Tomb Of The Unknown Love


One time I drove to see a girl across the country
One night as I was driving through to Mexico
I had the windows wide open
It was cold and I was crying
And I later laid on the radio
Then I stopped outside of Tahoe
at this tiny mining town
At a diner to be billed for the ride
And in the wind I heard this crying
Like a heart broke right in two
I turned my collar up and went inside.

Well, I saw this smiling waitress
Joshing friendly with these truckers
They'd give her pats and she gives them shoves
I said: Miss, what's that awful crying.
Everybody laughed and said:
It's the tomb of the unknown love.
And then they pointed out the window to the stone
All by itself, beneath the tree, beside the hill
And on that winter night
I read these words alone
These words that are haunting me still, it said:

Here lies a young man struck down in his prime
By the awesome burning power of love
He couldn't stand his true love cheating
So he shot the girl down
They hung him from that tree right above
I know that local folks say it's the wind
But I know it's crying from the tomb of the unknown love.

So I drove on to my destination
I did the job my heart commanded of me
And when the sheriff sirens came up
I did even try to fight
They counted ten, I came out at three 
So now I guess tomorrow morning
They're gonna read some kind of paper
How I'm gonna pay the price for what I've done
Then they'll put the shackles on me
And we'll take a little walk
They won't have to drag me 'cos it's said and done
And maybe someday they can put me at the stone
All by itself, beneath the tree, beside the hill
And lovers everywhere can come and read along
These words that will give them a chill, and it'll say:

Here lies a young man struck down in his prime
By the awesome burning power of love
He couldn't stand his true love cheating
So he shot the girl down
They hung him from that tree right above
I know that local folks say it's the wind
But I know it's crying from the tomb of the unknown love.