There's a landing in the canyon Where the water's wide and slow No light can ever reach it But the dead all seem to know Some come from the gallows With a rope around their throat And they wait in silence, watching For the lantern on his boat A coin for the ferryman Laid beneath your tongue Born of the dark and hollow Midnight's only son He don't care how you got there Or what you may have done The toll you know it must be paid Or a hundred more years to come His eyes are always burning As he rows from shore to shore He leaves the stragglers weeping Serving judgement with his oar A coin for the ferryman Laid beneath your tongue Born of the dark and hollow Midnight's only son He don't care how you got there Or what you may have done The toll you know it must be paid Or a hundred more years to come So keep a coin in your pocket A coin you'll never spend Not for whiskey, not for wagers Not for lovers, not for friends A coin for the ferryman This river never dries And the only thing he ever says Is someday everyone will ride
