The Hangman And The Papist   by   Strawbs
 
 
Em                                       G
The village square stands quiet with the curfew still in force
    Am               C                 Em
The streets are even clear of dogs and whores
Em                              G
Like some evil bird of prey the scaffold spreads its wings
    Am                 C                    Em
The people build their fires and bolt their doors
    Am                     G      D                 Dsus D 
The mayor is giving dinner to the officers and wives
    Am            G               D   Dsus D
His eldest son is learning how to fawn
    Am                          G          D
The barrack block is hushed and tense, the soldiers drawing lots
Am              Em  G          D    Am
Who will be the hangman in the dawn
 
 
    Em                               G
The lot falls on a young man who has served for but a year
    Am             C                 Em
His home is in the village close nearby
   Em                                  G
He shivers at the thought of what he's forced to do next day
   Am             C              Em
He wonders who it is that has to die
    Am                G                 D                  Dsus D 
The full moon casts a cold light on the gloomy prison walls
    Am               G               D    Dsus D
The papist walks his cell, he cannot sleep
   Am                                 G               D
He hears the waiting gallows creaking just beyond the door
   Am               Em G             D    Am
He prays for he has no more tears to weep
 
 
    Em                               G
The day begins to break, the muffled drums begin to sound
  Am              C             Em
A crowd begins to gather in the square
    Em                             G
The presence of the hangman in his terrifying mask
       Am           C                  Em
Weighs heavy on the minds of all those there
    Am                G                  D                    Dsus D 
The colonel reads the sentence which the papist knows by heart
       Am               G               D   Dsus D
He has failed to show allegiance to the King
    Am                                 G                D
His crime is thus with god himself, in his name he must hang
    Am           Em   G                D     Am
The papist, head held high, says not a thing
 
 
    Em                                  G
The jailer binds his hands and puts the blindfold to his eyes
    Am                   C               Em
He leads him through the door before the crowd
    Em                              G
The hangman sees his victim and the blood drains from his face
   Am               C                Em
He sees his younger brother standing proud
    Am               G               D                 Dsus D 
The hangman tries to protest, but is ordered to proceed
    Am                G               D     Dsus D
His trembling hands begin to take the strain
    Am                                      G                D
His eyes are blind with streaming tears, he cries for all to hear
    Am              Em   G          D
"Forgive me god, we hang him in thy name"
    Am              Em   G          D
"Forgive me god, we hang him in thy name"
    Am              Em   G          D
"Forgive me god, we hang him in thy name"
    Am              Em   G          D
"Forgive me god, we hang him in thy name"