Over The Hills And Far Away

Album: Wild Frontier (1987)
Charted: 20
Play Video
  • They came for him one winter's night.
    Arrested, he was bound.
    They said there'd been a robbery,
    his pistol had been found.
    They marched him to the station house,
    he waited till the dawn.
    And as they led him to the dock,
    he knew that he'd been wronged.
    "You stand accused of robbery,"
    he heard the bailiff say.
    He knew without an alibi,
    tomorrow's light would mourn his freedom.
    Over the hills and far away,
    for ten long years he'll count the days.
    Over the mountains and the seas,
    a prisoner's life for him there'll be.
    He knew that it would cost him dear,
    but yet he dare not say.
    Just where he'd been that fateful night,
    a secret it must stay.
    He had to fight back tears of rage.
    His heart beat like a drum.
    For with the wife of his best friend,
    he spent his final night of freedom.
    Over the hills and far away,
    he swears he will return one day.
    Far from the mountains and the seas,
    back in her arms again he'll be.
    Over the hills and far away.
    Over the hills and,
    over the hills and,
    over the hills and far away.
    Each night within his prison cell,
    he looks out through the bars.
    He reads the letters that she wrote.
    One day he'll know the taste of freedom.
    Over the hills and far away,
    she prays he will return one day.
    As sure as the rivers reach the seas,
    back in his arms again she'll be.
    Over the hills and far away,
    he swears he will return one day.
    As sure as the river reach the seas,
    back in his arms is where she'll be.
    Over the hills and far away,
    she prays he will return one day.
    As sure as the rivers reach the sea,
    back in her arms is where he'll be.
    Over the hills,
    over the hills and far away.
    Over the hills,
    over the hills and far away.
    Writer/s: GARY (GB MOORE
    Publisher: Universal Music Publishing Group
    Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 14

  • Uillean from FloridaThe Over the hills and far away part refers to convicts being sent to far away lands like America or Australia. The were shipped off to penal colonies to sreve out their sentence.
  • Uillean from FloridaThis song sounds NOTHING like "Morrison's Jig" I have listened to them both and there is no similarity.
  • Uilleam from FloridaPatty Gurdy did a cover of this song that I really love. Her version is more folksy than rock. She plays in on a Hurdy Gurdy.
  • Pandy Tran from New Orleans This song is extremely similar to a piece called "Morrison's Jig"
  • Jare from SpainThyrfing did also covered it as a bonus track for their album Urkraft in the 2000
  • Dave from Greer, ScI LOVED the Nightwish cover of this song. I miss the days when they were more than just a pop group with a distortion pedal
  • Laurent from Manama, BahrainThe amazing drummer Gary Ferguson was supposed to play on the record. However, as, according to an interview with Gary Moore published in the 80's in the French Hard Rock magazine, Gary was not keen to work with electronic drums, he was let go. Eric Singer (now with Kiss) toured the album in 1987 in a line-up that also included Neil Carter (gt, keys) and Bob Daisley (bass). A video of that tour was shot. It is probably available on DVD now.
  • Jaryth from Tylertown, MsTo be a little more in depth, this song is about a man accused of robbery. (I think)he is innocent, but fails to prove it because the night of the robbery, he was with his best friend's wife. Unwilling to tell this secret to keep out of jail, he ends up serving a ten year sentence for the night he spent with her.
  • Anna from Myrtle Beach, Sci know a led zeppelin song called over the hills and far away.... its a good song
  • Jonas from Leverkusen, GermanyThe man is not waiting to come back to his wife. It says in the lyrics "with the wife of his best friend he spent his final night of freedom". Because he did that in the night he couldn't defend himself. So he actually isn't witout fault.
  • Leah from Brooklyn, NyThe music video for this song stars Mark Ryan as the prisoner. Ryan is perhaps best known for playing the Saracen swordsman Nasir, in the BBC TV series ROBIN OF SHERWOOD (1994). He co-starred with Ray Winstone, Jason Connery and Michael Praed.
  • Roddy from Waterford, Irelandon an off guitarist with Thin Lizzy
  • Kevin from Newcastle Upon Tyne, EnglandAlso based on a true story.
  • Jim from New York, NySonata Arctica Coverd this song as well.
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Randy Newman

Randy NewmanSongwriting Legends

Newman makes it look easy these days, but in this 1974 interview, he reveals the paranoia and pressures that made him yearn for his old 9-5 job.

Laura Nyro

Laura NyroSongwriting Legends

Laura Nyro talks about her complex, emotionally rich songwriting and how she supports women's culture through her art.

Robert DeLeo of Stone Temple Pilots

Robert DeLeo of Stone Temple PilotsSongwriter Interviews

Stone Temple Pilots bass player Robert DeLeo names the songs that have most connected with fans and tells the stories behind tracks from their Tiny Music album.

John Doe of X

John Doe of XSongwriter Interviews

With his X-wife Exene, John fronts the band X and writes their songs.

Jon Anderson of Yes

Jon Anderson of YesSongwriter Interviews

From the lake in "Roundabout" to Sister Bluebird in "Starship Trooper," Jon Anderson talks about how nature and spirituality play into his lyrics for Yes.

JJ Burnel of The Stranglers

JJ Burnel of The StranglersSongwriter Interviews

JJ talks about The Stranglers' signature sound - keyboard and bass - which isn't your typical strain of punk rock.