danny dill • maryjohn wilkin
This 1959 murder ballad written by Danny Dill and Maryjohn Wilkin was first recorded by Lefty Frizzell with Wilkin playing piano, and has become a standard recorded by artists and bands like Johnny Cash, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, The Band, Joan Baez and even the Cieftains featuring Mick Jagger. Frizzell's original recording, produced by Don Law, has been selected by the Library of Congress for preservation in the National Recording Registry for being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".
ten years ago on a cold dark night
someone was killed neath the town hall light
there were few at the scene but they all agreeded
that the slayer who ran looked a lot like me
the judge said "son what is your alibi ?
if you were somewhere else then you won't have to die"
but I spoke not a word though it meant my life
I'd been in the arms of my best friend's wife
now the scaffold is high and eternity near
she stood in the crowd and shed not a tear
but sometimes at night when the cold wind moans
in a long black veil she cries over my bones
now she walks these hills in a long black veil
she visits my grave when the night wind wail
nobody knows • nobody sees
nobody knows but me
For the following CHORD section, fullscreen/horizontal mobile is recommended.
Chords in brackets may be omitted.
G Em ten years ago on a cold dark night Am D7 C G someone was killed neath the town hall light G Em there were few at the scene but they all agreeded Am D7 C G that the slayer who ran looked a lot like me G C G C G now she walks these hills in a long black veil G C G C G she visits my grave when the night wind wail G G7 C E7 nobody knows nobody sees A7 D7 G nobody knows but me
