The Hangman’s Moon

Songtext

They gave me till sunrise... Reckon I better keep ridin’. Black horse runnin’ through the desert sand, Six-gun loaded, ready in my hand, Rope marks burnin’ around this neck of mine, They damn near hung me but it ain't my time. Sheriff swore I’d be dead by dawn, But the rope done snapped, and I was gone, Now the posse’s ridin’, on the sand filled sea, But there ain't no way that you're catchin' me. Hooves beat hard on the desert floor, A wanted man, that was at death's door, No stars above, no dyin' soon, Just me beneath the Hangman’s Moon. Ride... beneath the Hangman’s Moon, That blood-red sky says dawn comes soon, Kick it harder, ... I can hear the yell, "SEND THAT GODDAMN GUY TO HELL!" There’s a rope back there with my name carved through, And a grave somewhere that’s waitin’ too, So I’ll ride until the night is gone, And pray to God I outrun dawn. Coyote cries from a ridge up high, Buzzards circle in the crimson sky, Horse is foamin’, lungs burn dry, But neither one of us wants to die. Water’s gone and the trail runs cold, There ain’t much future for an outlaw old, I hear those riders when the wind blows west, And feel that noose tightening round my neck. Miles behind, but gaining ground, I swear I hear those bloodhounds sound, That red moon hangs like judgment doom, Watching from the Hangman’s Moon. Ride... beneath the Hangman’s Moon, Blood-red sky says dawn comes soon, Ride... boy, ride like Hell, Before that morning tolls your bell. There’s a rope back there with my name carved through, And a grave somewhere that’s waitin’ too, So I’ll ride all night till the dark is gone, And pray to God I outrun dawn. Killed one man... Maybe two. Some things they said... Some things were true. I ain’t asking Heaven To forgive what I’ve done. I’m just asking darkness... Hide me from the sun. Then the eastern mountains start turning gold, Morning creeps across the desert cold, Horse starts stumbling, losing his stride, And I see six riders on the mountainside. I pull that Colt and I turn him around, Boots hit dirt on the killing ground, If daylight wants me, daylight can try, But this old outlaw ain’t ready to die. RIDE!... beneath the Hangman’s Moon, Sun’s coming up and it’s coming too soon, RIDE!... but there’s nowhere left, Just six more bullets and one last breath. There’s a rope back there with my name carved through, But they’re gonna have to earn it before I’m through, If this is where my trail must end... I’ll ride through Hell before I hang again. The red moon faded... The desert turned gold... Seven shots rang out... Then the story went cold. Some folks say on a blood-red night, You can hear those hoofbeats... Still taking flight. Still tryin’... to outrun dawn.