Underneath the neolithic sky
Where the beasts are so proud to die
Across the sea of a million dreams
Where nothing is as it once seemed

I hear the Pan Pipes playing
In what the wind is saying
Here comes the fallen angel
Here comes the long-dead god

Back from the years in exile
Here comes the wild Pagan heart
And the May Queen sings her song
For her consort who is gone

Children mourn the loss of Pan
Whom Death banished from this land
It has been two thousand years
The earth is soaked with blood and tears

The once-great Lord of the Hunt lies slain
His bride's a-burning in the flame
Mother Earth lies raped and poisoned
The final day draws ever closer

To a time of ice and fire
She shall be a funeral pyre

Overall Meaning

The song "Beltaine" by Inkubus Sukkubus is a tribute to the pagan festival of the same name that marks the beginning of summer. The first verse describes the ancient, prehistoric world where even the beasts are proud to die. The second verse refers to the myths surrounding the pagan god Pan, who was believed to have been exiled from the world of humans. The sound of pan pipes can be heard in the wind and signals the arrival of Pan and other deities.

The third verse is the most melancholic one, describing the mourning of Pan's followers and the state of the world that has been ravaged by war and destruction. The May Queen sings for her consort who is gone, representing the grief of the season of Beltaine, which is both a celebration of fertility and a farewell to the winter. The fourth and final verse is a warning that the world is heading towards a catastrophic end, symbolized by the "time of ice and fire".

Overall, the song reflects the band's pagan roots and their admiration for the cycle of nature and the change of seasons.

Line by Line Meaning

Underneath the neolithic sky
Beneath the ancient sky of prehistoric times

Where the beasts are so proud to die
Where animals are brave in their confrontation with death

Across the sea of a million dreams
Throughout the vast expanse of numerous dreams

Where nothing is as it once seemed
Where nothing is the way it used to be

I hear the Pan Pipes playing
I can hear the musical sounds of the pipes played by Pan, the Greek god of nature

In what the wind is saying
In the message or meaning conveyed by the blowing of the wind

Here comes the fallen angel
A reference to Lucifer, the angel who rebelled against God and fell from Heaven

Here comes the long-dead god
A reference to the pagan god who has been dead for a long time

Back from the years in exile
Returned after being banished or exiled for many years

Here comes the wild Pagan heart
Here comes the unrestrained, primal heart of the pagan people

And the May Queen sings her song
The queen celebrating the arrival of spring and fertility sings her special song

For her consort who is gone
She sings for her companion who has passed away

Children mourn the loss of Pan
The young ones grieve for the passing of Pan

Whom Death banished from this land
Pan was exiled from the earthly realm by Death

It has been two thousand years
A span of time lasting for two millennia

The earth is soaked with blood and tears
The planet's surface is drenched with the spilled blood and teardrops of war and tragedy

The once-great Lord of the Hunt lies slain
The mighty lord who was known for hunting has been defeated

His bride's a-burning in the flame
His lover is being consumed by the flames

Mother Earth lies raped and poisoned
The planet has suffered from being violated and contaminated

The final day draws ever closer
The end of everything is gradually nearing

To a time of ice and fire
Towards an era of both extreme cold and intense heat

She shall be a funeral pyre
The planet will transform into a burning funeral pyre for all living things

To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

just now