Arthur would later leave the band. After his departure, the band would bring on Marcus Luscombe for vocals and bass and release Earth Diver in 2014.
Uneasy Lies the Head
Cormorant Lyrics
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Egalite
Fraternite
Queeles belles idees
La tyrannie du peuple
He once fed the scaffold
But now the crowds cackle
At his skull shaved bare
At his shirt torn and bloody
From the bullet in his jaw
At his hands worn and muddy
From years burying the law
The reign of terror
Will fade into lore
With the king of errors
Head on the floor
Uneasy lies the head
That wears the crown
They called him "incorruptible"
The prince of anarchy
But all men grow tryannical
At the reins of liberty
The guillotine is power
It's steel depicts rage
Blood rains down in showers
When democracy's a cage
The reign of tower
Will fade into lore
With the king of errors
Head on the floor
Uneasy lies the head
That wears the crown
He tries to speak his final words
But his mouth drips off its hinge
The flesh, ravaged by the birds
Makes even soldiers cringe
On a plank his body's laid
The wood dampened by his fear
The lever's pulled, a falling blade
And all the people cheered
The song "Uneasy Lies the Head" by Cormorant is a commentary on the concept of power and its corrupting influence on individuals. The lyrics make references to the French Revolution, and the ideals of liberty, equality, and fraternity which were supposed to form the basis of the society. The first verse talks about the idea of the tyranny of the people and how it can be misused to execute someone who was once instrumental in overthrowing the previous regime in the name of revolution. The second verse talks about the guillotine being a symbol of power and how it can turn democracy into a cage, with those in power becoming tyrannical.
The chorus "Uneasy lies the head that wears the crown" is a direct reference to Shakespeare's "Henry IV, Part 2". It suggests that those who have attained power will always be under threat, and that this power can ultimately lead to their downfall. The final verse paints a graphic image of the execution of the person who once held the reins of power. It portrays how the fall from grace can be a gruesome and ignoble end, and how the populace can revel in the downfall of those who were once their heroes.
Overall, the lyrics of "Uneasy Lies the Head" convey a sense of caution and skepticism about the idea of power and how it can be misused. It highlights the dangers of becoming too invested in any singular ideology in the pursuit of power, and the inevitable corruption that follows.
Line by Line Meaning
Liberte
Freedom
Egalite
Equality
Fraternite
Brotherhood
Queeles belles idees
What beautiful ideas
La tyrannie du peuple
The tyranny of the people
He once fed the scaffold
He used to be an executioner
On revolution square
In the public square during the revolution
But now the crowds cackle
But now the crowds laugh at him
At his skull shaved bare
At his bald head
At his shirt torn and bloody
At his torn and bloody shirt
From the bullet in his jaw
Where he was shot in the jaw
At his hands worn and muddy
At his worn and muddy hands
From years burying the law
From enforcing the law for many years
The reign of terror
The period of extreme violence during the French Revolution
Will fade into lore
Will become a story of the past
With the king of errors
With the ruler who made mistakes
Head on the floor
Dead and beheaded
Uneasy lies the head
The head that wears the crown is not secure or at ease
That wears the crown
That is the ruler
They called him "incorruptible"
They believed he was incapable of being corrupted by power
The prince of anarchy
A leader of chaos and disorder
But all men grow tryannical
But all people become tyrannical when given too much power
At the reins of liberty
When given control over freedom
The guillotine is power
The guillotine symbolizes the power of the revolution
It's steel depicts rage
The violence of the revolution is represented by the steel blade
Blood rains down in showers
There is a lot of bloodshed
When democracy's a cage
When democracy becomes oppressive
The reign of tower
The oppressive rule
He tries to speak his final words
He attempts to say his last words
But his mouth drips off its hinge
His mouth is hanging off its joint
The flesh, ravaged by the birds
His flesh has been eaten by birds
Makes even soldiers cringe
Even soldiers are disturbed
On a plank his body's laid
His body is lying on a board
The wood dampened by his fear
The wood is dampened by his fear
The lever's pulled, a falling blade
The lever is pulled and the blade falls
And all the people cheered
And everyone cheered
Contributed by Madison B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.