Long Black Veil
Diamanda Galαs Lyrics
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There was someone killed 'neath the town hall light
There were few at the scene and they all did agree
That the man who ran looked a lot like me
The judge said, son, what is your alibi
If you were somewhere else, then you won't have to die
I spoke not a word, although it meant my life
She walks these hills in a long black veil
She visits my grave where the night winds wail
Nobody knows, no, and nobody sees
Nobody knows but me
The sky froze high and eternity neared
She stood in the crowd and shed not a tear
But sometimes at night when the cold wind moans
In a long black veil she cries over my bones
She walks these hills in a long black veil
She visits my grave where the night winds wail
Nobody knows, no, and nobody sees
Nobody knows but me
The lyrics of Diamanda Galás's Long Black Veil tell a story of a man who is falsely accused of murder. He is asked for an alibi by a judge but remains silent, knowing that if he speaks the truth, he would implicate himself in an affair with his best friend's wife. The man is sentenced to death and is buried, but the story does not end there. The man's lover, his best friend's wife, continues to visit his grave in a long black veil. She is the only one who knows the truth about the man's innocence and the affair, and she mourns his death in secret.
The song is a haunting and emotional tale of love, betrayal, and guilt. The man's silence seals his fate, and he is punished for his actions, which were driven by passion rather than malice. Meanwhile, the woman is left with a sense of loss and regret, unable to share her grief with anyone else.
Overall, Long Black Veil is a powerful ballad that explores the complexities of human relationships and the consequences of our actions.
Line by Line Meaning
Ten years ago on a cool dark night
A murder occurred under the town hall light, ten years ago on a chilly and dark night
There was someone killed 'neath the town hall light
A person was murdered under the light in front of the town hall
There were few at the scene and they all did agree
That the man who ran looked a lot like me
There were very few witnesses to the murder and all of them said that the fleeing man resembled the singer
The judge said, son, what is your alibi
If you were somewhere else, then you won't have to die
The judge asked the singer for his alibi and assured him that if he had been somewhere else, he would be pardoned
I spoke not a word, although it meant my life
I had been in the arms of my best friend's wife
The singer kept his silence, even though he knew it would cost him his life, because he had been having an affair with his best friend's wife at the time of the murder
She walks these hills in a long black veil
She visits my grave where the night winds wail
Nobody knows, no, and nobody sees
Nobody knows but me
The singer's lover, who is now a widow, visits his grave and walks the hills wearing a long black veil. The singer is the only one who knows of her secret visits
The sky froze high and eternity neared
She stood in the crowd and shed not a tear
But sometimes at night when the cold wind moans
In a long black veil she cries over my bones
The singer's widow stood stoically in the crowd at his funeral, but at night she cries over his grave wearing a long black veil, especially on cold and windy nights
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Danny Dill, Marijohn Wilkin
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind