It was late at night on the open road
Speeding like a man on the run
A lifetime spent preparing for the journey
He is closer now and the search is on
Reading from a map in the mind
Yes there's that ragged hill
And there's a boat on the river

And when the rain came down
He heard a wild dog howl
There were voices in the night
(Don't do it)
Voices out of sight
(Don't do it)
Too many men have failed before
Whatever you do

Don't pay the ferryman
Don't even fix a price
Don't pay the ferryman
Until he gets you to the other side

In the rolling mist, then he gets on board
Now there'll be no turning back
Beware that hooded old man at the rudder
And then the lightning flashed
And the thunder roared
And people calling out his name
And dancing bones that jabbered and a moaned
On the water

And then the ferryman said
There is trouble ahead
So you must pay me now
(Don't do it)
You must pay me now
(Don't do it)
And still that voice came from beyond
Whatever you do

Don't pay the ferryman
Don't even fix a price
Don't pay the ferryman
Until he gets you to the other side

We were dead of sleep
And all clapped under hatches
Where, with strange and several noises
Of roaring, shrieking, howling, jingling chains
And more diversity of sounds, all horrible
We were awaked, straight away at liberty
Where we, in all her trim, freshly beheld
Our royal, good, and gallant ship