Tin Angel

[Verse 1] It was late last night when the boss came home To a deserted mansion and a desolate throne Servant said: “Boss, the lady’s gone She left this morning just ‘fore dawn.” [Verse 2] “You got something to tell me, tell it to me, man Come to the point as straight as you can” “Old Henry Lee, chief of the clan Came riding through the woods and took her by the hand” [Verse 3] The boss he lay back flat on his bed He cursed the heat and he clutched his head He pondered the future of his fate To wait another day would be far too late [Verse 4] “Go fetch me my coat and my tie And the cheapest labour that money can buy Saddle me up my buckskin mare If you see me go by, put up a prayer” (The Boss) [Verse 5] Well, they rode all night, and they rode all day Eastward, long down the broad highway His spirit was tired and his vision was bent His men deserted him and onward he went [Verse 6] He came to a place where the light was dull His forehead pounding in his skull Heavy heart was racked with pain Insomnia raging in his brain [Verse 7] Well, he threw down his helmet and his cross-handled sword He renounced his faith, he denied his lord Crawled on his belly, put his ear to the wall One way or another put an end to it all [Verse 8] He leaned down, cut the electric wire Stared into the flames and he snorted the fire Peered through the darkness, caught a glimpse of the two It was hard to tell for certain who was who [Verse 9] He lowered himself down on a golden chain His nerves were quaking in every vein His knuckles were bloody, he sucked in the air He ran his fingers through his greasy hair [Verse 10] They looked at each other and their glasses clinked One single unit, inseparably linked “Got a strange premonition there’s a man close by” (Henry Lee) “Don’t worry about him, he wouldn’t harm a fly” (The Wife) [Verse 11] From behind the curtain, the boss he crossed the floor He moved his feet and he bolted the door Shadows hiding the lines in his face With all the nobility of an ancient race [Verse 12] She turned, she was startled with a look of surprise With a hatred that could hit the skies “You’re a reckless fool, I could see it in your eyes To come this way was by no means wise” (The Wife) [Verse 13] “Get up, stand up, you greedy-lipped wench And cover your face or suffer the consequence You are making my heart feel sick Put your clothes back on, double-quick” (The Boss) [Verse 14] “Silly boy, you think me a saint I’ll listen no more to your words of complaint You’ve given me nothing but the sweetest lies Now hold your tongue and feed your eyes” (The Wife) [Verse 15] “I’d have given you the stars and the planets, too But what good would these things do you? Bow the heart if not the knee Or never again this world you’ll see” (The Boss) [Verse 16] “Oh, please let not your heart be cold This man is dearer to me than gold” (The Wife) “Oh, my dear, you must be blind He’s a gutless ape with a worthless mind” (The Boss) [Verse 17] “You’ve had your way too long with me Now it’s me who’ll determine how things shall be” (The Wife) “Try to escape,” he cussed and cursed ‘You’ll have to try to get past me first” (The Boss) [Verse 18] “Do not let your passion rule You think my heart the heart of a fool And you, sir, you can not deny You made a monkey of me, what and for why?” (The Boss) [Verse 19] “I’ll have no more of this insulting chat The devil can have you, I’ll see to that Look sharp or step aside Or in the cradle you’ll wish you’d died” (Henry Lee) [Verse 20] The gun went boom and the shot rang clear First bullet grazed his ear Second ball went right straight in And he bent in the middle like a twisted pin [Verse 21] He crawled to the corner and he lowered his head He gripped the chair and he grabbed the bed It would take more than needle and thread Bleeding from the mouth, he’s as good as dead [Verse 22] “You shot my husband down, you fiend” (The Wife) “Husband? What husband? What the hell do you mean? He was a man of strife, a man of sin I cut him down and threw him to the wind” (Henry Lee) [Verse 23] This she said with angry breath “You too shall meet the lord of death It was I who brought your soul to life” (The Wife) Then she raised her robe and she drew out a knife [Verse 24] His face was hard and caked with sweat His arms ached and his hands were wet “You’re a murderous queen and a bloody wife If you don’t mind, I’ll have the knife” (Henry Lee) [Verse 25] “We’re two of a kind and our blood runs hot But we’re no way similar in body or thought All husbands are good men, as all wives know” (The Wife) Then she pierced him to the heart and his blood did flow [Verse 26] His knees went limp and he reached for the door His tomb was sealed, he slid to the floor He whispered in her ear: “This is all your fault My fighting days have come to a halt” (Henry Lee) [Verse 27] She touched his lips and kissed his cheek He tried to speak but his breath was weak “You died for me, now I’ll die for you” (The Wife) She put the blade to her heart and she ran it through [Verse 28] All three lovers together in a heap Thrown into the grave, forever to sleep Funeral torches blazed away Through the towns and the villages all night and all day