The Hangman And The Papist

[INTRO:] Em

[VERSE 1:]
                                         G
The village square stands quiet with the curfew still in force
    Am                                 C
The streets are even clear of dogs and whores
Em                              G
Like some evil bird of prey the scaffold spreads its wings
    Am                                      C
The people build their fires and bolt their doors
    Am                            D
The mayor is giving dinner to the officers and wives
    Am            Em              D
His eldest son is learning how to fawn
    Am                          Em         D
The barrack block is hushed and tense, the soldiers drawing lots
Am              Em             D
Who will be the hangman in the dawn


[VERSE 2:]
    Em                               G
The lot falls on a young man who has served for but a year
    Am                               C
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
He wonders who it is that has to die
    Am                                  D
The full moon casts a cold light on the gloomy prison walls
    Am               Em              D
The papist walks his cell, he cannot sleep
   Am                                 Em              D
He hears the waiting gallows creaking just beyond the door
   Am               Em               D
He prays for he has no more tears to weep


[VERSE 3:]
    Em                               G
The day begins to break, the muffled drums begin to sound
  Am                            C
A crowd begins to gather in the square
    Em                             G
The presence of the hangman in his terrifying mask
       Am                              C
Weighs heavy on the minds of all those there
    Am                                   D
The colonel reads the sentence which the papist knows by heart
       Am               Em              D
He has failed to show allegiance to the King
    Am                 Em              D
His crime is thus with god himself, in his name he must hang
    Am           Em                    D
The papist, head held high, says not a thing


[VERSE 4:]
    Em                                  G
The jailer binds his hands and puts the blindfold to his eyes
    Am                                   C
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
He sees his younger brother standing proud
    Am                               D
The hangman tries to protest, but is ordered to proceed
    Am                Em              D
His trembling hands begin to take the strain
    Am                  Em                  D
His eyes are blind with streaming tears, he cries for all to hear
    Am              Em              D
"Forgive me god, we hang him in thy name"
    Am              Em              D
"Forgive me god, we hang him in thy name"
    Am              Em              D
"Forgive me god, we hang him in thy name"
    Am              Em              D
"Forgive me god, we hang him in thy name"