Stevens sang mostly in his native language. His one English-language album is 1970's Outlander. Meic composes most of the lyrics and music on his albums. He is a gifted guitarist, and can perform as a soloist as well as with his band. Although he has fallen short of international fame, it was not musical talent that let him down but personal circumstances. He was signed to Warner Brothers, but does not seem to have done much recording for WB. Today he is respected among Welsh musicians and has several Welsh CDs available from the Sain label in Caernarfon. His early Welsh songs, such as Tryweryn (a Welsh village flooded to provide water for Liverpool) and Merch o'r Ffatri Wlan ("Girl from the wool factory"), are considered classics.
Stevens can still sometimes be found occasionally singing in certain pubs/hotels in Aberystwyth until the late hours. He can also be seen performing regularly throughout Wales and England at major festivals, eisteddfodau, pubs, theatres etc. He performs periodically in France, mainly Brittany where he is very popular.
Rowena
Meic Stevens Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Someone down the road is stoking it
She can't burn much higher
If you don't believe me better wait a bit
And I'll tell you a tale
But the words will never fail
Rowena coming softly to amaze with you
tell no no lies nervous
twitching still unfettered by will
You meet me in the past
But the passage back is blocked
Rowena coming softly to amaze with you
A moon-face makes a silver steeple bell
She rings for me, shivering in the night
Her velvet coat bequethed delight
Immasculated men, like the shadow people run
Rowena coming softly to amaze with you
The song Rowena by Meic Stevens is a poetic and enigmatic tribute to a mysterious woman named Rowena. The lyrics describe her as a 'fire' that someone down the road is stoking, suggesting a kind of dangerous power and seduction. The singer claims that Rowena can't burn much higher, but also warns the listener not to underestimate her. The lyrics further reveal an element of fantasy and uncontrolled desire, with the singer's eyes "tell[ing] no lies nervous" and "twitching still unfettered by will." Rowena is a figure who seems to exist outside of time and space, as the singer notes that the passage back to where they first encountered her is blocked. The chorus repeats the idea that Rowena is coming "softly to amaze with you," suggesting that she is both alluring and mysterious, but also potentially dangerous.
The lyrics of Rowena have inspired a number of interpretations and speculations among fans and scholars. Some suggest that the song is a tribute to a specific woman in Meic Stevens's life, while others see Rowena as a symbol of female power and mystery. The use of the medieval name Rowena has also sparked interest, as it can be traced back to the romantic Victorian era and suggests a sense of antiquity and mythology. Overall, the song is a rich and layered piece of poetry that invites listeners to imagine the story behind the enigmatic Rowena.
Line by Line Meaning
Rowena she's a fire
Rowena is full of passion and energy
Someone down the road is stoking it
Someone is fueling Rowena's fire
She can't burn much higher
Rowena's intensity has reached its peak
If you don't believe me better wait a bit
You need to experience Rowena's fire to truly understand it
And I'll tell you a tale
There's a story behind Rowena's passion
But the words will never fail
The story will always ring true
Rowena coming softly to amaze with you
Rowena will surprise and impress you with her energy
Fantasy, my eyes uncontrolled
I am captivated by an uncontrollable daydream
tell no no lies nervous
I am hesitant to share my fantasies
twitching still unfettered by will
I am restless and unable to control my impulses
You meet me in the past
You and I have a shared history
But the passage back is blocked
We can't return to the past
A moon-face makes a silver steeple bell
The moon's reflection resembles a ringing church bell
She rings for me, shivering in the night
The moon seems to be calling out to me
Her velvet coat bequethed delight
The moon's beauty is enchanting
Immasculated men, like the shadow people run
Weak men are like shadows, always running from their problems
Rowena coming softly to amaze with you
Rowena will surprise and impress you with her energy
Contributed by Noah A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.