Natalie Merchant Lyrics

Album: The House Carpenter's Daughter

Crazy Man Michael Lyrics

Within the fire

 And out upon the sea

 Crazy man Michael was walking

 He met with a raven

 With eyes black as coal

 And shortly they were talking 

 

 "your future, your future

 I will tell to you

 Your future

 You often have asked me

 Your true love will die

 By your own right hand

 And crazy man Michael

 Will cursed be" 

 

 Michael he ranted

 And Michael he raved

 And he beat at the four winds

 With his fists-o

 He laughed and he cried

 He shouted and he swore

 For his mad mind

 Entrapped him with a fist-hold 

 

 "you speak with an evil

 You speak with a hate

 You speak for the devil

 That haunts me

 For is she not the fairest

 In all the broad land? 

 Your sorcerer's words

 Are to taunt me" 

 

 He took out his dagger

 Of fine and broad steel

 And he struck down the raven

 Through the heart-o

 The bird fluttered long

 And the sky it did spin

 And this cold earth did

 Wander 'round startled 

 

 Oh where is the raven

 That I struck down dead

 And here did lye

 On the ground-o? 

 I see my true love

 With a wound so red

 Where her lover's heart

 It did pound-o 

 

 Crazy man Michael

 He wanders I'm told

 And he talks through

 The night and the day-o

 But his eyes they are sane

 And his speech is plain

 But he longs to be far away-o 

 

 Michael he whistles

 The simplest of tunes

 As he asks of the wild wolves

 Their pardon

 But his true love has flown

 Into every flower grown

 And he must be keeper

 Of the garden