The Highwayman Waltz
One bright early morning - without any
warning / Our coachman pulled the reins in - brought his horses to halt / We'd
been riding a good road - from Holloway to London/ When the bandit Claude Duvall
brought his guns out / We peered out the window - our hearts in a shiver / Wondering
what fate would be cast on this dawn.
From
high on his horse, he said "Stand and deliver, What goods ye have brought on your
journey this morn."/ Then a lady - determined - to appear unafraid / Began to
play on a flute to all she surveyed / Duvall raised an eyebrow and flashed her
a smile / And said,
Chorus: "Lady,
allow me to dance with you a while / Oh, dance with me Lady, here on the heath
/ I'll forget I'm a bandit, forget I'm a thief / Please lift up your skirts -
away from the dirt / We'll go dancing - This morning - I'll do no robbing / We'll
go dancing the Highwayman Waltz".
When
the dancing was finished - Duvall made a bow / He said, "My lady, you've charmed
me - and to you I'll vow / I'll take none of your jewelry - none of your gold
/ But your husband now owes me - for tunes played on the road."
"Now
what say you Mister, ere' the bargain I've struck / I've danced with your Lady
- now you're down on your luck / For four hundred pounds I'll see you go free
/ And if you hasten you can hurry the sheriff on me.
Chorus
Now many a man - was lost of his wealth / In the days 'fore and after Duvall danced
on the heath /And many a Lady - was lost of her breath / When the captured Claude
Duvall was sentenced to death / Claude faced the crowd bravely at the end of his
rope / With a smile in his eye and a lump in his throat /His life, tho' a brief
one, was filled with delight / And he knew many a lady would dream of him tonight
Chorus
