The Highwayman
Phil Ochs Lyrics

The wind was a torrent of darkness
The wind was blowing hard and fast through the trees creating an eerie and dark atmosphere.

Among the gusty trees
The wind was making the trees sway and shake violently.

The moon was a ghostly galleon
The moon was shining bright and creating an illusion that it was a boat floating in the sky.

Tossed upon cloudy seas
The clouds were covering the moon but the light was visible, giving the illusion that the moon was being rocked by the clouds.

And the road was a ribbon of moonlight
The moonlight was so bright that it felt like a ribbon was stretched across the road.

Over the purple moor
The area surrounding the road was a moor that was colored purple in the moonlight.

And the highwayman came riding, riding, riding
The highwayman was riding his horse towards the inn where his lover Bess was waiting for him.

Yes, the highwayman came riding
This line is a repetition of the previous one, simply emphasizing the arrival of the highwayman.

Up to the old inn door
The highwayman rode his horse towards the door of the old inn.

Over the cobbles he clattered
The sound of his horse's hooves echoed loudly over the cobbled path.

And clashed in the darkened yard
As he arrived in the yard, he caused a commotion with the clanging of metal from his clothing.

And he tapped with his whip at the window
He used his whip to tap the window of the room where Bess was waiting for him.

But all was locked and barred
The window was locked and barred, preventing the highwayman from entering the room.

So he whistled a tune to the window
Unable to enter, he whistled a song for Bess to show that he had arrived.

And who should be waiting there
Bess was waiting at the window for the highwayman's arrival.

But the landlord's black eyed daughter
Bess was the daughter of the landlord, and had dark eyes.

Bess the landlord's daughter
This line repeats the previous one, which introduces Bess.

Plaiting a dark red love knot
Bess was braiding a symbol of her love, a dark red knot, while waiting for the highwayman.

Into her long black hair
She was braiding the knot into her long black hair.

One kiss, my bonny sweetheart
The highwayman asks Bess for a single kiss, calling her his beautiful sweetheart.

For I'm after a prize tonight
The highwayman was on a mission to steal something valuable tonight.

But I shall be back with the yellow gold
The highwayman promises to return from his theft with the valuable yellow gold.

Before the morning light
He promises to return before the sun rises.

Yet if they press me sharply
If he's unable to complete the theft and is pressed by the authorities,

Harry me through the day
If they chase him throughout the day,

Oh, then look for me by moonlight
He tells Bess to look for him in the moonlight if he doesn't return by morning.

Watch for me by moonlight
He tells Bess to keep watch for him in the moonlight.

And I'll come to thee by moonlight
He promises to return to her when the moon is shining.

Though Hell should bar the way
He promises to return to Bess no matter what obstacles are in his way.

He did not come at the dawning
The highwayman didn't return in the morning as he promised.

No, he did not come at the noon
He didn't return by the afternoon either.

And out of the tawny sunset
As the sun began to set and the sky turned tawny,

Before the rise of the moon
Before the moon rose,

When the road was a gypsy's ribbon
As night fell and the moon rose, the road was visible as a twisted ribbon.

Looping the purple moor
The road twisted through the purple moor.

Oh a redcoat troop came marching, marching, marching
British soldiers from King George's army arrived, marching to investigate.

King George's men came marching
This line repeats the previous one.

Up to the old inn door
The soldiers arrived at the door of the old inn.

And they bound the landlord's daughter
The soldiers captured Bess.

with many a sniggering jest
The soldiers joked and made snide remarks as they bound her.

And they bound the musket beside her
The soldiers placed her musket next to her while bound.

With the barrel beneath her breast
The barrel of her musket was under her breast.

Now keep good watch and they kissed her
The soldiers keep watch as they randomly kissed Bess.

She heard the dead man say
She felt a ghostly presence speak to her.

"Oh look for me by moonlight
The ghostly highwayman appeared and told Bess to watch for him in the moonlight.

Watch for me by moonlight
He repeats his demand for her to watch for him in the moonlight.

And I'll come to thee by moonlight
He promises to return to her when the moon is shining and he's in ghost form.

Though Hell should bar the way"
He reaffirms his promise to return, no matter what obstacles there are.

Look for me by moonlight
The ghostly highwayman again tells her to watch for him in the moonlight.

Hoof beats ringing clear
The sound of horse's hooves was audible.

Were they deaf that they did not hear
The soldiers ignored the sound of the hooves, even though they were loud.

For he rode on the gypsy highway
The ghostly highwayman rode his horse on the road through the purple moor.

She breathed one final breath
Bess died as she heard the sound of the ghostly highwayman's horse.

Then her finger moved in the moonlight
Her lifeless finger twitched in the moonlight.

Her musket shattered the moonlight
Her musket fired, creating a flash of light in the moonlight.

And it shattered her breast in the moonlight
The bullet hit Bess in the chest as she fired the gun.

And warned him with her death
The gunshot signaling the entrance of the soldiers told the highwayman that he had been betrayed.

Oh he turned; he spurred on to the west
The highwayman fled to the west, riding his horse furiously.

He did not know who stood
He didn't know who had betrayed him.

Out with her black hair a flowing down
As he rode away, he saw Bess's hair trailing in the wind.

Drenched with her own red blood
He saw that she was covered in her own blood.

Oh not 'til the dawn had he heard it
The sound of Bess's death didn't register in his mind until he had traveled far west throughout the night.

And his face grew gray to hear
When he finally realized what had happened, he became incredibly distressed.

How Bess the landlord's daughter
He reflected upon the death of Bess, the daughter of the innkeeper.

The landlord's black eyed daughter
This line repeats the previous one.

Had watched for her love in the moonlight
She had waited for him, watching and hoping for his arrival.

And died in the darkness there
Her love for the highwayman had led to her untimely death.

Back he spurred like a madman
The highwayman headed back to the old inn at full speed.

Shrieking a curse to the sky
He screamed and cursed at the gods.

With the white road smoking behind him
The horse's hooves created a cloud of dust behind him as he rode on the road.

And his rapier brandished high
He held his sword high and was prepared for a fight.

Blood red were his spurs in the golden noon
His spurs, stained with blood, could be seen in the daylight.

Wine red his velvet coat
His coat, made of luxurious velvet, was also stained with blood.

When they shot him down on the highway
The soldiers, who were still present, shot the highwayman down.

Down like a dog on the highway
He fell to the ground like a wounded animal.

And he lay in his blood on the highway
He lay on the ground, covered in his own blood.

With a bunch of lace at his throat
He wore a delicate lace around his neck, symbolizing his love for Bess.

And still on a winter's night they say
According to legend, on cold winter nights the spirit of the highwayman still lingers.

When the wind is in the trees
When the wind is blowing hard and swaying the trees.

When the moon is a ghostly galleon
When the moon is visible and looks like a ghostly boat in the sky.

Tossed upon cloudy seas
When the clouds hide and reveal the moon, making it look like it's being tossed on the sea.

When the road is a ribbon of moonlight
When the road is visible thanks to the bright moonlight.

Over the purple moor
The road twists and turns throughout the purple moor.

Oh the highwayman comes riding, riding, riding
The spirit of the highwayman is still present, wandering throughout the moor.

Yes the highwayman comes riding
This line reaffirms the previous one, letting us know that the ghostly highwayman is still present.

Up to the old inn door
The spirit of the highwayman still wanders towards the door of the old inn.