the lyrics : a veil on a lady 's hat increases mystery with a twinkle of glamour from onyx used in jewelry ties for formal affairs the quintessential little dress trench coats of leather worn plain or with finesse refrain : in the absence of light is the spectrum of black from sunken stars far away to death , the debt all men pay oil , remnants of a long-dead era the iron foundation of industry smoke which chokes the air every color of a ford model-t a newspaper with no blank spaces penciled notes in books on history charcoal sketches on white paper ink used to compose great poetry refrain the ghost dogs of avalon feline killers with razor claws or smaller witches ' familiars stalking prey on silent paws skeletal trees in winter silhouettes and shadows in the dark of the night ravens , rooks , and crows refrain before the movie starts when we close our eyes after the curtain drops the night before moonrise called the color of mourning the hue of funeral attire long cars for the formerly living the garb of a widow , human or spider refrain track 11 : blood-sucking fiend the interview : brad : you ravens certainly exhibit familiarity with a variety of song genres and eras .