The Hangman and the Papist

The Strawbs

0 fans

The Strawbs

The Strawbs are an English rock band founded in 1964 as the Strawberry Hill Boys. The band started out as a bluegrass group, but eventually moved on to other styles such as folk rock and progressive rock. They are best known for their hit "Part of the Union", which reached number two in the UK Singles Chart in February 1973, as well as for "Lay Down", a popular progressive rock hit from the same LP. Strawbs toured with Supertramp in their "Crime of the Century" tour, doing their own "Hero and Heroine" tour, which drew musical similarities and themes. more »


Year:
1971
4:13
98 
#1

 Become A Better Singer In Only 30 Days, With Easy Video Lessons!

The village square stands quiet
The curfew still enforced
The streets are even clear of dogs and whores

Like some evil bird of prey
The scaffold spreads its wings
The people build their fires and bolt their doors

The mayor is giving dinner to the officers’ wives
His eldest son is learning how to fawn
The barrack block is hushed and tense
The soldiers drawing lots
Who will be the hangman in the dawn?

The lot falls on a young man
Who has served for but a year
His home is in the village close nearby

He shivers at the thought of what
He’s forced to do next day
He wonders who it is, who has to die?

And the full moon casts a cold light
On the gloomy prison walls
The papist walks his cell, he cannot sleep

He hears the waiting gallows creaking
Just beyond that door
He prays for he has no more tears to weep

The day begins to break
A muffled drums begins to sound
A crowd begins to gather in the square
The presence of the hangman in his terrifying mask

Weighs heavy on the minds of all those there
The colonel reads the sentence
Which the papist knows by heart

He has failed to show allegiance to the King
His crime is thus with God himself
And in His name he must hang
The papist, head held high, says not a thing

The jailer binds his hands
And puts his blindfold to his eyes
He leads him through the door before the crowd
The hangman sees his victim

And the blood drains from his face
He sees his younger brother standing proud
The hangman tries to protest
But is ordered to proceed

His trembling hands begin to take the strain
His eyes are blind with streaming tears
And he cries for all to hear

Forgive me, God, we hang him in Thy name
Forgive me, God, we hang him in Thy name
Forgive me, God, we hang him in Thy name
Oh, please forgive me, God, we hang him in Thy name
Forgive me, God, we hang him in Thy name

 Become A Better Singer In Only 30 Days, With Easy Video Lessons!

Written by: COUSINS

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

Discuss the The Hangman and the Papist Lyrics with the community:

0 Comments

    Citation

    Use the citation below to add these lyrics to your bibliography:

    Style:MLAChicagoAPA

    "The Hangman and the Papist Lyrics." Lyrics.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 28 Mar. 2024. <https://www.lyrics.com/lyric/3945422/The+Strawbs/The+Hangman+and+the+Papist>.

    Missing lyrics by The Strawbs?

    Know any other songs by The Strawbs? Don't keep it to yourself!

    Watch the song video

    The Hangman and the Papist

    31,512
    212     7

    more tracks from the album

    From the Witchwood

    Browse Lyrics.com

    Quiz

    Are you a music master?

    »
    What was the name of the English rock band before it became the Beatles?
    A Iron Butterfly
    B Quarrymen
    C Who
    D Dave Clark Five

    Free, no signup required:

    Add to Chrome

    Get instant explanation for any lyrics that hits you anywhere on the web!

    Free, no signup required:

    Add to Firefox

    Get instant explanation for any acronym or abbreviation that hits you anywhere on the web!

    The Strawbs tracks

    On Radio Right Now

    Loading...

    Powered by OnRad.io


    Think you know music? Test your MusicIQ here!