Alfred Noyes (1880-1958) => Music by Loreena McKennitt => Chords transcribed by Stefan Lüer
The Highwayman
==============
PART ONE
I
THE (Am)wind was a torrent of darkness ( F7) among the (G)gusty (Am)trees,
The (Am) moon was a ghostly galleon tossed ( F7)upon (G)clondy (Am)seas,
The ( F7) road was a ( C )ribbon of ( G )moonlight ( Am) over the ( F7 )purple ( G )moor,
And( F7 ) the highway ( C )(man came ( G ) riding — ( Am ) Riding—( G ) riding—
( Am ) The highway ( G ) man came ( C ) riding, up ( Am ) to the old inn-door.
II
He'd a (Am) French cocked-hat on his forehead, a (F7)bunch of (G)lace at his (Am)chin,
A (Am) coat of the claret velvet, and (F7)breeches of (G)brown doe-(Am)skin;
They (F7)fitted with (C)never a (G)wrinkle: his (Am) boots were (F7)up to the (G)thigh!
And he (F7) rode with a (C) jewelled (G)twinkle, His (Am)pistol butts a-(G)twinkle,
(Am) His rapier (G)hilt a- (C)twinkle, (Am)under the jewelled sky.
III
(Am)Over the cobbles he clattered and (F7)clashed in the (G)dark inn-(Am)yard,
And he (Am) tapped with his whip on the shuters, but (F7) all was (G)locked and (Am)barred;
He (F7) whistled a ( C ) tune to the (G) window, and (Am) who should be (F7)waiting (G)there
But the (F7) landlord's ( C ) black-eyed (G)daughter, (Am)Bess, the landlord's (G)daughter,
(Am)Plaiting a (G)dark red ( C )love-knot (Am) into her long black hair.
IV
And dark (Am) in the dark old inn-yard a (F7)stable-(G)wicket (Am)creaked
Where (Am)Tim the ostler listened; his (F7)face was (G)white and (Am)peaked;
His (F7)eyes were ( C )hollows of (G)madness, (Am)his hair like (F7)mouldy (G)hay,
But he (F7)loved the ( C )landlord's (G)daughter, The /(Am)landlord's red-lipped (G)daughter,
(Am)Dumb as a (G)dog he ( C )listened, and he (Am)heard the robber say—
V
"One (Am)kiss, my bonny sweetheart, I'm (F7)after a (G)prize to-(Am) night,
But (Am) I shall be back with the yellow gold (F7)before the (G)morning (Am)light;
Yet, (F7) if they (C)press me (G)sharply, and (Am)harry me (F7)through the (G)day,
Then (F7)look for (C)me by (G)moonlight, (Am) Watch for me by(G) moonlight,
I'll (Am) come to (G)thee by (C)moonlight, (Am)though hell should bar the way."
VI
He (Am)rose upright in the stirrups; he (F7)scarce could (G)reach her (Am)hand,
But she (Am) loosened her hair i' the casement! His (F7)face (G)burnt like a (Am)brand
As the (F7)black (C)cascade of (G)perfume came (Am)tumbling (F7)over his (G)breast;
And he (F7)kissed its (C)waves in the (G)moonlight, Oh, (Am)sweet, black waves in the (G)moonlight!)
Then he (Am)tugged at his (G)rein in the (C)moonlight, and (Am)galloped away to the West.
PART TWO
I
He (Am)did not come in the dawning; he (F7)did not (G)come at (Am)noon;
And (Am)out o’ the tawny sunset, before the (F7)rise (G)o' the (Am)moon,
When the (F7)road (C)was a gypsy's (G)ribbon, (Am)looping the (F7)purple (G)moor,
a (F7)red-coat (C)troop came (G)marching (Am) Marching—(G)marching—
King (Am)George's (G)men came (C)matching, (Am)up to the old inn-door.
II
They (Am) said no word to the landlord, they (F7)drank his (G)ale (Am)instead,
But they (Am)gagged his daughter and bound her to the (F7)foot of her (G)narrow (Am)bed;
Two (F7)of them (C)knelt at her (G)casement, with (Am)muskets (F7)at their (G)side!
There was (F7)death at (C)every (G)window; And (Am)hell at one dark (G)window;
or (Am)Bess (G)could see, through her (C)casement, (Am)the road that he would ride.
III
[ Tab from: https://www.guitartabs.cc/tabs/m/mckennitt_loreena/the_highwayman_crd.html ]
They (Am)had tied her up to attention, with (F7)many a (G)sniggering (Am)jest;
They had (Am)bound a musket beside her, with the (F7)barrel (G)beneath her (Am)breast!
"Now, (F7)keep good (C)watch!" and they (G)kissed her. She (Am)heard the (F7)dead man (G)say—
Look for (F7) me (C)by (G)moonlight; (Am)Watch for me by (G) moonlight;
I'll (Am)come to(G) thee by (C)moonlight,(Am) though hell should bar the way!
IV
She (Am)twisted her hands behind her; but (F7) all the (G)knots held (Am)good!
She (Am)writhed her hands till her fingers were (F7)wet with (G)sweat or (Am)blood!
They (F7)stretched and (C)strained in the (G)darkness, and the (Am)hours (F7)crawled by like (G)years,
Till, (F7)now, on the (C)stroke of (G)midnight, (Am) Cold, on the stroke of (G)midnight,
The (Am) tip of one (G)finger (C)touched it! The (Am) trigger at least was hers!
V
The (Am) tip of one finger touched it; she (F7) strove no (G)more for the (Am)rest!
Up, (Am)she stood up to attention, with the (F7) barrel (G)beneath her (Am) breast,
She (F7)would not (C)risk their (G)hearing; (Am)she would not (F7)strive (G) again;
For the (F7) road lay (C)bare in the (G)moonlight; (Am)Blank and bare in the (G)moonlight;
And the (Am)blood of (G)her veins in the (C)moonlight (Am)throbbed to her love's refrain .
VI
(Am) Tlot-tlot; tlot-tlot! Had they heard it? The (F7) horse-hoofs (G) ringing (Am) clear;
(Am) Tlot-tlot, tlot-tlot, in the distance? Were they (F7)deaf that they (G)did not (Am)hear?
(F7)Down the (C)ribbon of (G) moonlight, (Am)over the (F7)brow of the (G)hill,
(F7)The (C)highwayman came (G)riding, (Am)Riding, (G)riding!
The(Am) red-coats (G)looked to their (C)priming! She (Am)stood up, straight and still!
VII
(Am)Tlot-tlot, in the frosty silence! (F7)Tlot-tlot) in the (G)echoing (Am)night!
(Am)Nearer he came and nearer! Her(F7) face was (G)like a (Am)light!
Her (F7)eyes grew (C)wide for a (G)moment; she (Am)drew one (F7)last deep (G)breath,
Then her (F7)finger (C)moved in the (G) moonlight, Her (Am) musket (F7)shattered the (G)moonlight,
(Am)Shattered her (G)breast in the (C)moonlight and (Am)warned him—with her death.
VIII
(Am)He turned; he spurred to the West; he (F7)did not (G)know who (Am)stood
(Am) Bowed, with her head o'er the musket, (F7)drenched with her (G)own red (Am)blood!
Not (F7)till the (C)dawn he (G)heard it, his (Am)face grew (F7)grey to (G)hear
How (F7)Bess, the (C)landlord's (G)daughter, The (Am)landlord's (F7)black-eyed (G)daughter,
Had (Am) watched for her (G)love in the (C)moonlight, and (Am)died in the darkness there.
IX
(Am)Back, he spurred like a madman, (F7)shrieking a (G)curse to the (Am)sky,
(Am)With the white road smoking behind him and his (F7)rapier (G)brandished (Am)high!
Blood-(F7)red were his (C)spurs i' the golden (G)noon; (Am) wine-red was his(F7) velvet (G) coat,
When (F7)they shot him (C) down on the (G)highway, (Am) Down like a (F7)dog on the (G)highway,
And he (Am) lay in his (G)blood on the (C)highway, with the (Am)bunch of lace at his throat.
X
(Am)And still of a winter's night, they (F7) say, when the (G)wind is in the (Am) trees,
(Am) When the moon is a ghostly galleon tossed (F7)upon (G) cloudy (Am)seas,
When the (F7) road is a (C) ribbon of (G) moonlight ( Am)over the(F7) purple (G) moor,
a (F7)highwayman (C)comes (G)riding —(Am) Riding—(G) riding—
A (Am) highway(G)man comes (C)riding, (Am) up to the old inn-door.
XI
Over (Am) the cobbles he clatters and (F7) clangs in the (G)dark inn-(Am)yard;
He (Am)taps with his whip on the shutters, but(F7) all is (G)locked and Am)barred;
He (F7)whistles a (C)tune to the (G)window, and (Am)who should be (F7)waiting (G)there
But the(F7) landlord's (C) black-eyed (G)daughter, (Am) Bess, the landlord's (G) daughter,
(Am)Plaiting a(G) dark red (C)love-knot (Am) into her long black hair.
That should work out pretty well! I don’t know about the intro and bridges though! If you have a clue please add it yourself!
Any questions please write me to fishing_lueer@yahoo.com (put the subject: “Guitartabs.cc” – “highwayman” otherwise you will be deleted as spam)
Have fun
Stefan Lüer
