Highwayman
Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Kris Kristofferson, Willie Nelson
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I was a highwayman Along the coach roads I did ride With sword and pistol by my side Many a young maid lost her baubles to my trade Many a soldier shed his lifeblood on my blade The bastards hung me in the spring of twenty-five But I am still alive I was a sailor I was born upon the tide And with the sea I did abide I sailed a schooner round the Horn to Mexico I went aloft and furled the mainsail in a blow And when the yards broke off they said that I got killed But I am living still I was a dam builder Across the river deep and wide Where steel and water did collide A place called Boulder on the wild Colorado I slipped and fell into the wet concrete below They buried me in that great tomb that knows no sound But I am still around I'll always be around and around and around and around and around I fly a starship Across the Universe divide And when I reach the other side I'll find a place to rest my spirit if I can Perhaps I may become a highwayman again Or I may simply be a single drop of rain But I will remain And I'll be back again, and again and again and again and again
The easy, fast & fun way to learn how to sing: 30DaySinger.com
Written by: Jimmy Webb
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
12 facts about this song
OriginationThe song "Highwayman" was written by American songwriter Jimmy Webb in 1977.
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PerformancesThe song has been performed by various artists. The version by the supergroup "The Highwaymen" (comprising Kris Kristofferson, Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, and Waylon Jennings) is arguably the most popular.
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First ReleaseGlenn Campbell was the very first artist to record "Highwayman" in 1979.
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InspirationWebb wrote "Highwayman" after he had been driving through Phoenix, Arizona, and he became fascinated with the idea of reincarnation.
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ContentIn the song, four verses explore the soul of a man reincarnated through four different scenarios, each of which represents one of the Highwaymen: a highwayman, a sailor, a construction worker on the Hoover Dam, and a starship captain.
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RecognitionThe Highwaymen's version of "Highwayman" reached number one on the Billboard's Hot Country Songs and won the Grammy Award for Best Country Song in 1985.
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Legacy"Highwayman", as performed by The Highwaymen, has been ranked on Rolling Stone's list of the 100 Greatest Country Songs of All Time.
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AlbumThe song is also the title track for the album "Highwayman", released by the supergroup The Highwaymen in 1985.
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PersonificationUnlike other typical country songs, Jimmy Webb used personification in the lyrics to represent a broader sense of life and its cycle.
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ConnectionThe collaboration on "Highwayman" by Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, and Kris Kristofferson was the start of The Highwaymen supergroup that went on to release three studio albums.
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GenreThe song "Highwayman" is in the country, outlaw country genre known for its storytelling nature.
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Live PerformancesThe Highwaymen performed "Highwayman" live all over America, one of the notable performances was in 1990 at Long Island's Nassau Coliseum.
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Citation
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"Highwayman Lyrics." Lyrics.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 21 Sep. 2024. <https://www.lyrics.com/lyric/2756309/Johnny+Cash/Highwayman>.
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