artist's grave, where she weeps for him, still wearing the long black veil as a symbol of her never-ending love and grief.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Danny Dill, Marijohn Wilkin
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind