Divorced Beheaded Died
Horrible Histories Lyrics
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Divorced, beheaded, survived.
I'm Henry VIII, I had six sorry wives.
Some might say I ruined their lives.
Catherine of Aragon was one
She failed to give me a son.
I had to ask her for a divorce
Young Anne Boleyn she was two,
had a daughter the best she could.
I said she flirted with some other man
And off for the chop went dear Anne.
Lovely Jane Seymour was three,
The love of a lifetime for me.
She gave me a son, little Prince Ed,
Then poor old Jane, went and dropped dead.
Divorced, beheaded and died.
Divorced, beheaded, survived.
I'm Henry VIII, I had six sorry wives.
Some might say I ruined their lives.
Anne of Cleves came as four,
I fell for the portrait I saw.
Then laid on her face and cried, 'She's a horse! I must have another divorce.'
Catherine Howard was five,
A child of nineteen, so alive.
She flirted with others, no way to behave.
The axe sent young Cath to her grave.
Catherine Parr she was last.
By then all my best days were past.
I lay on my deathbed aged just fifty-five,
Lucky Catherine the last stayed alive.
(I mean, how unfair!)
Divorced, beheaded and died.
Divorced, beheaded, survived.
I'm Henry VIII, I had six sorry wives.
You could say I ruined their lives.
The song "Divorced Beheaded Died" by Horrible Histories is a humorous yet informative take on the life of King Henry VIII, particularly his relationships with his six wives. The main theme of the song is divorce and beheading, which were the fates of five of Henry's wives. The song comprises six stanzas, one for each of his wives, and offers amusing insights into their lives.
The first stanza is about Catherine of Aragon, Henry's first wife. Catherine failed to give him a son, which was a big deal back then, and Henry asked for a divorce, which was against the teachings of the Catholic Church. This led to a long conflict between Henry and the Pope, and Catherine died heartbroken. The second stanza is about Anne Boleyn, who was executed on charges of adultery after failing to bear Henry a son. The third stanza is about Jane Seymour, who finally gave him a son, but died soon after childbirth.
The fourth stanza is about Anne of Cleves, whom Henry married after being smitten by her portrait, only to find her unattractive in real life. He had the marriage annulled and described her as a "Flanders Mare." The fifth stanza is about Catherine Howard, a young and vivacious queen who flirted with others and was also executed for adultery. The last stanza is about Catherine Parr, who outlived Henry and was the only wife to survive his reign.
Overall, the song paints a picture of the tumultuous and dramatic life of Henry VIII and his six ill-fated wives. It highlights the political and personal reasons behind his marriages and divorces and shows how his relationships had far-reaching consequences beyond his own life.
Line by Line Meaning
Divorced, beheaded and died.
I divorced, I beheaded and I had my wives executed.
Divorced, beheaded, survived.
One of my wives survived me and was not executed.
I'm Henry VIII, I had six sorry wives.
My name is Henry VIII and I was married to six wives, all of whom had tragic lives.
Some might say I ruined their lives.
Some people might attribute my wives' tragic fates to my actions and decisions.
Catherine of Aragon was one
My first wife was Catherine of Aragon.
She failed to give me a son.
Catherine of Aragon did not give me a male heir.
I had to ask her for a divorce
I asked for a divorce from Catherine of Aragon because she didn't give me a son.
That broke her poor heart, of course
Catherine of Aragon's heart was broken by our divorce.
Young Anne Boleyn she was two,
My second wife was Anne Boleyn, who was young at the time of our marriage.
had a daughter the best she could.
Anne Boleyn gave birth to a daughter, but not a son.
I said she flirted with some other man
I accused Anne Boleyn of infidelity and having affairs with other men.
And off for the chop went dear Anne.
Anne Boleyn was executed for adultery and treason.
Lovely Jane Seymour was three,
My third wife was Jane Seymour, whom I loved.
The love of a lifetime for me.
Jane Seymour was the love of my life.
She gave me a son, little Prince Ed,
Jane Seymour gave me a son, who became Prince Edward VI.
Then poor old Jane, went and dropped dead.
Jane Seymour died shortly after giving birth to our son.
Anne of Cleves came as four,
My fourth wife was Anne of Cleves, whom I selected based on her portrait.
I fell for the portrait I saw.
I was attracted to Anne of Cleves based on her portrait.
Then laid on her face and cried, 'She's a horse! I must have another divorce.'
When I met Anne of Cleves in person, I found her unattractive and called for another divorce.
Catherine Howard was five,
My fifth wife was Catherine Howard.
A child of nineteen, so alive.
Catherine Howard was only nineteen years old and full of life.
She flirted with others, no way to behave.
Catherine Howard was accused of infidelity and flirting with other men.
The axe sent young Cath to her grave.
Catherine Howard was executed by beheading for adultery and treason.
Catherine Parr she was last.
My sixth and final wife was Catherine Parr.
By then all my best days were past.
By the time I married Catherine Parr, I was no longer in my prime.
I lay on my deathbed aged just fifty-five,
I died at the relatively young age of 55.
Lucky Catherine the last stayed alive.
Catherine Parr was lucky enough to outlive me and avoid the tragic fates of my previous wives.
You could say I ruined their lives.
It could be argued that my actions and decisions had a negative impact on the lives of my wives.
Contributed by London S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.