The Maiden's Lament
Jools Holland Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I heard a maid in Bedlam who mournfully did sing
Her chains she rattled on her hands while sweetly thus sang she
She sang "I love my love because I know my love loves me"
"Cruel were his parents who sent my love to sea
And cruel, cruel was the ship that bore my love from me
Yet I love his parents since they're his, although they've ruined me
"Should it please the pitying powers to call me to the sky
I'll claim a guardian angel's charge around my love to fly
To guard him from all dangers, how happy I should be
Because I love my love and I know my love loves me"
"I'll make a strawy garland, I'll make it wondrous fine
With roses, lilies, daisies I'll mix the eglantine
And I'll present it to my love when he returns home from sea
For I love my love and I know my love loves me"
"Oh if I were a little bird to build upon his breast
Or if I were a nightingale to sing my love to rest
To gaze upon his lovely eyes all my reward should be
For I love my love and I know my love loves me"
"Oh if I were an eagle to soar into the sky
I'd gaze around with piercing eyes where I my love might spy
But ah, unhappy maiden, that love you will never ever see
Yet I love my love and I know my love loves me"
I love my love because I know my love loves me
(I love my love and I know my love loves me)
The Maiden's Lament is a ballad written in the 17th century, telling the story of a woman who is confined to Bethlehem Hospital (Bedlam), a mental institution in London. The song starts with the singer hearing a woman singing mournfully in the early morning of spring. The woman, who is a patient at Bedlam, sings about her love who was sent to sea by his parents. His departure has crushed the woman's heart, and she shows her love for him by saying that, even though his parents sent him away, she still loves them because she loves him.
The woman sings about wanting to protect her love if she were ever to become an angel in the sky, and to make a garland made of roses and daisies when her love returns home from sea. She wishes to be a bird on her love's breast or a nightingale to sing him to sleep. However, the woman knows that she will never see her love again and that as an unhappy maiden, she will only love him from afar. The song captures the sorrow and longing of a woman who is confined to Bedlam, showcasing the power of love in the face of adversity.
Line by Line Meaning
One morning very early, one morning in the spring
On a specific early morning in the spring
I heard a maid in Bedlam who mournfully did sing
The singer heard a female patient sing a mournful song in the Bethlem Royal Hospital
Her chains she rattled on her hands while sweetly thus sang she
The patient sang while rattling the chains on her hands
She sang "I love my love because I know my love loves me"
The patient expressed her love for someone who she knows loves her back
"Cruel were his parents who sent my love to sea
The parents of the person the patient loves were cruel to send him to the sea
And cruel, cruel was the ship that bore my love from me
The ship that took away the singer's loved one was merciless
Yet I love his parents since they're his, although they've ruined me
Despite ruining her life, the singer loves the parents of her loved one because they are related to him
And I love my love because I know my love loves me"
The artist loves the person she loves because she is aware that he loves her too
"Should it please the pitying powers to call me to the sky
If a merciful force takes the artist's life
I'll claim a guardian angel's charge around my love to fly
She will request to be an angel to watch over her loved one
To guard him from all dangers, how happy I should be
She would be content to protect her loved one from all kinds of harm
Because I love my love and I know my love loves me"
The artist is in love with her loved one and aware that he shares her feelings
"I'll make a strawy garland, I'll make it wondrous fine
The singer plans to make a beautiful garland
With roses, lilies, daisies I'll mix the eglantine
The garland will be made with a mix of various flowers
And I'll present it to my love when he returns home from sea
The singer plans to gift the garland to her loved one upon his return from sea
For I love my love and I know my love loves me"
The artist will gift the garland to her loved one because she loves him and is aware he loves her too
"Oh if I were a little bird to build upon his breast
The artist wishes to be a small bird to build a nest on her loved one's chest
Or if I were a nightingale to sing my love to rest
Alternatively, she wishes to be a nightingale to sing to her loved one and help him sleep
To gaze upon his lovely eyes all my reward should be
The singer would be happy to just look into her loved one's beautiful eyes
For I love my love and I know my love loves me"
The artist is in love with her loved one and aware that he shares her feelings
"Oh if I were an eagle to soar into the sky
The artist wants to be an eagle to fly high into the sky
I'd gaze around with piercing eyes where I my love might spy
She would search the sky carefully hoping to spot her loved one
But ah, unhappy maiden, that love you will never ever see
Unfortunately, the singer knows she cannot see her loved one as she wishes
Yet I love my love and I know my love loves me"
The artist remains in love with her loved one and confident that he loves her too
I love my love because I know my love loves me
The patient reiterates that she loves the person she loves because she is certain that he loves her back
Writer(s): JOOLS HOLLAND
Contributed by Nathan S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Jack Mcgubbins
jools needs to sing alot more he's a good performer, can tell he does alot in his own time
Travis
I freaking love Jools!!!