Posted on 12/05/2008 1:09:05 PM PST by Main Street
I'm trying to identify a odd country/western tune that I heard a few times a while back. As I recall it had 3 or 4 established country/ western singers (I seem to remember Willie Nelson as one, i think) each taking a verse. The song was based on the lives of people who lived and died around the early to mid 1800's. Each verse had the deceased person telling who he was, how he lived and how he was died. People such as a soldier, an outlaw, ect., and each verse ended with the deceased person proclaiming that they did not die, and that they were still alive.
Does anyone know this song??
Pancho and Lefty..............
lol.
The Highwayman.
“The Highwayman.”
One of my top 5 favorite country songs of all time.
Waylon Jennings
Willie Nelson
Johnny Cash
Kris Kristofferson
“The Highwayman.”
One was a highwayman, one a dam builder, one a sailor, one flew a starship.
HA! We both like it and are quick!
The Highwayman written by Jimmy Webb.
My favorite version performed by Glen Campbell
I was a highwayman
Along the coach roads I did ride
With the sword and pistol by my side
And many a young maid lost her baubles to my trade
And many a soldier shed his life blood on my blade
They fin’lly hung me in the spring of ‘25
But I am still alive
I was a sailor
And I was born upon the tide
And with the sea I did abide
I sailed a schooner ‘round the horn of Mexico
I went aloft to furl the mainsail in a blow
And when the yards broke off they say that I got killed
But I am living still
I was a dam builder
Across the river deep and wide
Where steel and water did collide
A place called Boulder on the wild Colorado
I slipped and fell into the wet concrete below
They buried me in that great tomb that knows no sound
But I am still around
Seems like it all goes ‘round and ‘round
and ‘round and ‘round ...
I’ll fly a starship
Across the universe divide
Until I reach the other side
I’ll find a place to rest my spirit if I can
Perhaps I may become a highwayman again
Or I may simply be a single drop of rain
But I will remain
And I’ll be back again
and again, and again, and again.
I was a highwayman
along the coach roads i did ride
sword and pistol by my side
many a young made lost her models to my trade
many a soldier shed his life blood on my blade
the masters hung me in the spring of 85
but i am still alive
i was a sailor
i was born upon the tide
the way of the sea i did abide
i sailed around the gulf of mexico
and when the yards broke off they said that i got killed
but i am living still
i was a dam builder
across the river deep and wide
where steel and water did colide
i placed a boulder on the wild colorado
i slipped and fell into the wet concrete belowe
they burried me in that grey tomb that knows no sound
but i am still around
i fly a star ship
across the universe divide
and when i reach the other side
i’ll find a place to rest my spirit once again
i may become a highwayman again
or i may simply be a single drop of rain
but i will remain
and i’ll be back again and again and again
Highwayman
THAT’S IT!! Thanks all!!!
“I was a highwayman. Along the coach roads I did ride
With sword and pistol by my side
Many a young maid lost her baubles to my trade
Many a soldier shed his lifeblood on my blade
The bastards hung me in the spring of twenty-five
But I am still alive.
I was a sailor. I was born upon the tide
And with the sea I did abide.
I sailed a schooner round the Horn to Mexico
I went aloft and furled the mainsail in a blow
And when the yards broke off they said that I got killed
But I am living still.
I was a dam builder across the river deep and wide
Where steel and water did collide
A place called Boulder on the wild Colorado
I slipped and fell into the wet concrete below
They buried me in that great tomb that knows no sound
But I am still around..I’ll always be around..and around and around and
around and around
I fly a starship across the Universe divide
And when I reach the other side
I’ll find a place to rest my spirit if I can
Perhaps I may become a highwayman again
Or I may simply be a single drop of rain
But I will remain
And I’ll be back again, and again and again and again and again.”
I had to listen for a while. See post #12
I'm not often in a posting mood, but when I am, I'm quick! ;-)
Hope you are having a good day...
LOL...tht was easy.
Great song!!!
That’s it.
Among other places (like the original album) it’s on the album/CD CASH, a Johnny cash compilation. Which is worth buying for the OTHER songs on it also.
yeah it should be on Willie’s “Essential” collection which I have
lyrics "lyric snippet"
Once you have the song just go to the (apparently) copyright free zone at YouTube and search for the song. It will be there in at least triplicate. Works every time.
Great song... but not the one to which he is referring.
By Willie Nelson, Kris Kristopherson, Waylon Jennings & Johnny Cash
I was a highwayman. Along the coach roads I did ride
With sword and pistol by my side
Many a young maid lost her baubles to my trade
Many a soldier shed his lifeblood on my blade
The bastards hung me in the spring of twenty-five
But I am still alive.
I was a sailor. I was borne upon the tide
And with the sea I did abide.
I sailed a schooner round the Horn to Mexico
I went aloft and furled the mainsail in a blow
And when the yards broke off they said that I got killed
But I am living still.
I was a dam builder across the river deep and wide
Where steel and water did collide
A place called Boulder on the wild Colorado
I slipped and fell into the wet concrete below
They buried me in that great tomb that knows no sound
But I am still around..I’ll always be around..and around and around and around and around
I fly a starship across the Universe divide
And when I reach the other side
I’ll find a place to rest my spirit if I can
Perhaps I may become a highwayman again
Or I may simply be a single drop of rain
But I will remain
And I’ll be back again, and again and again and again and again..
That's a good'un!
Evidently............
All I remember is “What ever happened”
Several cowboy singers were mentioned.
True grit was the only movie I liked.
No more comes to mind.
Thanks in advance.
Jimmy Webb wrote several of Glen Campbells songs. The Highwayman was a great one.
"Wichita Lineman" is one of my all time favorites with "Galvenston" a close second.
The Highwayman
THE wind was a torrent of darkness among the gusty trees,
The moon was a ghostly galleon tossed upon cloudy seas,
The road was a ribbon of moonlight over the purple moor,
And the highwayman came riding— Riding—riding—
The highwayman came riding, up to the old inn-door.
II
He'd a French cocked-hat on his forehead, a bunch of lace at his chin,
A coat of the claret velvet, and breeches of brown doe-skin;
They fitted with never a wrinkle: his boots were up to the thigh!
And he rode with a jewelled twinkle,
His pistol butts a-twinkle,
His rapier hilt a-twinkle, under the jewelled sky.
III
Over the cobbles he clattered and clashed in the dark inn-yard,
And he tapped with his whip on the shutters, but all was locked and barred;
He whistled a tune to the window, and who should be waiting there
But the landlord's black-eyed daughter,
Bess, the landlord's daughter,
Plaiting a dark red love-knot into her long black hair.
IV
And dark in the dark old inn-yard a stable-wicket creaked
Where Tim the ostler listened; his face was white and peaked;
His eyes were hollows of madness, his hair like mouldy hay,
But he loved the landlord's daughter,
The landlord's red-lipped daughter,
Dumb as a dog he listened, and he heard the robber say—
V
"One kiss, my bonny sweetheart, I'm after a prize to-night,
But I shall be back with the yellow gold before the morning light;
Yet, if they press me sharply, and harry me through the day,
Then look for me by moonlight,
Watch for me by moonlight,
I'll come to thee by moonlight, though hell should bar the way."
VI
He rose upright in the stirrups; he scarce could reach her hand,
But she loosened her hair i' the casement! His face burnt like a brand
As the black cascade of perfume came tumbling over his breast;
And he kissed its waves in the moonlight,
(Oh, sweet, black waves in the moonlight!)
Then he tugged at his rein in the moonliglt, and galloped away to the West.
PART TWO
I
He did not come in the dawning; he did not come at noon;
And out o' the tawny sunset, before the rise o' the moon,
When the road was a gypsy's ribbon, looping the purple moor,
A red-coat troop came marching— Marching—marching—
King George's men came matching, up to the old inn-door.
II
They said no word to the landlord, they drank his ale instead,
But they gagged his daughter and bound her to the foot of her narrow bed;
Two of them knelt at her casement, with muskets at their side!
There was death at every window;
And hell at one dark window;
For Bess could see, through her casement, the road that he would ride.
III
They had tied her up to attention, with many a sniggering jest;
They had bound a musket beside her, with the barrel beneath her breast!
"Now, keep good watch!" and they kissed her. She heard the dead man say— Look for me by moonlight;
Watch for me by moonlight;
I'll come to thee by moonlight, though hell should bar the way!
IV
She twisted her hands behind her; but all the knots held good!
She writhed her hands till her fingers were wet with sweat or blood!
They stretched and strained in the darkness, and the hours crawled by like years,
Till, now, on the stroke of midnight,
Cold, on the stroke of midnight,
The tip of one finger touched it! The trigger at least was hers!
V
The tip of one finger touched it; she strove no more for the rest!
Up, she stood up to attention, with the barrel beneath her breast,
She would not risk their hearing; she would not strive again;
For the road lay bare in the moonlight;
Blank and bare in the moonlight;
And the blood of her veins in the moonlight throbbed to her love's refrain .
VI
Tlot-tlot; tlot-tlot! Had they heard it? The horse-hoofs ringing clear;
Tlot-tlot, tlot-tlot, in the distance? Were they deaf that they did not hear?
Down the ribbon of moonlight, over the brow of the hill,
The highwayman came riding,
Riding, riding!
The red-coats looked to their priming! She stood up, straight and still!
VII
Tlot-tlot, in the frosty silence! Tlot-tlot, in the echoing night!
Nearer he came and nearer! Her face was like a light!
Her eyes grew wide for a moment; she drew one last deep breath,
Then her finger moved in the moonlight,
Her musket shattered the moonlight,
Shattered her breast in the moonlight and warned him—with her death.
VIII
He turned; he spurred to the West; he did not know who stood
Bowed, with her head o'er the musket, drenched with her own red blood!
Not till the dawn he heard it, his face grew grey to hear
How Bess, the landlord's daughter,
The landlord's black-eyed daughter,
Had watched for her love in the moonlight, and died in the darkness there.
IX
Back, he spurred like a madman, shrieking a curse to the sky,
With the white road smoking behind him and his rapier brandished high!
Blood-red were his spurs i' the golden noon; wine-red was his velvet coat,
When they shot him down on the highway,
Down like a dog on the highway,
And he lay in his blood on the highway, with the bunch of lace at his throat.
X
And still of a winter's night, they say, when the wind is in the trees,
When the moon is a ghostly galleon tossed upon cloudy seas,
When the road is a ribbon of moonlight over the purple moor,
A highwayman comes riding—
Riding—riding—
A highwayman comes riding, up to the old inn-door.
XI
Over the cobbles he clatters and clangs in the dark inn-yard;
He taps with his whip on the shutters, but all is locked and barred;
He whistles a tune to the window, and who should be waiting there
But the landlord's black-eyed daughter,
Bess, the landlord's daughter,
Plaiting a dark red love-knot into her long black hair.
As you know now - it was The Highwayman”.
But it is the same guy getting reincarnated over and over.
Now if I could only find out what the bumper music is
(the main entry bumper music) on the Hugh Hewett show.
It has no lyrics.
It’s called “Whatever happened to Randolph Scott” by the Statler Brothers. Off of the “Carry Me Back” album.
Oh gee thanks y’all...now I’ll never get that song out of my head and I can’t stand Willie Nelson’s voice...{Sigh}....
The Statler bros.
What ever happened to Randolph Scott has happened to the best of me.
What I want to know is who gave Kris Kristofferson permission to ‘sing’ and ‘play’ guitar?
sides writing ‘Sunday morning coming down’ for Johnny.
Mind if I put in a request? This is for a country song I heard back in 1998-1999. It was about a young woman on her wedding day who gets a huge bouquet of roses. She reads the note with the roses, and it sounds like it was written by an ex of hers who can’t bear to see her get married-but as the song progresses , we realize the note is from her father, and he wrote it & arranged for the flowers to be delivered after his death (I think the song implied his death was from cancer, but I am not sure.) Don’t remember one specific line from the song-can anyone help?
You must depend on some heavy duty medication in order to really appreciate Kris.
So I’ve heard.
Dang, you beat me! LOL That was a great song and I liked the video clips to it too. :)
A story of reincarnation. Highwaymen
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