In 1977 he played the roles of Narrator and King of Elfland on the concept album The King of Elfland's Daughter. The album also featured Mary Hopkin, PP Arnold, Frankie Miller and Alexis Korner.
He also started a career as singer as with his first album in 1998 entitled, Devils, Rogues & Other Villians and in the post-millennial era he appeared as a narrator for Italian symphonic fantasy metal band Rhapsody, playing the Wizard King in two albums, Symphony of Enchanted Lands II: The Dark Secret and Triumph or Agony. In addition to narrating several tracks on the two albums, he also sang & recorded a duet album with lead vocalist Fabio Lione called "The Magic of the Wizard's Dream".
He released his second solo album in 2007 at the age of 84 under the name of "Revelation" (including a heavy metal song in it).
In March 2010, he released the symphonic metal album "Charlemagne: By the Sword and the Cross". It was later followed up by "Charlemagne: The Omens of Death" in May 2013.
Christopher Lee died on June 7, 2015 after being hospitalized for respiratory problems and heart failure.
The Portent
Christopher Lee Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Obscured by my zeal, by my beliefs, each and every one was a marker
Of my destiny as the chosen one - As defender of Faith and the leader of men.
But it all came at a great price, as all great kings, I became a great killer - Lombardi, Verden, Roncevaux Pass...
It all ended in death and destruction!
These were Omens
The Omens of Death!
The lyrics to Christopher Lee's song "The Portent" describe the singer's realization of the omens that warned of his impending doom. He admits that he had been ignorant to the signs that were all around him, blinded by his own passion and beliefs. Each of these signs served as a marker that pointed to his fate as the chosen one, the defender of his faith, and the leader of his troops. Thus, he became a great king but at the cost of being a great killer too. The names of the places, Lombardi, Verden, Roncevaux Pass, where he had fought and killed for his cause, are mentioned in the song, and they underline the singer's status as a conqueror.
However, despite his successes, the singer's story is tragic, as it concludes with his death and the destruction that he brought along with him. The chorus, "The Omens of Death!" serves as a haunting reminder of the cost of zealotry and the danger of ignoring the warning signs of fate.
The song invokes a sense of foreboding, communicated through a combination of Lee's sonorous voice and the ominous musical score. It is a powerful reminder that even those who believe themselves to be chosen or marked for greatness can fall victim to their own hubris.
Line by Line Meaning
The signs were there, wherever I looked, only I could not see them...
Despite the signs being present in every direction, my blind devotion and unwavering beliefs prevented me from recognizing them.
Obscured by my zeal, by my beliefs, each and every one was a marker
My intense fervor and unshakable convictions veiled each sign, rendering them as symbols of my predetermined fate.
Of my destiny as the chosen one - As defender of Faith and the leader of men.
The omens were a reminder of my divine calling as the protector of the Faith and the guiding force for humanity.
But it all came at a great price, as all great kings, I became a great killer - Lombardi, Verden, Roncevaux Pass...
However, fulfilling my destiny as a great ruler required carnage and bloodshed, much like other powerful monarchs in history who had to resort to violence to assert their authority.
It all ended in death and destruction!
Ultimately, my fate and the fate of those I led was one of decay and annihilation, as foretold by the ominous signs that I failed to heed.
These were Omens
The signs were not mere coincidences, but rather portents of doom that foreshadowed my inevitable downfall and tragic end.
The Omens of Death!
The warnings I ignored ultimately culminated in the ultimate harbinger of death itself – the Omens of Death.
Contributed by Penelope V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.