Legendary guitarist Ritchie Blackmore (Deep Purple & Rainbow) met ethereal … Read Full Bio ↴Legendary guitarist Ritchie Blackmore (Deep Purple & Rainbow) met ethereal vocalist Candice Night in 1989. Ritchie had always loved Renaissance music. The haunting songs were a departure from Blackmore's decades in rock, but were folk rock renaissance infused melodies that became a journey that Ritchie and Candice felt in their souls & continue to explore and tour with now over 20 years later. Their main wish was to revisit songs from hundreds of years ago and reinterpret them with new arrangements, lyrics written by Night and new instrumentation. Their first songs became 1997's Shadow of the Moon. Play Minstrel Play featured Jethro Tull frontman Ian Anderson on flute. Under A Violet Moon (1999) brought crowd pleasing favorites, like the title track. In Fires At Midnight, (2001) the band revisited the roots of songs from medieval times but with Blackmore's electric guitar and Candice introduced her double reed woodwind instruments to retain the spirits of the songs they reinterpreted. Ghost of A Rose (2003) was orchestrally inspired. The Village Lanterne came in (2006). Then: Secret Voyage (2008), Autumn Sky (2010), Dancer and the Moon (2013), and All Our Yesterdays (2015). They have 3 full length dvds and an award winning Christmas cd, Winter Carols. They are a favorite of the Renaissance Faire-goers. Fans often come to the concerts in renaissance garb and are a strong community. Their new studio album, Nature's Light, was released in March 2021.

Keeper of the Flame
Blackmore's Night Lyrics

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Once was a legend of old
In the time of days long ago
The clattering beat of a horse on the street
He appeared from the fog like a ghost

I could feel him heading this way
A storm was filling the air
If the truth be told when the winds blow cold

They are warning you to beware

No, the wild cannot be tamed
Keeper of the flame

We wondered what devil is this
Who appears from out of the mist
With a crack of a whip and a wave of his fist
He was cursed and I was bewitched

Haunted by seeing his face
Through the mirror, the smoke and the haze
So hard to see through the dark mystery
The illusion was part of the game

No, the wild cannot be tamed
Keeper of the flame

Be careful of what you wish for
And make sure when it knocks at your door
It'll be what you need, not some fantasy
That will haunt you forever more

Let it be what you need, not some fantasy
That will haunt you forever more

Overall Meaning

"Keeper of the Flame," by Blackmore's Night, is a song about a mysterious figure who appears out of the fog like a ghost. He is like a legend from days long ago, with the clattering beat of a horse on the street announcing his arrival. The singer can feel that the man is coming, and he senses that a storm is filling the air. As the winds blow cold, they warn of danger ahead, but the man cannot be tamed because he is the Keeper of the Flame.

The lyrics suggest that the Keeper of the Flame is a devilish figure, bewitching and cursed. He is an illusion in the dark mystery of the night, and his appearance is part of the game he plays. The singer has seen his face through the mirror, the smoke, and the haze, but still, he remains an enigma. The song's message is to be careful what you wish for because it may not be what you need. Fantasy can haunt you forevermore.

Overall, the lyrics of "Keeper of the Flame" paint a picture of a mysterious figure who cannot be tamed. He is an other-worldly presence, bewitching and beguiling, and the song suggests that he is not entirely human. The message to be wary of what you wish for ties into this theme, suggesting that the grass is not always greener on the other side.

Line by Line Meaning

Once was a legend of old
There was a legend long ago

In the time of days long ago
This happened a long time ago

The clattering beat of a horse on the street
The sound of a horse galloping on the street was heard

He appeared from the fog like a ghost
He came out of the fog and looked like a ghost

I could feel him heading this way
I had a feeling he was approaching

A storm was filling the air
There was a storm coming

If the truth be told when the winds blow cold They are warning you to beware
Cold winds are a sign of danger

No, the wild cannot be tamed Keeper of the flame
The forces of nature cannot be controlled

We wondered what devil is this
We were curious about this mysterious person

Who appears from out of the mist
Someone appeared from the fog

With a crack of a whip and a wave of his fist
He had a whip and made a gesture with his hand

He was cursed and I was bewitched
He was under a curse and I was enchanted by him

Haunted by seeing his face
I couldn't stop thinking about his face

Through the mirror, the smoke and the haze
I saw his face through a mirror, smoke, and haze

So hard to see through the dark mystery
It was difficult to understand the mysterious situation

The illusion was part of the game
The mystery was part of his plan

Be careful of what you wish for
Think carefully before making a wish

And make sure when it knocks at your door
Be sure of what you're welcoming into your life

It'll be what you need, not some fantasy That will haunt you forever more
Make sure it's what you truly need, not just a fleeting desire that will cause you pain in the future

Let it be what you need, not some fantasy That will haunt you forever more
Reinforcing the previous line's advice to choose wisely

Contributed by Peyton C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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