Album: Mercury Falling (1996)

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• Early one morning with time to kill
  I borrowed Jeb's rifle and sat on the hill
  I saw a lone rider crossing the plain
  I drew a bread on him to practice my aim
  My brother's rifle went off in my hand
  A shot rang out across the land
  The horse he kept running the rider was dead
  I hung my head, I hung my head
  I hung my head, I hung my head
  
  I set off running to wake from the dream
  My brother's rifle went into the stream
  I kept on running into the salt lands
  And that's where they found me, my head in my hands
  The sheriff he asked me "Why had I run"
  Then it came to me just what I had done
  And all for no reason, just one piece of lead
  I hung my head, I hung my head
  I hung my head, I hung my head
  
  Here in the courthouse, the whole town is there
  I see the judge high up in his chair
  "Explain to the courtroom what went through your mind
  And we'll ask the jury what verdict they find"
  I said "I felt the power of death over life
  I orphaned his children I widowed his wife
  I beg their forgiveness I wish I was dead"
  I hung my head, I hung my head
  I hung my head, I hung my head
  
  Early one morning with time to kill
  I see the gallows up on the hill
  And out in the distance a trick of the brain
  I see a lone rider crossing the plain
  He's come to fetch me to see what they done
  We'll ride together 'til Kingdom come
  I pray for God's mercy for soon I'll be dead
  I hung my head, I hung my head
  I hung my head, I hung my head Writer/s: GORDON SUMNER
  Publisher: Universal Music Publishing Group
  Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 7

• Gregory from La Verne, CaI see the song like this, A young man using his brothers rifle, he's a bit excited and the power of the gun like a teenager in powerful car, he spots the rider in the distance took aim thinks to himself "I could hit him" he makes the mistake...
  
  I felt the power
  Of death over life
  I orphaned his children
  I widowed his wife
  I begged their forgiveness
  I wish I was dead
  I hung my head
  I hung my head
  
  I believe the rider was Jebb his brother.
  
  Early one morning
  With time to kill
  I see the gallows
  Up on a hill
  And out in the distance
  A trick of the brain
  I see a lone rider
  Crossing the plain
  
  And he'd come to fetch me
  To see what they'd done
  And we'd ride together
  To kingdom come
  I prayed for god's mercy
  For soon I'd be dead
  I hung my head
  I hung my head
  
  And the 2nd Rider is also Jebb.
  
  That is my what thought are.
  
  
• Katrina from Fate, TxI absolutley LOVE this song! I heard about it from my mom after a teacher told me about a book like it. I especially like the part where it says: I felt the power/ of death over life/ I orphaned his children/ I widowed his wife/ I beg their forgiveness/ I wish I was dead/ I hung my head, I hung my head. It's the best part! Go Sting!!!
• Eve from Pécs, HungaryI also love the 9/8 rhythm. First I only felt it was something very extraordinary, then when I counted it I didn't believe my ears. Sting has always liked rare time signatures, and he can use them well in order to express what he wants. I also read in an interview that he said it wasn't easy at all to perform songs with such rhythm.
• Blair from Parksville, CanadaI'm a drummer, and the odd 9/8 time intrigued me. It was tough to get a handle on it. Listening to it, it alternates between 'rock' beat and 'reggae beat. Now I've memorized the pattern and its so cool to do. The song '"Love is Stronger than Justice" from "Ten Summoner's Tales has a similar time signature.
• Jason from Kingston, CanadaThis song is in 9/8 time-- not only hard to write a song in a weird time signature like this, but very hard to perform. Very cool.
• Jon from Oakridge, OrI LOVE this song. Stings version is good but like so many other songs, Johhny Cash's version is great.
• Pierre-yves from Belfort, FranceI like this song because Sting narration is very efficient. I like the song effect on "I set off running to wake from the dream" too.

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