Rachel Anne

Copyright © John thomas Oaks, Caliora Music Publishing, ASCAP, and Rob Harris, SESAC

She was standing like a statue at the bottom of the stairs
I was terrified to look her in the eye
I said nothing as I passed her, but I touched her raven hair
She said, “Tell me why you stood and watched me die—oh, die!
“Tell me why you stood and watched me die.”

In a moment I was carried to a cold November night
By the bridge above the river where she fell
In the darkness and the torrent we could barely see the light
Of the village where we heard the steeple bell—oh, bell!
The village where we heard the steeple bell

It was tolling with the thunder—we were blinded by the rain
And we kept our balance holding to the rail
But the rail was rotted through and as she clutched the air in vain
She snagged her velvet cape upon a nail—oh, nail!
She snagged her velvet cape upon a nail

In an instant I was on my knees and calling out her name
Through the howling wind I heard a desp’rate cry
As she fell she left her cape behind and now I bear the blame
I was helpless as I stood and watched her die—oh, die!
Helpless as I stood and watched her die

Rachel Anne
Forgive this lonely man
This wretched soul who can-
Not live without his Rachel Anne

I was haunted by the mem’ry of that face that I adore
And I clutched her velvet cape against the pain
In the days and weeks that followed as we searched along the shore
Where the river tumbled swollen with the rain—oh, rain!
The river tumbled swollen with the rain

Not a trace of her was found and soon the current ebbed away
Now the water runs as silent as a tomb
But I kept her velvet cape and to my joy—to my dismay
Sweet Rachel Anne was standing in my room—oh, room!
Rachel Anne was standing in my room

The air was cold as crystal and she shivered at my stare
As a single desp’rate tear caressed her face
She trembled with the cold as I was trembling in despair
For the love of Rachel Anne I can’t replace—replace
The love of Rachel Anne I can’t replace

(chorus)

With a feeble hand she pointed to the mirror in the hall
Where her cape was hanging lifeless and alone
When I draped it on her shoulders, she began to fade away
And her final whispers chilled me to the bone—oh, bone!
Her final whispers chilled me to the bone

In the morning I was wakened with a knock upon the door
And a message that my Rachel Anne was found
I was hastened to the river’s edge, and God in heaven help me
My sweet Rachel Anne was lying on the ground—oh, ground!
Rachel Anne was lying on the ground

The years have passed and to this day I’m haunted by an image
From that moment that I simply can’t escape
By the heavens and the earth I swear with ev’rything inside of me
Sweet Rachel Anne was covered with her cape—oh, cape!
Rachel Anne was covered with her cape

(chorus)