Stewart grew up in the coastal resort town of Bournemouth, Dorset. According to Songfacts, in days of youthful folly Stewart played in a beat group with later BBC DJ Tony Blackburn before moving to the capital to seek fortune and fame.
Having bought his first guitar from future Police guitarist Andy Summers, Stewart traded in his electric guitar for an acoustic guitar when he was offered a weekly slot at Bunjies Coffee House in London's Soho in 1965. From there, he went on to compete at the Les Cousins folk club on Greek Street, where he played alongside Cat Stevens, Bert Jansch, Van Morrison, Roy Harper and Ralph McTell
Although he had his share of the breaks, including a tenure at Bunjees coffee house and a record deal with CBS, life wasn't always easy for the young troubadour; his first serious love affair ended in disaster, and he experienced all the usual insecurities of the stranger in the big city trying to find his way.
In January 1970, Melody Maker named his second release Love Chronicles its Folk Album Of The Year, but in spite of his obviously carving out quite a name for himself, it was not until Year Of The Cat - the single and even more so the monster album - that he really shot to fame.
He emigrated to the United States as his career took off in the mid 1970s, and still lives in California. While studio albums are now few and far between, he still tours extensively in the United States, and, most years, in Europe. Recordings of concerts are often made available through his fan clubs.
Merlin's Time
Al Stewart Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
In a kingdom lost in time.
And in the forests of evening the archer is bending a bow,
And I see you bring him bread and wine.
Down the ligneous years the invaders have taken these lands,
And bent you to their will.
And the murmurous fade of the ancients and all that they had,
Oh who will walk the stony roads of Merlin's time
And keep a watch along the boarder line?
And who will hear the legends passed in song and rhyme,
Upon the Shepard's pipes of Merling's time?
In Al Stewart's song Merlin's Time, the singer reflects on a dream he had long ago of a kingdom lost in time, and thinks of his lover as a faint memory from that place. He evokes a mystical atmosphere as he describes the archer in the evening forest and imagines his lover bringing the archer bread and wine. The lyrics evoke a sense of longing and wistfulness as the singer is unable to be with his lover in this magical world.
The song speaks to the passing of time and the changes that come with it, as the invaders have taken over the lands and the ancient murmurs have faded away. However, the magic still lingers around the singer's lover, perhaps indicating that love and emotion have a timeless quality that endures beyond physical changes. The final stanza poses a question: who will continue to keep the legends and traditions of Merlin's time alive? The Shepard, with his pipes, may be symbolic of a humble or overlooked figure who carries the weight of preserving the history and stories from the past.
As a whole, Merlin's Time represents a yearning for a bygone era, a sense of nostalgia for a time when magic and wonder existed. The dreamlike quality and poetic language of the lyrics contribute to this atmosphere. Ultimately, the song reminds us that even as time moves on and the world changes, there is value in remembering and preserving the stories of our past.
Line by Line Meaning
And I think of you now as a dream that I had long ago
The memory of you seems like a distant dream.
In a kingdom lost in time.
A place that no longer exists.
And in the forests of evening the archer is bending a bow,
A magical archer prepares for the night.
And I see you bring him bread and wine.
You are there, providing nourishment and sustenance.
Down the ligneous years the invaders have taken these lands,
Over time, conquerors have taken control of these lands.
And bent you to their will.
They have forced their ways upon you.
And the murmurous fade of the ancients and all that they had,
The whispers of the past and all that is lost.
But the magic lingers round you still.
But magic remains in your presence.
Oh who will walk the stony roads of Merlin's time
Who will journey through the ancient times of Merlin?
And keep a watch along the border line?
Who will guard against any threats to the magical realm?
And who will hear the legends passed in song and rhyme,
Who will listen to the stories told in song and verse?
Upon the Shepard's pipes of Merlin's time?
Played on the pipes of a shepherd in times of Merlin.
Lyrics ยฉ Peermusic Publishing
Written by: AL STEWART, PETER WHITE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@leonwangls
And I think of you now
As a dream that I had long ago
In a kingdom lost to time
In the forest of evening
The archer is bending a bow
And I see you bring him bread and wine
Down the legions of years
The invaders have taken this land
And bent you to their will
And the memories fade of the ancients
And all that they had
Though the magic lingers round you still
Oh who would walk the stoney roads
Of Merlin's time
And keep the watch along the borderline
And who would hear the legends passed
In song and rhyme
Upon the shepherd pipes of Merlin's time
@ShibaMomma143
I got married in a castle and asked, specifically, for this song to be played just after all of the guests had arrived and were settled and quiet, so they could appreciate this magical song in a castle on the sea, probably for the first time. Even the DJs weren't familiar with this track but after the wedding they thanked me for introducing them to it!
To see it with this video... Wow. Amazing! Beautiful! Well done!!!
Mr. Stewart is so unique and this song of his is my favorite. Thank you for this treasure!
@claytonecramer
One of the more haunting songs Al Stewart has ever recorded. I teach history and the historical content of so many of his songs really grabs me.
@larryjohnston929
Listening to Al Stewart is like traveling through time. I just put on his music, close my eyes and Iโm there โwalking the stony roads of Merlinโs time.
@janisunderhill2230
One of the most beautiful songs ever written
@demonmaster6668
My dad told me to close my eyes while i am listening to This song so i would use my fantasie
@bobcirba2626
I am late to the party, but Al is my favorite in the world. Thank YOU so much!
@bobcirba2626
Oh, Al's not so subtle line, "The 'invaders' have taken this 'land' and bent you to their will". Just a great metaphor.
@francislucchini8598
Trรจs belle chanson
@roobickrubenkeshishi8473
Hi Al , I have been listening to your music for over 38 years and I Love your songs great work . Thank you Al . your fan Ruben , an Armenian guy living in Sweden , Pleased to meet you .
@MetalGuruMessiah
It's always so great to hear from other fans......Al Stewart is truly an exceptional artist. I've been listening to some of his later albums quite a bit in the last couple of months...though I seem to always go to the early stuff...there are real treasures in all his most recent albums as well! Thanks for the very gracious words for the videos....it's knowing wonderful fans like yourself enjoy them that makes it worth continuing. Thanks also for a thoughtful comment!