Fairport Convention - Wake Up John (Hanging Song) Lyrics
Wake up John, it's time to go
Come along John, don't be slow
Wake up John, it's time to go
A priest joins the procession just to help me kneel
Marching in the morning down a path I've lately seen
I was sleeping in this garden, am I still within my dream?
The echo of my heartbeat is the beating of a drum
And all the earth is singing with life's sweet hum
We filed in solemn silence, shuffled through a door
The place where life is taken for the letter of the law
Shake the holy water, summon up the guard
Dying's very easy, waiting's very hard
I thought a gibbet and a guard would make a gallows tree
But now all is revealed, standing there is just a man
My feet are on the trapdoor with a rope around my hand
And now the executioner is shaking hands with me
"My duty I must carry out, you poor fellow," says he
A strap is tied around my feet and a bag upon my head
And then the noose which separates the living from the dead
Shake the holy water, summon up the guard
Dying's very easy, waiting's very hard
There he whispers to me "Have you anything to say?"
My mouth is dry, my throat is tight, I answer "Drop away"
Silence now surrounds me, my heart is beating on
The trapdoor hardly moves at all, my life is still my own
They stand me in a corner with my hands and feet still bound
While a carpenter is called for and an explanation found
"The rain has warped the timbers," I hear the hangman say
"It's funny but it worked well, I tried it yesterday"
"All is ended now," they say, "your ordeal's nearly over
Your life's as good as ended," but I hear their voices waver
Once more the boat is shaken and again I hang in limbo
With the guardians on the trapdoor and my body stands on tip-toe
Shake the holy water, summon up the guard
Dying's very easy, waiting's very hard
They stand me in a corner with my hands and feet still tied
A warder holds onto the noose, the trapdoor opens wide
Is it magic or coincidence that keeps me on the brink?
It seems to work without me, "Will it kill me now?" I think
"Please, I'm tired of living and I really want to die"
I was taken to the scaffold and I heard the hangman cry
"Lee, I'm truly sorry, forgive these hands of mine"
He drew the bolt and I felt the jolt the third and final time
My life was spared that morning 'cause it wasn't theirs to take
Three's the most the law requires, a man could feel the stake
Shake the holy water, summon up the guard
Dying's very easy, waiting's very hard
...
Other Lyrics by Artist
- Fairport Convention - The Banks Of Sweet Primroses
- Fairport Convention - Travelling By Steam
- Fairport Convention - London Danny
- Fairport Convention - The Islands
- Fairport Convention - The Naked Highwayman
- Fairport Convention - Diamonds And Gold
- Fairport Convention - Slip Jigs And Reels
- Fairport Convention - Jewel In The Crown
- Fairport Convention - Ginnie
- Fairport Convention - Rhythm Of The Time
- Fairport Convention - Claudy Banks
- Fairport Convention - She's Like The Swallow
- Fairport Convention - Home Is Where The Heart Is
- Fairport Convention - Closing Time
- Fairport Convention - My Love Is In America
- Fairport Convention - Madeleine
- Fairport Convention - Rocky Road
- Fairport Convention - Don't Leave Too Soon
Rand Lyrics
Last Posts
Beyonce Shakes the Internet with Surprise Super Bowl Tease and New Music Release
Beyoncé once again set the digital world abuzz with her latest musical surprise. In an unforgettable move during the Super Bowl, a Verizon commercial served...
Watch Usher’s Full Super Bowl 2024 Halftime Performance Usher, Alicia Keys, Jermaine Dupri, Ludacris,
At the 2024 Super Bowl, Usher redefined the halftime show with a dazzling, career-highlight performance that will be remembered for years to come. Taking the...
Usher Unveils ‘Coming Home’: A Journey Through Sound and Soul in His Latest Album
Spanning three decades in the music industry, Usher has consistently mesmerized fans with his soulful tunes and magnetic performances. However, his most recent project, Coming...
Fairport Convention Wake Up John (Hanging Song) Comments
God I've loved this I first bought it in the 70's
I've always loved how driving this song is. Good melody too.
So amazing to listen to such excellence
Love this and the Trial Song
Brilliant song and album.
Always my fave on the album. Thanks.