Creating beautiful celtic/historical infused music, she is inspired by many popular movies and tv shows such as Game of Thrones, Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit etc.
In her words: "I started writing and singing music as a hobby in 2010 and decided, rather bravely, to upload my stuff to YouTube for a bit of a laugh. Little did I know I'd gain such a gorgeous fan base of kindred nerds who understood and welcomed my world of music and encouraged me to make more. So that's what I've been doing. I've been happily building my little library of songs for over a decade now, still learning and loving this craft and still beaming delightedly with every new, cherished subscriber on YouTube. It's been an absolute joy and a privilege to do this full-time, and I hope to do it for many more years. Thank you so much for your kindness and support."
Blood Countess
Karliene Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Allow me to introduce myself
Though I fear you′ve heard my name
That you've heard the story (heard the story)
Of Countess Báthory (of Countess Báthory)
History is told by the victors
Will you hear my story? (Will you hear my story?)
From the lips of Báthory? (the lips of Báthory?)
They call me:
′Bloodsucking demon'
'Queen of hell′
′Sadistic killer'
′A monster tale'
Bathing in the blood of virgins
(To keep me beautiful)
Drinking the blood of virgins
(To keep me youthful)
The Blood Countess
Who is she really?
Who is she really?
The Blood Countess
Who is she really?
Erzsébet Báthory
Báthory, Báthory, Báthory
I was very wealthy and powerful
A widow with political rivals
Keen to destroy me (keen to destroy me)
And take my property (take my property)
My plea was never offered
All my confessors were all tortured
Oh how they destroyed me (how they destroyed me)
For my property (for my property)
They bricked me up, bricked me up
Shut me up, shut me up
Bricked me up, bricked me up
Shut me up, shut me up
And told a story
Of that bitch called Báthory
′Bloodsucking demon'
′Queen of hell'
'Sadistic killer′
′A monster tale'
Bathing in the blood of virgins
(To keep me beautiful)
Drinking the blood of virgins
(To keep me youthful)
The Blood Countess
Who is she really?
Who is she really?
The Blood Countess
Who is she really?
Erzsébet Báthory
Báthory, Báthory, Báthory
Karliene's song "Blood Countess" is a haunting and dark portrayal of the infamous historical figure, Countess Báthory. The song is narrated from the Countess' perspective and it opens with her introducing herself to the listener. She acknowledges that her name and story are known and possibly tarnished due to the stories that have been spun about her. The lyrics pose the question of whether the listener will be willing to hear her story from her own mouth, rather than the biased and distorted narrative that has been introduced through the years. The Countess then goes on to list the names she has been given throughout history, such as 'bloodsucking demon', 'queen of hell', 'sadistic killer', and 'monster tale.' These names portray her as an evil woman who has done unspeakable horrors.
The lyrics also describe the Countess' obsession with staying youthful and beautiful by bathing and drinking in the blood of virgins. This idea comes from rumors that has been said about Countess Bathory, that she would abduct young girls and bathed in their blood to preserve her youthfulness. The Countess also reveals that she was once a wealthy and powerful widow, who had political rivals who wanted to destroy her and take her property. She claims that her confession was never offered and that all her confessors were tortured, leading to her being falsely accused of these heinous crimes. The Countess ends her story by accusing her accusers of framing her and once again pleading for the listener to understand and question the story that has been told about her life.
Line by Line Meaning
Báthory, Báthory, Báthory
Introducing myself but acknowledging that you may have already heard of me, because my name is infamous.
Though I fear you've heard my name
I suspect that you are already familiar with me and my actions.
That you've heard the story (heard the story)
It's likely that my story has been told to you before.
Of Countess Báthory (of Countess Báthory)
The story in question is about me and my life.
History is told by the victors
People who win in conflicts have the power to decide what parts of history should be heard by future generations.
Heroic warriors and mad kings
Those who are deemed honorable by society and those whose leadership is considered questionable both have the ability to influence historical accounts.
Will you hear my story? (Will you hear my story?)
Can I have the opportunity to present my perspective?
From the lips of Báthory? (the lips of Báthory?)
Will you listen to the story as told by me, Erzsébet Báthory?
They call me:
I have been given various labels by society.
'Bloodsucking demon'
One of the labels given to me is that of a violent and bloodthirsty creature.
'Queen of hell'
My reputation has spread far and wide, to the extent that I am called the ruler of the underworld.
'Sadistic killer'
Another popular label attached to me is that of someone who derives pleasure from inflicting pain and brutality on others.
'A monster tale'
Finally, some people believe that the stories told about me are more akin to myths or legends, rather than historical truth.
Bathing in the blood of virgins
One of the most popular stories associated with me is that I would bathe in the blood of young women to maintain my looks.
(To keep me beautiful)
The rumor is that I believed that the blood of young women would help me maintain my youthful looks.
Drinking the blood of virgins
Another popular story is that I would drink the blood of young girls in order to retain my vitality and health.
(To keep me youthful)
This rumor states that I believed that the blood of young girls had rejuvenating properties.
The Blood Countess
The name that I am commonly known by.
Who is she really?
It is up for debate whether the stories told about me are accurate, or if there is more to my story.
Who is she really?
A repeated questioning of what my true nature and persona was.
I was very wealthy and powerful
I was born into a wealthy and influential family.
A widow with political rivals
After the death of my husband, political rivals to our family emerged.
Keen to destroy me (keen to destroy me)
These political rivals were eager to ruin my reputation and diminish my family's influence.
And take my property (take my property)
Their goal was to take control of my family's lands and estates.
My plea was never offered
I was never given the chance to defend myself in court.
All my confessors were all tortured
The people who allegedly confessed to working with me also faced torture and abuse.
Oh how they destroyed me (how they destroyed me)
Their stories eventually led to me being found guilty of crimes and receiving a harsh punishment.
For my property (for my property)
In part due to my wealth and influence, some believe that my true 'crime' was my refusal to cede my lands and estates to my political rivals.
They bricked me up, bricked me up
As punishment for my actions, I was walled up inside a small room.
Shut me up, shut me up
I would live the rest of my days in isolation and under strict confinement.
And told a story
After my death, some people began sharing stories and rumors about the horrors that had taken place while I was alive.
Of that bitch called Báthory
The posthumous narrative around me has often been dehumanizing and based on rumors.
'Bloodsucking demon'
As stated before, I was often referred to by this label.
'Queen of hell'
I was called this, as well.
'Sadistic killer'
This label was another popular description applied to me.
'A monster tale'
Finally, this phrase emphasizes the narrative based on stories, rumors, and speculation.
Bathing in the blood of virgins
The link between me and the act of bathing in the blood of virgins persisted after my death.
(To keep me beautiful)
Legend has it that this was something I was willing to do to maintain my beauty.
Drinking the blood of virgins
The idea that young women's blood had special rejuvenating properties continued to be associated with me, even after death.
(To keep me youthful)
The concept that I was trying to cling onto youth via the blood of young girls persisted in the popular consciousness.
The Blood Countess
A phrase used to describe me and my legacy.
Who is she really?
Even now, many people are interested in learning more about my true nature and motivations.
The Blood Countess
A final repetition of this phrase, before the song ends.
Writer(s): Karliene Reynolds
Contributed by Gabriel O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@nefisbuchwelten3394
Oh Karliene
I love your Voice, your Songs ... everything you did and do so so so much!!!
Please keep it up!
I really enjoy it!
You are the best! !
xoxo
PS: Sorry if i made mistakes. My english was never the best :)
lots of love
@t.krum.9815
Fun fact : In latvian ''Karaliene'' means Queen
@erikachels6469
Same in lithuanian bro. True Brothers
@KornihaYT
In Lithuanian too
@anneexoskin2287
Thanks for the tip
@gersonribeiro374
It makes A LOT of sense!!!
@RealmRabbit
YAAAAAAASSSS QUEEN!!
@ttahlia4643
As much as I know - being Hungarian and all - that our historians basically agree on that she actually brought sick girls to her castle and she tried to cure them, using her property as a kind of hospital for the girls but of course as it was filled with sick people, many of them died. Also there was an intense political pressure on her as a widow as she refused to re-marry and she had more power as a women than many man did and of course in that time period it was unacceptable. Hence came the 'witch-hunt' and her demise. I think she was more of a victim than a murderer.
@bamicinder7635
Many women led without such a cult to get rid of them, I don't think the fact that she was a women in political power, had anything to do with it, otherwise monarchies simply wouldn't have existed at all. There was a female king of Poland after all, and the countless Queens in History in immense political power, such as Isabella I of Spain, Elizabeth of England, etc... There was even Maria Theressa in charge of all of the HRE at a moment in time (Empress). I think her opponents generally thought she was a vampire of sorts, like many would think if they heard of Vlad the Impaler, Vampiric Accusations are rather unique and old or rooted into the fables of the Balkans area. I don't think she killed that many as accused -- I at least hope not lmao, that'd be quite the spooks -- but I don't think her being in such political power as a women, had much of a factor in it.
@TheAwesomeNatta
@tomato gang Female rulers have existed, yes, but mostly as exceptions. Women had always had men as their guardians, and only as a widow you had the same rights as men, which was seen as something temporary and disappeared if you remarried (something that was highly encouraged, not only because widows often could have a hard time economically without a husband but also because a healthy household was considered consisting of a married couple). Thalia told us that there was an intense political pressure on Bathory as a widow as she refused to re-marry - that wasn't something unusual. The norms of that time said that it was unnatural for a woman to not be married. I can go deeper into it if you want. However, for many years in many countries it wasn't allowed for a woman to inheret thrones and other higher statuses, for example in Sweden the law changed around the 1500s with Gustav Vasa, who made a change that created the possibility for women to inheret the throne, but only for the reason that he wanted his heritage to continue being the ones in power, not because he thought women had the same capability to rule. For example, Queen Kristina ruled Sweden under the 1600s only because she had no male relatives who could take over the throne when her father died, but if she married she would've transferred her power to her future husband and turned into a sidepiece instead of a main player. Therefore she decided to never marry under the time she ruled. It's true that she is remembered as a good queen and other queens and women in power has existed in history, but they only became women in power because a man of an equal social status didn't exist, so they settled with the worst-in-case scenario while waiting for a man to take over. Women has always been looked down upon and people have always disapproved them having a leading role in politics, since the medieval ideal of a woman was that women should be passive, retracted, married and pious. A woman who didn't fit into the mold of a calm, christian woman felt like a threat to the natural order of life. Men were the ones who were supposed to be active and in charge. It simply wasn't logical for the medieval and high-medieval people that women and men could have equal standings. They just simply didn't believe that women had the capacity of thinking as logically as men. Women had the role as a power intermediary in the medieval times, while the power became executable when men got a hold of it.
So I definitively think that Elizabeth Bathory being a woman had a hand in the uproar against her. It obviously isn't the only reason, much more factors must lay behind such a defamation of a rich and mighty woman as her, but you certainly can't just ignore that factor.
edit: Also, Queen Kristina was highly pressured to get married. It was a constant thing she had to argument against. Much like Bathory.
@TheAwesomeNatta
Not to say that women didn't have a role in politics - they most certainly had, but indirectly, not formally. If someone wanted to change a countries opinion of something, for example religion or some political thing, you could often go to the wives, sisters and daughters of influental men for the means of persuading them so they can in turn persuade the men in power. And of course women has been "in the shadows" in politics generally, but since they weren't even considered indepedent (as I said, men had the guardianship over them) they weren't relevant in the slightest in the formal discussions in politics and documents.