Long Black Veil
Secrets in a Long Black Veil: Nick Cave's Haunting Tale
Lyrics
She walks these hills in a long black veil
She frequents these hills wearing a long black veil.
She visits my grave when the night winds wail
She comes to my grave when the sounds of the night are sorrowful.
Nobody knows, nobody sees
Nobody is aware.
Nobody knows but me
I am the sole keeper of this secret.
Ten years ago, on a cold dark night
On a cold, dark night a decade ago,
Someone was killed, 'neath the town hall light
Someone was murdered under the light near the town hall.
There were few at the scene, but they all agreed
There were a few people present, all agreeing,
That the slayer who ran, looked a lot like me
That the fleeing killer greatly resembled me.
Well, the judge, he said "Son, what is your alibi
The judge asked for my alibi,
If you were somewhere else, then you won't have to die"
If I had been elsewhere, I could escape death.
But I spoke not a word, though it meant my life
Despite it risking my life, I chose silence,
For I'd been in the arms of my best friend's wife
Because I was involved with my best friend's wife.
She walks these hills in a long black veil
She walks these hills in mourning attire.
She visits my grave when the night winds wail
She comes to my grave during sorrowful nights.
Nobody knows, nobody sees
No one witnesses her actions.
Nobody knows but me
I am the only one aware of her visits.
Now the scaffold is high and eternity's near
The execution is imminent, and she stands among the crowd,
She stood in the crowd, but shed not a tear
Yet she shows no emotion, no tears.
But sometimes at night, when the cold winds moan
However, sometimes at night when the winds are mournful,
In a long black veil, she cries on my bones
She weeps over my bones in her mourning attire.
She walks these hills in a long black veil
She frequents these hills wearing a long black veil.
She visits my grave when the night winds wail
She comes to my grave during sorrowful nights.
Nobody knows, nobody sees
Her actions remain unseen by anyone else.
Nobody knows but me
Only I am privy to her actions.
No, no, nobody knows but me
No one else knows besides me.
I said, nobody knows but me
I reiterate, only I know.
Yeah, nobody knows but me
Yes, the secret remains solely with me.
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