The Maid Freed from the Gallows

"Gallows Pole" (sometimes spelled "Gallis Pole"; also known as "Hangman") is a song most famously recorded by Led Zeppelin, but originating in folk music and earlier performed by such folk singers as Leadbelly. In an introduction to his recording of the song, Leadbelly explains that the lyrics describe the practice of bribing the hangman to escape hanging.

The typical refrain would be:

Hangman, hangman, hangman / slack your rope awhile

I think I see my father / ridin’ many a mile

Father did you bring any silver / father did you bring any gold

Or did you come to see me / hangin' from the gallows pole

No, I didn’t bring any silver / no I didn’t bring any gold

I just come to see you / hangin’ from the gallows pole

The verses typically recount how the condemned recites his pleas to friends and family members to bring a little silver or a little gold to buy his freedom. The persons mentioned show up empty handed (either because they have no means to provide a bribe, or because they wish to see the condemned hang) until the last one arrives with the bribe. Although the traditional version does not resolve the fate of the condemned one way or the other, it may be presumed that the bribe would succeed. [1]

Another early version of the song occurs as "The Maid Freed From the Gallows". [2] In each lyric, the first person (father, mother, brother) has come not to free the condemned, but to see her hanged, but the second person (lover) has brought the bribe with which to free her.

The Led Zeppelin version, from the album, Led Zeppelin III, has the friends of the condemned visit with nothing to bribe the hangman, followed by the brother of the condemned who brings silver and gold, followed by the sister of the condemned, who offers herself sexually to the hangman. Unlike the traditional version, the Led Zeppelin version concludes by reporting that none of these tactics have worked; the hangman accepts the bribes, but carries out the execution anyway.

The song has been covered by numerous artists, including Odetta andUriah Heep. German folk metal band In Extremo has version of this song called "Der Galgen".