The Highwayman - Lyrics, Chords, Origin and Recording

This song was written by James Hunter, who also performs this version of it. According to James, it is, "A very romanticised view of a cut-throat villain I know, but it makes a good story and everyone needs a little romance in their lives. Never let the truth ruin a yarn."

You can find out more about James Hunter here.

Listen to a recording of The Highwayman

Chords

	A
It	was	a	dark	night	on	the	road
A
'That	runs	between	here	and	there
A
The	highwayman	waits	in	the	shadows
A
Say	travellers	beware
A
If	you	venture	out	upon	the	road
A
When	the	moon	it	is	high
A
Best	pray	to	the	gods	of	hope
A			Em7	Cm7
That	the	highwayman	rides	by
A	G		A
Too-ra-	Loora-loo	Too-ra-	Loo

Lyrics

It was a dark night on the road that runs between here and there

The highwayman waits in the shadows, say travellers beware

If you venture out upon the road when the moon it is high

Best pray to the gods of hope that the highwayman rides by

Too-ra-loora-loo too-ra-loo

Now they say he rides a fearsome beast, with eyes of burning red

Best not offer up resistance, or my friend you'll end up dead

No don't argue with the man in black, or his pistols you will hear

Best stay off the road at night, when the moon shines so clear

Too-ra-loora-loo too-ra-loo

Now the magistrate he was a fool, said he'd hang that villain high

One day he'd appear before him and he'd look him in the eye

He'd put on that cloth of black and sentence him to death

And he'd be there on the gallows to watch him take his final breath

Too-ra-loora-loo too-ra-loo

But he did not know his daughter, was in love with the highwayman

That she was carrying a child, to the man he'd swore to hang

So when he ventured out upon the road, with deputies but two

He felt safe in his ignorance, said highwayman I'll take you

Too-ra-loora-loo too-ra-loo

So they met as fate decreed, two pistol shots rang clear

Two deputies lay dead, and the magistrate he knew fear

Before he could draw a pistol out, a sliver blade cut him clean

Now he'd never know his grandchild or know what love could mean

Too-ra-loora-loo too-ra-loo