George Romero’s Knightriders is a messy, eccentric and often quite beautiful celebration of/elegy for the idealistic, bohemian spirit of the 1960s. In this, one of the final scenes, the titular troupe of motorcycle-jousting knights and their friends gather to pay tribute to their fallen “king”, Billy (memorably portrayed by Ed Harris in one of his first roles).
The song is “I’d Rather be a Wanderer” by Donald Rubinstein. Here are the lyrics:
Sitting here alone in my father's home, Tomorrow I'll be leaving, I'll be on my own, To the hills as a child I'll go, But I'd rather be a wanderer than to never go at all, [Chorus] A pity there's just emptiness, But with sorrow there comes joy, And I would rather die in a hurricane, Than to never know a storm, Fears, I know, I've faced them, As my castle walls would fall, Oh, but I would let those, Castles tumble, Than to never love at all. [Verse 2] In my soul a song lies sleeping, Waiting to be born, I can hear her weeping, Deep inside, I can feel her dance, Go and run to me lover, Touch my innocence, I see that life is an open road, there'll be people stay, there'll be people go, You know at first it pains me so, To think I'm just learning how, to let go, [Chorus] A pity there's just emptiness, But with sorrow there comes joy, And I would rather die in a hurricane, Than to never know a storm, Fears, I know, I've faced them, As my castle walls would fall, Oh, but I would let those, Castles tumble, Than to never love at all.