Know something about this song or lyrics?
Add it to our wiki.
Ten years ago on a cold dark night
Someone was killed beneath the townhall light
There were few at the scene, but they all agreed
That the slayer 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 aliby?
If you were somewhere else, then you won't have to die."
I said not a word, though it meant my life,
For I'd been in the arms of my best friend's wife.
Oh, 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, now the scaffold is high, eternity is near
She stood in the crowd and shed not a tear
And sometimes at night when the cold winds blow
In a long black veil she cries over my bones.
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, 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.
Nobody knows. nobody knows, but me.
Nobody knows but me.
Someone was killed beneath the townhall light
There were few at the scene, but they all agreed
That the slayer 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 aliby?
If you were somewhere else, then you won't have to die."
I said not a word, though it meant my life,
For I'd been in the arms of my best friend's wife.
Oh, 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, now the scaffold is high, eternity is near
She stood in the crowd and shed not a tear
And sometimes at night when the cold winds blow
In a long black veil she cries over my bones.
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, 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.
Nobody knows. nobody knows, but me.
Nobody knows but me.
Lyrics submitted by forgetsammi, edited by Mellow_Harsher
Track duration: 08:44
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
@krazymeesen: I’ve seen several people talk about how his death was honorable, but that really isn’t true. Did you mean that you personally feel that he did the right thing by dying, or that it was honorable for people back then? I think today’s society would judge human life of greater importance than the embarrassment and dishonor to the lady involved.
Moolz, you seem confused about the song. The narrator did not kill anyone. The person that was killed is of no significance, other than someone is going to get blamed for it. He (the narrrator) has an alibi, his best friend's wife, but he can not use it to defend himself against a murder charge because he would rather protect his and his best friend's wife's honor. So he is hung, an innocent man, of murder at least.
She couldn't cry because she should think that he is guilty of the murder. No one knows that they were having an affair. If she cried, it would have revealed that she knew he was innocent, and the alibi would be revealed. She obviously mourns his death, hence the name of the song, she just can't do so publicly.
for I had been in the arms, of my best friends wife "
and "she stood in the crowd and shed not a tear" also "nobody knows, nobody sees, nobody knows but me"
so this means the killer(writer) didnt say why he killed because he was in his best friends wifes arms
also she stood in the crowd watching him being sentenced to death but shed no tear...b/c she also didnt want anyone to know...
this song is soo unique because its written by a dead mans perspective.....she visits his the killers grave because they were truly in love and he died not to shame her.....so therefore she wears the long black veil for her husband ....but secretly crys for her true love who is the writer of this wonderfull song
Yes and the meaning I am sure is self explanatory. Died for forbidden love and he killed her husband or lover for her and she comes of course to cry over his bones..