Soul Meets Blog

They charged him with the old, old crime.
They set him fast in their jail.
How the dogs howl all night long,
and how the night wind wails.

The judge wore a mask of black;
the doctor wore one of white.
Minister brought his eldest son
to witness the justice that night.

CHORUS:
They ride, they ride, on a moonlit road;
they're haulin' a shameful load.
Their rope is long; their minds are wrong,
and the lies they tell are bold.
Laughter low in lying throats,
their hearts are moonlight cold.
Their hearts are moonlight cold.

He prayed his prayer and he swore his oath
he raised his hand to the sky.
Before that night took its last breath
a guiltless man did fly.

They left only the tree to hear his last sigh,
to shake with his gurgling moan,
to tremble as they rode on by
and left him swingin' alone.

CHORUS:
So bare, so bare, is the old oak tree;
so bare is the old oak tree.
It's dried and dead; it's burned with dread
where a guiltless man swung free.
A guiltless man swung free.
And when I go through the shade it throws,
a shudder runs over me.

The rope runs against the moonlit trunk;
it creaks under the strain.
And in the throe of an innocent's woe
the tree feels its own last pain:

"Free man, dead man, I promise you now
that after little a little space,
time will come when these men shall dread
the mem’ry of your face."

CHORUS:
No leaves, no leaves on the old oak tree;
no leaves on the old oak tree.
It's dried and dead; it's burned with dread
where a guiltless man swung free
from the bough of a haunted tree.
And when I go through the shade it throws,
a shudder runs over me.