Texty: Cowboy Junkies. In The Time Before Llamas. Black Eyed Man.

Michael Timmins


Black eyed man he took the blame
for the poisoning of the well.
They found his shoes by the pulley.
They found his fingerprints all over the pail.

Black eyed man I'm warning you
the people around here
will not be fooled by a simple line or two.

Yes your honour I do solemnly swear
that I saw him late that night,
dancing barefoot, bathed in light
and reaching for every star in sight.
Yes I did go to him,
but completely against my will
and yes he did things to me
things of which I dream of still.

Black eyed man I'm warning you
what I say is what you'll do
to hell with love and truth.

I always meant to say I'm sorry
for the things I said and did.
Sorry, I feel better now, do you?
But you promised me the sky
and fell short a star or two.
What else did you expect me to do?

Black eyed man he took the blame
for the poisoning of the well.
They found his shoes by the pulley.
They found his fingerprints all over the pail.
With a noose around his neck,
cicadas trilling everywhere,
he says to the people gathered round him,
it ain't the water that's not right around here.

Black eyed man I'm thirsty dear
be a love and bring some water here
drawn fresh from the well.