Raven
Christopher Walken Lyrics

Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary,
Late at night, feeling exhausted and burdened, I was deep in thought.

Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore
Going through old and peculiar books filled with forgotten knowledge

While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping,
As I almost dozed off, I heard a gentle knocking noise,

As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door.
A soft, repetitive knocking sound was coming from my bedroom door.

"'Tis some visiter," I muttered, "tapping at my chamber door
"It must be a visitor," I whispered, "knocking on my door."

Only this and nothing more."
That's all there was to it, nothing else.

Ah, distinctly I remember it was in the bleak December,
I vividly recall that it was the cold month of December,

And each separate dying ember wrought its ghost upon the floor.
Each dying ember cast haunting shadows on the floor.

Eagerly I wished the morrow, vainly I had sought to borrow
I longed for the next day, but my attempts to find solace had been in vain.

From my books surcease of sorrow, sorrow for the lost Lenore
I hoped to find relief from my sorrow within the pages of my books, grieving over the loss of Lenore.

For the rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name Lenore
Referring to the beautiful and exceptional woman known as Lenore by the heavenly beings.

Nameless here for evermore.
However, her name remains unknown and will be forever a mystery.

And the silken sad uncertain rustling of each purple curtain
The sound of the delicate, melancholic rustling of the purple curtains

Thrilled me, filled me with fantastic terrors never felt before
It both thrilled and terrified me in a way I've never experienced before.

So that now, to still the beating of my heart, I stood repeating
To calm my pounding heart, I found myself repeating over and over

"'Tis some visiter entreating entrance at my chamber door
"It must be a visitor begging to come inside my room."

Some late visiter entreating entrance at my chamber door;
A visitor who had arrived late, urgently requesting admission to my room;

This it is and nothing more."
That's what it is, and there's nothing more to it."

Presently my soul grew stronger; hesitating then no longer,
As time passed, my spirit became stronger, and I no longer hesitated

"Sir," said I, "or Madam, truly your forgiveness I implore;
"Sir," I said, "or Madam, I sincerely apologize and ask for your forgiveness;

But the fact is I was napping, and so gently you came rapping,
But the truth is, I was napping, and you knocked so softly

And so faintly you came tapping, tapping at my chamber door,
And your tapping was so faint, barely audible, at my bedroom door,

That I scarce was sure I heard you" here I opened wide the door
That I could hardly be certain if I had actually heard you." With that, I opened the door wide

Darkness there and nothing more.
But there was only darkness on the other side and nothing more."

Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there wondering, fearing,
Peering intensely into that darkness, I stood there for a long time, filled with curiosity and fear

Doubting, dreaming dreams no mortals ever dared to dream before;
Filled with doubt, I began to dream dreams that no ordinary person would ever dare to imagine;

But the silence was unbroken, and the stillness gave no token,
Yet, there was complete silence, and the calmness offered no indication

And the only word there spoken was the whispered word, "Lenore?"
And the only word spoken there was the quiet question, "Lenore?"

This I whispered, and an echo murmured back the word, "Lenore!"
I whispered her name, and an echo softly repeated it, "Lenore!"

Merely this and nothing more.
Just this and nothing more than that.

Back into the chamber turning, all my sour within me burning,
Turning back into the room, I felt all my emotions burning inside me

Soon again I heard a tapping something louder than before.
Once again, I heard a tapping, this time louder than before.

"Surely," said I, "surely that is something at my window lattice;
"Certainly," I said, "there must be something at my window lattice."

Let me see, then, what thereat is and this mystery explore
Let me see what it is and investigate this mystery further

Let my heart be still a moment and this mystery explore
Let me calm my heart for a moment and delve into this enigma

'Tis the wind and nothing more.
It's just the wind, and there's nothing more to it."

Open here I flung the shutter, when, with many a flirt and flutter
I quickly opened the shutter, and with a lot of movement and commotion

In there stepped a stately Raven of the saintly days of yore.
A dignified Raven entered, reminiscent of the revered days of old.

Not the least obeisance made he; not a minute stopped or stayed he
He did not show the slightest respect or deference; he did not pause or linger for even a moment

But, with mien of lord or lady, perched above my chamber door
Instead, he perched above my room's entrance with the attitude of a nobleman or noblewoman

Perched upon a bust of Pallas just above my chamber door
He sat on a statue of Pallas, positioned directly above my bedroom door

Perched, and sat, and nothing more.
He perched there, he sat there, and nothing more than that."

Then the ebony bird beguiling my sad fancy into smiling,
The black bird charmed my sorrowful imagination and brought a smile to my face,

By the grave and stern decorum of the countenance it wore
Due to the serious and solemn expression on its face

"Though thy crest be shorn and shaven, thou," I said, "art sure no craven,
"Even though your feathers are groomed and trimmed, you," I said, "are definitely not a coward,

Ghastly grim and ancient Raven wandering from the Nightly shore
You, a horrifying, grim, and ancient Raven, have come from the shores of the night

Tell me what thy lordly name is on the Night's Plutonian shore!"
Tell me, what is your majestic name on the dark shores of the underworld!"

Quoth the Raven, "Nevermore."
The Raven answered, "Nevermore."

Much I marvelled this ungainly fowl to hear discourse so plainly
I was greatly surprised to hear this awkward bird speak so clearly

Though its answer little meaning--little relevancy bore
Although its response held little significance or relevance

For we cannot help agreeing that no living human being
Because we must all agree that no living human being

Ever yet was blessed with seeing bird above his chamber door
Has ever been fortunate enough to witness a bird above their bedroom door

Bird or beast upon the sculptured bust above his chamber door,
Whether a bird or any other creature on a sculpted bust positioned above their bedroom door,

With such name as "Nevermore."
With a name like "Nevermore."

But the Raven, sitting lonely on that placid bust, spoke only
However, the Raven, sitting alone on that peaceful bust, uttered only

That one word, as if its soul in that one word he did outpour
That single word, as if its entire soul had been poured into that word,

Nothing farther then he uttered; not a feather then he fluttered
He didn't say anything else, and not a single feather did he move

Till I scarcely more than muttered: "Other friends have flown before
Until I barely whispered: "Other friends have left me before

On the morrow he will leave me, as my Hopes have flown before."
Tomorrow he will also abandon me, just like my hopes have vanished in the past."

Then the bird said "Nevermore."
Then the bird repeated "Nevermore."

Startled at the stillness broken by reply so aptly spoken
Surprised by the interruption of the silence by such a fitting response

"Doubtless," said I, "what it utters is its only stock and store
"Undoubtedly," I said, "what it speaks is its only supply and possession

Caught from some unhappy master whom unmerciful Disaster
Possibly learned from an unfortunate master who had suffered merciless catastrophe

Followed fast and followed faster till his songs one burden bore
Chased closely and relentlessly until its songs carried a heavy burden

Till the dirges of his Hope that melancholy burden bore
Until the mournful songs associated with its hope carried that burden of melancholy

Of 'Never--nevermore.'"
Of 'Never--nevermore.'"

But the Raven still beguiling all my sad soul into smiling
Yet, the Raven continued to charm my sorrowful soul and make me smile

Straight I wheeled a cushioned seat in front of bird and bust and door;
I quickly brought a comfortable chair and placed it in front of the bird, the bust, and the door;

Then, upon the velvet sinking, I betook myself to linking
Then, as I sank into the soft cushion, I started to connect

Fancy unto fancy, thinking what this ominous bird of yore
One imaginative thought with another, pondering about this foreboding bird from the past

What this grim, ungainly, ghastly, gaunt, and ominous bird of yore
What this dreadful, clumsy, eerie, thin, and menacing bird from long ago

Meant in croaking "Nevermore."
Intended to convey with its hoarse voice, "Nevermore."

This I sat engaged in guessing, but no syllable expressing
I was occupied with speculation, but I did not utter a single word

To the fowl whose fiery eyes now burned into my bosom's core
To the bird whose fiery gaze penetrated deep into the core of my being

This and more I sat divining, with my head at ease reclining
This is what I pondered, and much more, while I relaxed with my head leaning back

On the cushion's velvet lining that the lamp-light gloated o'er
Resting on the velvet fabric of the cushion, illuminated by the gloating lamp-light

But whose velvet violet lining with the lamp-light gloating o'er
Yet, the violet-colored velvet lining, as the lamp-light gloated over it,

She shall press, ah, nevermore!
She will never press on it! Ah, nevermore!

Then, methought, the air grew denser, perfumed from an unseen censer
Then, I thought the air became thicker, filled with fragrance from an invisible incense burner

Swung by Seraphim whose foot-falls tinkled on the tufted floor
Swung by heavenly beings, whose foot-steps made a tinkling sound on the polished floor

"Wretch," I cried, "thy God hath lent thee--by these angels he hath sent thee
"You miserable creature!" I exclaimed, "God has provided you--sent by these angels

Respite--respite and nepenthe from thy memories of Lenore!
A break--a moment of relief and a potion to forget your memories of Lenore!

Quaff, oh quaff this kind nepenthe and forget this lost Lenore!"
Drink, oh drink this soothing potion and erase the memory of the lost Lenore!"

Quoth the Raven, "Nevermore."
The Raven replied, "Nevermore."

"Prophet!" said I, "thing of evil!--prophet still, if bird or devil!
"Prophet!" I said, "creature of evil!--prophet, whether you are a bird or a devil!

Whether Tempter sent, or whether tempest tossed thee here ashore,
Whether you were sent as a Tempter or you were thrown ashore by a storm,

Desolate, yet all undaunted, on this desert land enchanted
Alone and abandoned, yet fearless, in this bewitched desolate land

On this home by Horror haunted--tell me truly, I implore
In this dwelling haunted by Horror--please tell me honestly, I beg you

Is there--is there balm in Gilead?--tell me--tell me, I implore!"
Is there--is there healing in Gilead?--please, I beg you, tell me!

Quoth the Raven, "Nevermore."
The Raven replied, "Nevermore."

"Prophet!" said I, "thing of evil! Prophet still, if bird or devil!
"Prophet!" I said, "creature of evil!--prophet, whether you are a bird or a devil!

By that Heaven that bends above us--by that God we both adore
I swear by the heavenly realm that stretches above us--by the God we both worship

Tell this soul with sorrow laden if, within the distant Aidenn,
Inform this grief-stricken soul if, in the distant paradise of Aidenn,

It shall clasp a sainted maiden whom the angels name Lenore
It will embrace a holy maiden referred to as Lenore by the angels

Clasp a rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name Lenore."
Embrace an extraordinary and brilliant maiden known as Lenore."

Quoth the Raven, "Nevermore."
The Raven answered, "Nevermore."

"Be that our sign of parting, bird or fiend!" I shrieked, upstarting--
"Let that be the signal of our separation, you bird or demon!" I screamed, jumping up--

"Get thee back into the tempest and the Night's Plutonian shore!
"Go back into the storm and return to the dark shores of the underworld!

Leave no black plume as a token of that lie thy soul has spoken!
Don't leave a single black feather as a reminder of the false words your soul has uttered!

Leave my loneliness unbroken!--quit the bust above my door!
Leave my loneliness undisturbed!--depart from the bust above my door!

Take thy beak from out my heart, and take thy form from off my door!
Remove your sharp beak from my heart, and take your presence away from my door!

Quoth the Raven, "Nevermore."
The Raven replied, "Nevermore."

And the Raven, never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting
And the Raven, never moving, still perches, still perches

On the pallid bust of Pallas just above my chamber door;
On the lifeless statue of Pallas positioned right above my bedroom door;

And his eyes have all the seeming of a demon's that is dreaming
And his eyes appear to have all the characteristics of a dreaming demon

And the lamp-light o'er him streaming throws his shadows on the floor;
And the light from the lamp shines over him, casting his shadows on the floor;

And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor
And my soul emerges from the shadow that drifts on the floor

Shall be lifted - NEVERMORE!
Will never be lifted - NEVERMORE!"