Long Black Veil
Razzy Bailey Lyrics
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Someone was killed, 'neath the town hall light
There were few at the scene, but they all agreed
That the slayer 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, thou it meant my life
[Chorus]
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
Oh, the scaffold is high and eternity's near
She stood in the crowd and shed not a tear
But late at night, when the north wind blows
In a long black veil, she cries ov're my bones
[Chorus]
The lyrics to Razzy Bailey's song Long Black Veil describe a haunting, tragic story from the perspective of the accused killer. The song opens with the singer referring to a murder that occurred ten years ago on a cold, dark night under the light of the town hall. Although there were few witnesses, they all agreed that the man who ran looked suspiciously like the singer. The judge, knowing that the singer's life was on the line, asked for his alibi. Despite the fact that an alibi could have saved his life, the singer refused to give one. The reasoning for this soon becomes clear; as he had been in a romantic relationship with his best friend's wife, he feared that exposure of the affair would cause more problems than simply being punished for a crime he did not commit.
The chorus of the song describes the titular long black veil, which the woman wears when she visits the singer's grave at night. She moves through the hills with an air of secrecy and is never seen by anyone else. The singer notes that she is the only one who knows the truth behind the murder; that he did not kill the victim, but also that he cannot prove his innocence without confessing to his affair with his best friend's wife. Finally, the song ends with the woman mourning the singer, even though she was involved in his troubles. This song deals with themes of secrecy, betrayal, and grief in a poignant and emotional way.
Line by Line Meaning
Ten years ago, on a cold dark night
It happened a decade ago at night, under chilly weather
Someone was killed, 'neath the town hall light
There was a murder that took place in the town hall's vicinity
There were few at the scene, but they all agreed
Although there were only a few witnesses near the crime scene, everyone agreed on one thing
That the slayer who ran, looked a lot like me
The person seen running from the scene had a similar appearance to me
The judge said son, what is your alibi
The judge asked me if I had an explanation for my whereabouts during the incident
If you were somewhere else, then you won't have to die
Assuming I was somewhere else during the incident, I wouldn't face the death penalty
I spoke not a word, thou it meant my life
Despite knowing that my silence could lead to my death, I refused to utter a word
For I'd been in the arms of my best friend's wife
The reason for my silence was that I was in bed with my best friend's wife
She walks these hills in a long black veil
The woman involved walks around the area wearing a long, black veil
She visits my grave when the night winds wail
Whenever the winds turn cold and strong, she goes to visit my gravesite
Nobody knows, nobody sees
She keeps her actions secret from everyone
Nobody knows but me
I am the only person who knows about her visits to my gravesite
Oh, the scaffold is high and eternity's near
The death penalty seems inevitable, and the afterlife is near
She stood in the crowd and shed not a tear
Despite being present in the crowd, the woman did not show any emotions or tears
But late at night, when the north wind blows
During late nights when the wind turns chilly and fierce
In a long black veil, she cries ov're my bones
She comes to my gravesite wearing her long, black veil and cries over my remains
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Danny Dill, Marijohn Wilkin
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind