in 1969 i killed a man of mine in a small montana town i was hunted down by hounds hear the nighthawks cry their voices dry and hollow hear the crowd cheer they cheer me to the gallows in 1985 i was doing time alive i made a plan to escape and live as the lady of the lake hear the crowd of ghosts their voices dry and hollow can t you hear their call they cheer me to the gallows 1995 was the year i came up for trial i listened to his song and watched the sun make the shadows long hear the nighthawk cry his voice is dry and hollow hear the crowd call they cheer me to the gallows hear the nighthawk call his voice is dry and hollow here the nighthawk call in a voice that s hollow