This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
It was late at night on the open road
Speeding like a man on the run
A lifetime spent preparing for the journey
He is closer now and the search is on
Reading from a map in the mind
Yes, there's the ragged hill
And there's the boat on the river
And when the rain came down
He heard a wild dog howl
There were voices in the night (don't do it)
Voices out of sight (don't do it)
Too many men have failed before
Whatever you do
Don't pay the ferryman
Don't even fix a price
Don't pay the ferryman
Until he gets you to the other side
In the rolling mist, then he gets on board
Now there'll be no turning back
Beware that hooded old man at the rudder
And then the lightning flashed, and the thunder roared
And people calling out his name (name, name, name)
And dancing bones that jabbered and a-moaned on the water
And then the ferryman said
There is trouble ahead
So you must pay me now (don't do it)
You must pay me now (don't do it)
And still that voice came from beyond
Whatever you do
Don't pay the ferryman
Don't even fix a price
Don't pay the ferryman
Until he gets you to the other side
(We were dead asleep)
(And all clapped under hatches)
(Where, with strange and several noises)
(Of roaring, shrieking, howling, jingling chains)
(And more diversity of sounds, all horrible)
(We were awaked, straight away at liberty)
(Where we, in all her trim, freshly beheld)
(Our royal, good, and gallant ship)
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Don't pay the ferryman
Don't even fix a price
Don't pay the ferryman
Until he gets you to the other side
Don't pay the ferryman
Don't even fix a price
Don't pay the ferryman
Until he gets you to the other side
Don't pay the ferryman
Don't even fix a price
Don't pay the ferryman
Until he gets you to the other side
Don't pay the ferryman
Speeding like a man on the run
A lifetime spent preparing for the journey
He is closer now and the search is on
Reading from a map in the mind
Yes, there's the ragged hill
And there's the boat on the river
And when the rain came down
He heard a wild dog howl
There were voices in the night (don't do it)
Voices out of sight (don't do it)
Too many men have failed before
Whatever you do
Don't pay the ferryman
Don't even fix a price
Don't pay the ferryman
Until he gets you to the other side
In the rolling mist, then he gets on board
Now there'll be no turning back
Beware that hooded old man at the rudder
And then the lightning flashed, and the thunder roared
And people calling out his name (name, name, name)
And dancing bones that jabbered and a-moaned on the water
And then the ferryman said
There is trouble ahead
So you must pay me now (don't do it)
You must pay me now (don't do it)
And still that voice came from beyond
Whatever you do
Don't pay the ferryman
Don't even fix a price
Don't pay the ferryman
Until he gets you to the other side
(We were dead asleep)
(And all clapped under hatches)
(Where, with strange and several noises)
(Of roaring, shrieking, howling, jingling chains)
(And more diversity of sounds, all horrible)
(We were awaked, straight away at liberty)
(Where we, in all her trim, freshly beheld)
(Our royal, good, and gallant ship)
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Don't pay the ferryman
Don't even fix a price
Don't pay the ferryman
Until he gets you to the other side
Don't pay the ferryman
Don't even fix a price
Don't pay the ferryman
Until he gets you to the other side
Don't pay the ferryman
Don't even fix a price
Don't pay the ferryman
Until he gets you to the other side
Don't pay the ferryman
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CBD's music is often littered with religious references and this seems to be another, although more ancient Greek than Christian this time. The ferryman being the man to take you across the river Styx and to Hades.
A journey he has been preparing all his life - i.e. Life prepares us for death. It's pretty clear if you read it literally.
As an aside, if you like this, I urge you to check out the album with this on, The Getaway, it sits in my collection alongside Linkin Park, RATM, LZ, Kate Bush, White Lies, and is one of the nicest albums of it's time. Just a shame CDB is know by most folks for Lady in Red which isnt really representative of his style.