INTRO: Am G Am He was born in Miller's mansion when the mistress was asleep C G Am The secret son of the chambermaid and master G Am And they sent him into hiding, for his schooling and his keep C G Am With the Carlyles and the other lucky bastards Am G Am Now his toady tutors fawn and praise the man that he's become C G Esus E Though he's taken to the Laudanum and Faro Am G Am And he walks the streets like velvet death with his daddy's money on his breath C G Am And a shame he cannot shake, down in his marrow CHORUS: Am Dm When day fades to black, you must not listen to the killer C G Esus E Pretty voices keep you beautiful and bound Am Dm 'Cause the simple sorry fact of your existence, Preston Miller F G Am Is enough to bring this house of evil down Am G Am One night upon some drunken dare, he writes his absent sire C G Am Saying, "Father, I would fain come home to meet thee" G Am And though his worthless friends guffaw at this sudden show of fire C G Am Another round of bourbon and it's easy Am G Am And this letter finds his father in his tower far away C G Am And the hoary claw that holds it shakes and trembles Am G Is it grief over a life misspent, or love or greed or mere contempt C G Am Or something darker stirring in his temples CHORUS Am Dm When day fades to black, you must not listen to the killer C G Esus E Pretty voices keep you beautiful and bound Am Dm 'Cause the simple sorry fact of your existence, Preston Miller F G Am Is enough to bring this house of evil down Am G Am A week gone by, he's wakened by a knocking at his door C G Am And he drags himself half-wasted to the threshold G Am It's a message in his father's quill saying, "Meet me, scion, if you will C G Am At the very stroke of midnight in the meadow" Am G Am Now he has combed his laggard locks, and hired a comely roan C G Esus E And he's met his comrade fops around the fountain Am G Am And he's bidden each a grand goodbye, and he's cantered off alone C G Am To meet his aged father in the mountains CHORUS Am Dm When day fades to black, you must not listen to the killer C G Esus E Pretty voices keep you beautiful and bound Am Dm 'Cause the simple sorry fact of your existence, Preston Miller F G Am Is enough to bring this house of evil down Am G Am "Oh, Father dear, come out, come out, I honour thee tonight," C G Am He shouts as he goes weaving in the saddle G Am He sees the stars go blinking by, like the twinkling in a trollop's eye C G Am And six riders riding madly in the shadows Am G Am This morning sailed a ship of fools across a sea of gin C G Am With a blind and grinning Reaper at the tiller Am G Am And it drove an aging Jacob to his lone and bitter end C G Am And a bullet through the brain of Preston Miller