The moon was a ghostly galleon
And the road was a ribbon of moonlight
And the highwayman came riding,
Yes, the highwayman came riding
Over the cobbles he clattered
An d clashed in the darkened yard
And he tapped with his whip at the window
But all was locked an d barred
So he whistled a tune to the window
And who should be waiting there
But the landlord's black eyed daughter
Bess the landlord's daughter
Plaiting a dark red love knot
One kiss, my bonny sweetheart
For I'm after a prize tonight
Yet if they press me sharply
Oh, then look for me by moonlight
Watch for me by moonlight
And I'll come to thee by moonlight
Though Hell should bar the way
He did not come at the dawning
No, he did not come at the noon
And out of the tawny sunset
be fore the rise of the moon
When the road was a gypsy's ribbon
Oh a redcoat troop came marching,
King George's men came marching
with many a sniggering jest
And they bound the musket
With the barrel be neath her breast
She heard the dead man say
"Oh look for me by moonlight
Watch for me by moonlight
And I'll come to thee by moonlight
Though Hell should bar the way"
Watch for me by moonlight
Were they deaf that they did not hear
For he rode on the gypsy highway
She breathed one final breath
Then her finger moved in the moonlight
Her musket shattered the moonlight
And it shattered her breast
And warned him with her death
He did not know who stood
Out with her black hair a
Drenched with her own red blood
Oh not 'til the dawn had he heard it
And his face grew gray to hear
How Bess the landlord's daughter
The landlord's black eyed daughter
Had watched for her love in
And died in the darkness there
Back he spurred like a madman
Shrieking a curse to the sky
With the white road smoking
And his rapier brandished high
Down like a dog on the highway
And he lay in his blood on the highway
With a bunch of lace at his throat
And still on a winter's night they say
When the wind is in the trees
When the moon is a ghostly galleon
When the road is a ribbon of moonlight
Oh the highwayman comes riding,
Yes the highwayman comes riding
