The song lyrics were written by the band Van Halen, as they were asked to write a song for the 1979 movie "Over the Edge" starring Matt Dillon. The movie (and the lyrics, although more obliquely) are about bored, rebellious youth with nothing better to do than get into trouble. If you see the movie, these lyrics will make more sense. It's a great movie if you grew up in the 70s/80s you'll definitely remember some of these characters from your own life. Fun fact, after writing the song, Van Halen decided not to let the movie use it.
As I rode into Tombstone on my horse, his name was Mack
I saw what I'll relate to you, going on behind my back
It seems the folks were up-in-arms, a man now had to die
For believing things that didn't fit, the laws they'd set aside
The mans name was "I'm a Freak". the best that could see
He was the executioner, a hangman just like me
I geuss he'd seen loopholes from working with his rope
He'd hung the wrong man many times, so now he turned to hope
He talked to all the people from his scaffold in the square
He told them of the things he found, but they didn't seem to care
He said the laws were obsolete, a change they should demand
But the people only walked away, he couldn't understand
The marshals name was "Uncle Sam", he said he'd right this wrong
He'd make the hangman shut his mouth, if it took him all day long
He finally arrested Freak, and then he sent for me
To hang a fellow hangman, from a fellow hangmans tree
It didn't take them long to try him in their court of law
He was guilty then of "Thinking", a crime much worse than all
They sentenced him to die, so his seed of thought can't spread
And infect the little children, that's what the law had said
So the hangin' day came 'round, and he walked up to the noose
I pulled the lever, but before he fell I cut him lose
They called it a conspiracy, and that I had to die
So to close our mouths and kill our minds, they hung us side-by-side
And now we're two hangmen, hangin' from a tree
That don't bother me, at all
Two hangmen, hangin' from a tree
That don't bother me, at all
(Same all the way to the end)
I saw what I'll relate to you, going on behind my back
It seems the folks were up-in-arms, a man now had to die
For believing things that didn't fit, the laws they'd set aside
The mans name was "I'm a Freak". the best that could see
He was the executioner, a hangman just like me
I geuss he'd seen loopholes from working with his rope
He'd hung the wrong man many times, so now he turned to hope
He talked to all the people from his scaffold in the square
He told them of the things he found, but they didn't seem to care
He said the laws were obsolete, a change they should demand
But the people only walked away, he couldn't understand
The marshals name was "Uncle Sam", he said he'd right this wrong
He'd make the hangman shut his mouth, if it took him all day long
He finally arrested Freak, and then he sent for me
To hang a fellow hangman, from a fellow hangmans tree
It didn't take them long to try him in their court of law
He was guilty then of "Thinking", a crime much worse than all
They sentenced him to die, so his seed of thought can't spread
And infect the little children, that's what the law had said
So the hangin' day came 'round, and he walked up to the noose
I pulled the lever, but before he fell I cut him lose
They called it a conspiracy, and that I had to die
So to close our mouths and kill our minds, they hung us side-by-side
And now we're two hangmen, hangin' from a tree
That don't bother me, at all
Two hangmen, hangin' from a tree
That don't bother me, at all
(Same all the way to the end)
Lyrics submitted by SurfingHobo
Two Hangmen Lyrics as written by Terry Nolan Talbot John Michael Talbot
Lyrics © MUSIC SERVICES, INC.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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