[Intro:Spoken] In the darkness of the night, With the moon as my only light, A tale of sorrow, a tale of dread, Of a haunting voice inside my head. [Intro soft harp opening] [Verse 1:] Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary, Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore— While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping, As of someone gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door. “’Tis some visitor,” I muttered, “tapping at my chamber door— Only this and nothing more.” [Chorus:] Quoth the Raven, "Nevermore," Quoth the Raven, "Nevermore." With a shadow on my floor, My soul shall be lifted—nevermore. [Harp melody] [Verse 2:] Ah, distinctly I remember it was in the bleak December; And each separate dying ember wrought its ghost upon the floor. Eagerly I wished the morrow;—vainly I had sought to borrow From my books surcease of sorrow—sorrow for the lost Lenore— For the rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name Lenore— Nameless here for evermore. [Chorus:] Quoth the Raven, "Nevermore," Quoth the Raven, "Nevermore." With a shadow on my floor, My soul shall be lifted—nevermore. [Harp and piano melody] [Verse 3:] And the silken, sad, uncertain rustling of each purple curtain Thrilled me—filled me with fantastic terrors never felt before; So that now, to still the beating of my heart, I stood repeating “’Tis some visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door— Some late visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door;— This it is and nothing more.” Chorus: Quoth the Raven, "Nevermore," Quoth the Raven, "Nevermore." With a shadow on my floor, My soul shall be lifted—nevermore. [Bridge Instrumental piano and harp] [Bridge: Continued] Open here I flung the shutter, when, with many a flirt and flutter, In there stepped a stately Raven of the saintly days of yore; Not the least obeisance made he; not an instant stopped or stayed he; But, with mien of lord or lady, perched above my chamber door— Perched upon a bust of Pallas just above my chamber door— Perched, and sat, and nothing more. [Verse 4:]Then this ebony bird beguiling my sad fancy into smiling, By the grave and stern decorum of the countenance it wore, “Though thy crest be shorn and shaven, thou,” I said, “art sure no craven, Ghastly grim and ancient Raven wandering from the Nightly shore— Tell me what thy lordly name is on the Night’s Plutonian shore!” Quoth the Raven “Nevermore.” [Chorus] Quoth the Raven, "Nevermore," Quoth the Raven, "Nevermore." With a shadow on my floor, My soul shall be lifted—nevermore. [Verse 5:] “Prophet!” said I, “thing of evil!—prophet still, if bird or devil! By that Heaven that bends above us—by that God we both adore— Tell this soul with sorrow laden if, within the distant Aidenn, It shall clasp a sainted maiden whom the angels name Lenore— Clasp a rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name Lenore.” Quoth the Raven “Nevermore.” Chorus: Quoth the Raven, "Nevermore," Quoth the Raven, "Nevermore." With a shadow on my floor, My soul shall be lifted—nevermore. Chorus: Quoth the Raven, "Nevermore," Quoth the Raven, "Nevermore." With a shadow on my floor, My soul shall be lifted—nevermore. [Outro:] And the Raven, never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting On the pallid bust of Pallas just above my chamber door; And his eyes have all the seeming of a demon’s that is dreaming, And the lamp-light o’er him streaming throws his shadow on the floor; And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor Shall be lifted—nevermore! [Chorus: fade out] Quoth the Raven, "Nevermore," Quoth the Raven, "Nevermore." With a shadow on my floor, My soul shall be lifted—nevermore.
