Long Black Veil
Nathan Stanley Lyrics

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Ten years ago on a cold dark night
Someone was killed 'neath the town hall lights
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 when the night winds wail
Nobody knows, nobody sees

Nobody knows but 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 though it meant my life
For I'd been in the arms of my best friend's wife

She walks these hills in a long black veil
She visits my grave when the night winds wail
Nobody knows, nobody sees
Nobody knows but me

Now the scaffold is high and eternity's near
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
When the cold winds blow and the night winds wail

Nobody knows, nobody sees
Nobody knows but me

Overall Meaning

Nathan Stanley’s song “Long Black Veil” tells the story of a man who is wrongfully accused of murder and sentenced to death. The singer of the song claims to be innocent, but refuses to offer an alibi that he knows would clear him of the crime – he was with his best friend’s wife. The woman in question remains silent throughout the trial and the execution, grieving secretly and alone.

The lyrics describe the woman’s mourning and secrecy, as well as the singer’s despair at being falsely accused. The mention of the long black veil creates a vivid image of the woman’s mourning attire, as well as hinting at the secretive nature of their affair. The last verse is particularly powerful, as it suggests that the woman only reveals her grief and love for the singer in private, when she visits his grave. The ambiguity of the lyrics leaves us to ponder whether or not the accused man was truly innocent, or if he was complicit in the crime he was accused of.

Line by Line Meaning

Ten years ago on a cold dark night
The event being referred to happened a decade ago on a chilly, obscure night.

Someone was killed 'neath the town hall lights
The violent death of someone occurred under the light of the civic center's luminous fixtures.

There were few at the scene but they all agreed
There were a handful of eyewitnesses present, and their recollections accorded with one another.

That the man who ran looked a lot like me
These witnesses claimed that the perpetrator resembled the singer, Nathan Stanley himself.

She walks these hills in a long black veil
An unknown woman walks around these rugged slopes wearing a lengthy, shadowy veil.

She visits my grave when the night winds wail
This woman frequents my tombstone during moments of blustery, nocturnal weather.

Nobody knows, nobody sees
No one has any knowledge of, or observes, the woman's secret habit.

Nobody knows but me
The only person who is privy to this information is Nathan Stanley himself.

The judge said, "son, what is your alibi
The legal authority inquired of the accused, "Can you furnish an explanation for your whereabouts during the alleged crime?"

If you were somewhere else then you won't have to die"
The insinuation here is that Nathan's acquittal would be imminent if he could produce a solid, alternate explanation for his whereabouts at the time of the incident.

I spoke not a word though it meant my life
Despite the profound gravity of the situation, Nathan maintained his silence as he was aware that his survival hinged upon it.

For I'd been in the arms of my best friend's wife
Nathan was unable to provide an alibi because at the time of the crime, he had been with his close friend's spouse, which would have been regarded as incriminating evidence.

Now the scaffold is high and eternity's near
Currently, the gallows stand tall, and the irrevocability of one's fate is imminent.

She stood in the crowd and shed not a tear
The woman from earlier was amongst the audience, but she did not weep despite the surrounding sad circumstances.

But sometimes at night when the cold wind moans
On occasion, particularly during nights marked by a frigid breeze and mournful sounds,

In a long black veil she cries over my bones
the shrouded woman sheds tears at the site of Nathan Stanley's burial place.

When the cold winds blow and the night winds wail
On chilly gusts of wind and during woeful, nocturnal periods,

Nobody knows, nobody sees
No one has any knowledge of, or observes, the woman's grieving.

Nobody knows but me
The only person who is aware of this clandestine mourning is Nathan Stanley himself.

Contributed by Bailey F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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