Long Black Veil
Marianne Faithfull · True [2000]
Ten years ago on a cold dark night,
There was someone killed 'neath the town hall light.
There were few at the scene but they all did agree
That the man 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,
I had been in the arms of my best friend's wife.
She walks these hills in a long black veil.
She visits my grave where the night winds wail.
Nobody knows, no, and nobody sees,
Nobody knows but me.
The scaffold is high and eternity nears
She stood in the crowd and shed not a tear.
But sometimes at night where the cold winds moan
In a long black veil she cries all o'er my bones.
She walks these hills in a long black veil.
She visits my grave when the night winds wail.
Nobody knows, no, and nobody sees,
Nobody knows but me.
Nobody knows but me.
There was someone killed 'neath the town hall light.
There were few at the scene but they all did agree
That the man 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,
I had been in the arms of my best friend's wife.
She walks these hills in a long black veil.
She visits my grave where the night winds wail.
Nobody knows, no, and nobody sees,
Nobody knows but me.
The scaffold is high and eternity nears
She stood in the crowd and shed not a tear.
But sometimes at night where the cold winds moan
In a long black veil she cries all o'er my bones.
She walks these hills in a long black veil.
She visits my grave when the night winds wail.
Nobody knows, no, and nobody sees,
Nobody knows but me.
Nobody knows but me.
Long Black Veil
Marianne Faithfull's "Long Black Veil" stands as a haunting centerpiece on her 2000 release, True. Recorded in the late 1960s, the track exemplifies the atmospheric and introspective qualities that defined her work during a pivotal era of British folk and singer-songwriter music. The song's moody delivery and evocative lyrics reflect the emotional depth characteristic of Faithfull's discography, particularly her contributions to the genre's exploration of personal vulnerability. As part of her broader catalogue, this recording captures a specific moment in her artistic evolution, blending folk sensibilities with a distinct vocal presence that continues to resonate within her legacy.