verse 1 the king's guardsman's greedy he's underpaid he knows tailor sew me a cloak of indigo that will disguise me well for the highwayman's game no one will suspect evil and the king's cross are the same i will pay you dearly with half of what i claim no said the tailor the tailor said no a cloak will not hide what your own eyes see a cloak will not change what is hidden underneath just as mine does not confine the idea of what i am i am not a tailor i'm a man verse 2 the king's queen is hungry for the pleasures adultery knows tailor sew me a cloak of scarlet that will disguise me well for courting on the sly that will make the fever transparent to the night's eyes i will pay you dearly with favors and with sighs no said the tailor the tailor said no a cloak will not hide what your own eyes see a cloak will not change what is hidden underneath just as mine does not confine the idea of what i am i am not a tailor i'm a man verse 3 the king he is frightened with shadows behind his back tailor sew me a cloak of sable that will disguise me well from the daggers of my foes that will keep me far above those that are below i will pay you dearly if you fail on the gallows no said the tailor the tailor said no a cloak will not hide what your own eyes see a cloak will not change what is hidden underneath just as mine does not confine the idea of what i am i am not a tailor i'm a man