Cash, Johnny - The Long Black Veil Lyrics






Ten years ago, on a cold dark night
Someone was killed 'neath the town hall light
There were few at the scene, but they all agreed
That the slayer who ran looked a lot like me

The judge said: Son, what is your alibi?
If you were somewhere else, then you won't have to die
I spoke not a word, though it meant my life
For I'd been in the arms of my best friend's wife

She walks these hills in a long black veil
She visits my grave when the night winds wail
Nobody knows, nobody sees
Nobody knows but me

Oh, the scaffold is high, and eternity's near
She stood in the crowd and shed not a tear
But late at night, when the north wind blows
In a long black veil, she cries over my bones

She walks these hills in a long black veil
She visits my grave when the night winds wail
Nobody knows, nobody sees
Nobody knows but me





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Cash, Johnny The Long Black Veil Comments
  1. C.... S....

    Anyone notice that they took this plot for American Gigolo from this song? Except that at the trial, the man's wife steps up and admits he was with her... wonder how many modern movies still borrow from the songs that tell stories? Can't wait to see Wolverton Mountain!

  2. G.... W....

    Dale Griggs and Gina Slagle Wallace

  3. D.... �....

    It is in base of very old song "The Unquiet Grave" - the English traditional 600 years old. Very nice melody: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pB0g59T8Pg0. Unusual isn´t it?

  4. M.... ....

    All his versions were great but this one is the best. Anita, I suppose?

  5. G.... C....

    Dimitri Karamazov

  6. A.... W....

    1:20 had me dead! 😂

  7. B.... K....

    Love this tune

  8. r.... ....

    anita carter in the background

  9. A.... ....

    Good morning from Malaysia .

  10. M.... R....

    The ultimate sacrifice.
    Wasn't his best friend after all.

  11. L.... ....

    Guy's got guts! sacrificing his life to protect his best friends wife's honor and integrity

    L.... ....

    LucyLovettLestrange - his own honor,
    in my point of view

    L.... ....

    @Hell Bent it would be so unwise to protect your honour by letting yourself getting killed...
    After all, you are accused of murder, your honour cannot drop lower in my opinion .

    And btw you have a nice name :)

    L.... ....

    @Matej Petras Betraying your best friend, someone you respect so much that you'd rather die than have him learn of your crime. That's worse. Murder is a term thrown around too lightly, it's the deliberate killing of someone unarmed and undeserving of that violence. If there was no honor in killing, there would be no medals awarded for doing it so well.

    L.... ....

    He just didn't want his best friends wife to get into trouble but then again to betray your best friend by flirting with his wife that does say something

    L.... ....

    Hell Bent Thats true but he willingly died for a crime that wasn't even his own

  12. M.... C....

    "For I'd Been In Thee Arms, Of My Best Friends Wife." 😥

  13. F.... M....

    This song is funny and sad at the same time.

  14. C.... S....

    One of the best songs of all time. A man who in the face of it all, just kind of shrugs his shoulders and accepts his fate.

  15. A.... K....

    My uncle sings this better. Triggered.

  16. J.... T....

    Dave Matthews did it so much better.

  17. p.... A....

    And just like that I'm 6 years old sitting I'm my grandpa's rusty truck holing hay for the horses

  18. l.... ....

    the story of two star crossed lovers...…….yeah i cried SHUT UP

  19. J.... M....

    ...nádhera...

  20. B.... R....

    He is one of the greatest.

  21. L.... S....

    Was this an inspiration for Johnny Horton's "springtime in Alaska"? Which was recorded first?

  22. B.... P....

    Good song

  23. k.... ....

    Just stepped by to pay my respects to the Carter Cash family. Us Scots.. We do that at random times. Much love.

  24. W.... K....

    Hmmm reminds me of "over the hills and far away" themewise at least.

  25. B.... ....

    I love johnny Cash's version. Yall should also give a listen to Ben Haggards version.

  26. L.... O....

    Nightwish has a song kinda like this. (Over the hills and far away) Maybe this inspired it.

  27. n.... o....

    This is the saddest and funniest song ever...

    n.... o....

    the right thing to do Well, tragedy and comedy do tend to go hand in hand.

  28. J.... P....

    I reckon he's backed by the Carters, that sounds like Anita?

  29. C.... M....

    I love johnny for 2 reasons.... the first being is that my brother got me into johnny and the second is that i found a second chance to connect to my dad through johnny after i didnt live a good life.

  30. U.... R....

    And...hit replay

  31. V.... H....

    the man!!! live forever Johnny

  32. J.... G....

    What a cool story!!!

  33. G.... ....

    I like the Nick Cave version of this Song very much. Cash's Version is for the Chill

  34. N.... ....

    I got this song on vinyl nobody gives a shit but I said it

  35. A.... t....

    The version he made at Folsom is far better.

    A.... t....

    I totally agree

    A.... t....

    i would have to agree.

    A.... t....

    same with orange blossom special, the version in san quentin is far better

  36. l.... j....

    what album is this from.

    l.... j....

    lee jarvis I think folsom

    l.... j....

    It's also on Johnny Cash the king of country album

  37. C.... W....

    so, let's anazlize this... this guy was put to death for a murder he didn't commit? which means a couple things: 1) the girl he was with would rather him die then come out with the truth 2) the real killer is free and clear ....

    stupidity.

    C.... W....

    @Michael Lubin AHHHH... opps. I see now it didn't have my name as the reply... SORRY!

    C.... W....

    No problem. This is really YouTube's fault. It used to be the name you replied to was always displayed, but they took that away. They've done everything they can to mess up the comment section, because posting and reading comments doesn't add to their ad revenue. Sigh... :(

    C.... W....

    its a fucking song... not a political statement. It is what it is.

    C.... W....

    Actually, Johnny didn't even write this. First time I heard this song was from Lefty Frizzel. Way before Johnny's career, by a good 20 plus years. But I like Johnny's version better.

    C.... W....

    Someone was killed, and the killer looked a lot like him. They arrested him, and the time of the killing, he was in the arms of his best friends wife. He didn't want to break that friendship between him and his friend so he didn't say where he was, and he was put to death because he didn't state that he was in his best friend's wife's arms.

  38. S.... L....

    No more Krauser(loser) ...good debating with mentally handicapped know it all's gets boring.

  39. S.... L....

    Such a neat story that this story tells. Why can't contemporary music have depth like this. :(

    S.... L....

    i dont know, but i wish i knew.... cause id change it...lol

    S.... L....

    Two words: Nightwish, Over the hills and far away.

    S.... L....

    I love this ❤

    S.... L....

    I hear you, ae you familiar with the one by Olivia Newton Kohn called " By the Banks of the Ohio" give that a play, I think you'll like it too. It is quite a story.

  40. R.... D....

    Great song and one of my favourite Cash song

  41. B.... H....

    probably my favorite johnny song that he didnt write

  42. S.... F....

    Marijohn Wilkin wrote this song originally for Lefty Frizzell...she was quite a songwriter...passed in 2006 at age 86. Love Johnny Cash with this song..he was such a balladeer and a legend.

    S.... F....

    Before my parents met my Dad met Lefty Frizzell & drank with him.

  43. H.... K....

    ❤❤❤

  44. I.... a....

    Betrayer.

  45. Y.... W....

    Good Morning y'all

  46. D.... D....

    lefty frizzell recorded it first

  47. m.... s....

    one of the first cash songs ive ever heard -1965

  48. T.... O....

    great song very good version my brother who was a twin used to sing this but hung himself one month ago 3 year after his twin died. we played this song at his funeral.r.i.p anthony o donnell and youer twin brother john.

    T.... O....

    i am very sorry for your loss. i have a dead twin that i never met and your situation is much worse because you actually knew them. i am truely sorry for your loss. just remember the good things and all of the fun times.

    T.... O....

    @Liam Olson real country

    T.... O....

    I’m a twin, Tom, and I don’t know if I could make it 3 years without my bro. I’m so sad for your loss. I have tears in my eyes thinking about your situation.

    T.... O....

    Tom Odonnell I’m sorry I respect you

    T.... O....

    Sorry but dam what a lose of a life r.i.p. buddy

  49. M.... J....

    Chanson magnifique, Johnny Cash est un des plus grand chanteur americain.

  50. C.... K....

    love this song my grandpa told me about it.

  51. s.... c....

    was brought up by johnnys family loved them all! JIMMY, CHUCK BILLY, STELLA, AND TIM GENTRY , YOUR DAUGHTER IS HUNTING YOU!

  52. E.... G....

    😊😊😊😊😊😊😘

  53. D.... S....

    Man, I love Johnny and John Anderson, but no one's version can compare to Lefty Frizzell's.

  54. t.... m....

    Just yesterday, in Downtown Saratoga Springs I was honored to speak with Harold Ford, the #1 Cash lookalike/tribute singer who said that he'd play " Long Black Veil " with me someday on Broadway. He's a splitting image of JC ... a reincarnation of the real deal for sure :)

    t.... m....

    +thomas myers nosal Saratoga Springs, I went to Skidmore!

    t.... m....

    Awesome !

  55. E.... S....

    nobody knows but me !

    #Johnnny_Cash   #The_Long_Black_Veil  

  56. P.... ....

    Thank you so much for posting this!! This is the only recording of this song that I really like and for the longest time, I couldn't find it anywhere but now I have to I am soooo happy!

  57. t.... b....

    a little boy who was Johnny cash's #1 fan has a crush on me and sung me this song today lol it was cute by the way love this song too

  58. L.... D....

    A man that was givted with the voice of a god

  59. M.... C....

    Epic Comment

  60. I.... C....

    Second comment!!