Hangman, hangman, hold it a little while
I think I see my friends coming, riding many a mile
Friends, you get some silver?
Did you get a little gold?
What did you bring me, my dear friends
To keep me from the gallows pole?
What did you bring me to keep me from the gallows pole?
I couldn't get no silver, I couldn't get no gold
You know that we're too damn poor to keep you from the gallows pole
Hangman, hangman, hold it a little while
I think I see my brother coming, riding many a mile
Brother, you get me some silver?
Did you get a little gold?
What did you bring me, my brother, to keep me from the gallows pole?
Brother, I brought you some silver, yeah
I brought a little gold, I brought a little of everything
To keep you from the gallows pole
Yes, I brought you to keep you from the gallows pole
Hangman, hangman, turn your head awhile
I think I see my sister coming, riding many mile, mile, mile
Sister, I implore you, take him by the hand
Take him to some shady bower
Save me from the wrath of this man
Please take him, save me from the wrath of this mad, man
Hangman, hangman, upon your face a smile
Tell me that I'm free to ride
Ride for many mile, mile, mile
Oh yes, you got a fine sister
She warmed my blood from cold
She warmed my blood to boiling hot to keep you from the gallows pole
Your brother brought me silver, your sister warmed my soul
But now I laugh and pull so hard, see you swinging from the gallows pole
But now I laugh and pull so hard, see you swinging from the gallows pole
Swingin' on the gallows pole!
Swingin' on the gallows pole!
Swingin' on the gallows pole!
Swingin' on the gallows pole
Pole, pole, pole, pole, pole, pole, yeah
Ah-ha-ha
Swingin'
Swingin' on the gallows pole!
I gotta swing!
See-saw marjory daw
I gotta swing!
See-saw knock at my door
I gotta sing
Keep on singing
About This Song
"Gallows Pole" is a haunting folk-rock adaptation of a traditional Anglo-American ballad about a condemned prisoner desperately pleading for his life as friends and family fail to raise money for his ransom. The song explores themes of betrayal, desperation, and the cruel reality that poverty can mean the difference between life and death, as each verse reveals another loved one unable to provide the silver or gold needed to save him. Musically, Led Zeppelin transforms the ancient folk tale with Jimmy Page's intricate mandolin work, John Paul Jones' driving bass, and Robert Plant's increasingly frantic vocals that mirror the protagonist's growing panic. The song builds from a gentle acoustic opening to a thunderous climax, perfectly capturing the mounting dread and inevitable doom. It stands as one of Led Zeppelin's most successful fusions of traditional folk material with their signature heavy rock sound, demonstrating their ability to breathe new life into centuries-old stories while maintaining their emotional power.
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