Talk:Highwayman (song)

Cleaning this one up
Anyone else willing to join me in trying to clean up this article. It would appear that the original author indulged in a fair amount of speculation or had a source that he did not mention when he wrote the article.

I've added a link to a copy of the full lyrics, but much more needs to be done.

1. The source(s) used by the original author needs to be added to the article.

2. Information on just what inspired Jimmy Webb to write the song the way he did.

3. Are there any other cover versions out there.Graham1973 (talk) 12:19, 23 October 2008 (UTC)


 * I removed most of the CRAP from the article. It chaps my hide when people give credit to the recording artist but either push the songwriter to the side or forget him altogether.  If it wasn't for the guys who write the songs, where would about half of these artists be?  Campbell has said many times he OWES the success of his career to Webb.  If not for Webb he would have peaked in 1969 with "Gentle on My Mind".


 * Thank God for Jimmy Webb. I think that I am done with it. The only thing I don't like the YouTube's.


 * - 4.240.165.116 (talk) 01:11, 25 January 2009 (UTC)

Hi. I have added references to specific influences which Webb alluded to - Johnathan Wild, a true highwayman hung in 1725, the sailer's graveyard at Cape Horn, and the tragedy-filled Boulder (later Hoover) Dam construction. However, the fourth verse influences I came up with are shaky and I wonder if anyone has read any comments from the author about this verse. The use of "_star_ship" is interesting to me since it alludes more to Star Trek (which could have easily been re-running on TV or a personal interest of Webb's?) than to actual space programs and "spaceships". It is also interesting to note that the popularity of the Highwaymen version of this song was during the pre-Challenger space trend of 1984/1985. The 1986 Challenger disaster was the first time any Americans were killed in space flight. --Vic Elliott, Tucson, AZ, 7/8/14. 107.4.103.90 (talk) 16:38, 8 July 2014 (UTC)

Clips used in original video
I watched a copy of the original video clip on YouTube and it would appear that the settings/eras are as follows:

1. "I was a highwayman"

Lyrics suggest classic highwayman period of the 1700's. The accompanying video shows the Wild West, late 1800's.

2. "I was a sailor"

Elizabethan era from the appearance of the ship in the video

3. "I was a dam builder"

Hoover Dam (Can't be anything else)

4. "I(I'll?) fly a starship"

Roughly contemporary with release of video. Footage is of what is either a F-5 an F-20 or a T-38 doing acrobatics.

It might be worthwhile trying to track-down who made the clip as just how it was created would make for an interesting read.Graham1973 (talk) 12:13, 23 October 2008 (UTC)

What about the deeper meaning?
Most of the accounts I read elsewhere mention the New Age significance, that the deeper meaning is reincarnation. I don't remember if that information used to be in this article or not. We could probably add a section about the cultural significance of the song. 66.110.253.148 (talk) 03:45, 24 September 2010 (UTC)

Video shows Glen Canyon Dam, not Hoover
The video clip shows the Glen Canyon Dam in Page, AZ which is upriver from the Hoover Dam. [] At the time of filming for the video, there was no bridge at the Hoover Dam; traffic simply drove across the top of the dam. The bridge was not built until the 21st century. [] http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/highwaymen-highwayman-music-video-caused-massive-havoc/7375/