Gaiman is a prolific blogger and has a noted interest in music. He befriended Tori Amos early in her career after she sent him a demo tape. His latest obsession is Thea Gilmore. Thea and Tori (among others) appear on a compilation of musical works inspired by his works, entitled Where's Neil When You Need Him?
The Problem with Saints
Neil Gaiman Lyrics
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Pronouncing that she won't get burned again
Her armour's very shiny and her message is divine
But I wish she'd take a day off now and then
She said it clears your head when you come back from the dead
With your sword as sharp as anything that cuts
And to prove it she bisected three young tourists from Utrecht
She says we need to
Raise a brand new army
And the flag of France
So proudly she unfurled
And the people that
She hated will be neatly bifurcated
And the British will
No longer rule the world
(She says) it was a mistake to let them burn her at the stake
And she learned a lesson back there in the flames
So she's going to kill the queen and then she'll rescue Old Orleans
And it's really hard to hang around with saints
I think I ought to tell her that the English left in failure
And they don't go back to France except on hols
But I saw her vivisect a man who wanted to correct her
And the playground soon resembled Grand Guignol
She says we need to
Raise a brand new army
And she marched us
Round until we couldn't stand
She says the nation
She abhors will soon be writhing on the floor
And the British will
No longer rule her land
And she's waiting for the dauphin who will come across the ocean
And knows that God agrees with her complaints
So I'm hoping she'll ignore my English accent in her war
'Cause it's really hard to hang around with saints
She says we need to
Raise a brand new army
And the flag of France
So proudly she unfurled
And the people that
She hated will be neatly bifurcated
And the British will
No longer rule
The British will no longer rule
The British will no longer rule the
World!
The lyrics to Neil Gaiman and Amanda Palmer's song "The Problem With Saints" depict the character Joan of Arc as an unyielding and fanatical figure who is still fighting the hundred years war against the British in modern-day Paris, France. Though her armor is still shining and her message divine, she has not taken a day off since her death and resurrection. She describes killing tourists and seeing it as a positive act to gain national pride, as well as her plan to bifurcate (meaning to divide in two) people she hated, a clear reference to the English nation that she despises so much. She speaks of her mission to raise a new army and unfurl the flag of France, to which the British will no longer rule the world.
Despite the absurdity of the lyrics, they express a deeper-seated human struggle with fanaticism and obsession. Joan of Arc, widely considered as a saintly figure for her bravery and martyrdom, is portrayed as extreme in her goals and attitude towards violence. Her character serves as a symbol for anyone caught up in a single-minded pursuit, blinded by their obsession and amplifying the negative consequences of their actions. The song warns of the dangers of fanaticism and the importance of taking a step back, even when driven by deep conviction.
Line by Line Meaning
I wish that Joan of Arc wouldn't hang around the park
I don't want Joan of Arc to be around all the time
Pronouncing that she won't get burned again
Claiming she won't make the same mistakes again
Her armour's very shiny and her message is divine
Her armor is impressive and she believes she has a holy message
But I wish she'd take a day off now and then
I wish she would relax once in a while
She said it clears your head when you come back from the dead
She believes it's good for her mental state to have returned from the dead
With your sword as sharp as anything that cuts
Her weapon is as deadly as it can be
And to prove it she bisected three young tourists from Utrecht
She demonstrated her weapon's power by killing three people
Which rapidly displayed a lot of guts
It was an incredibly brave (yet violent) act
She says we need to
Joan's message is that we should
Raise a brand new army
Form a new military force
And the flag of France
Use the French flag as a symbol while doing so
So proudly she unfurled
Displaying the flag with great pride
And the people that
Specifically, the group of people
She hated will be neatly bifurcated
Will be cleanly and methodically cut in two
And the British will
Her goal is to have Britain
No longer rule the world
Not be in charge of everything anymore
(She says) it was a mistake to let them burn her at the stake
Joan acknowledges that being burned at the stake was a mistake
And she learned a lesson back there in the flames
She took a lesson from the horror of being burned alive
So she's going to kill the queen and then she'll rescue Old Orleans
Her plan is to assassinate the queen, then save the city of Orleans
And it's really hard to hang around with saints
Being in the company of someone who believes she is holy is challenging
I think I ought to tell her that the English left in failure
It is worth mentioning to her that England retreated from France
And they don't go back to France except on hols
The English don't visit France often
But I saw her vivisect a man who wanted to correct her
I witnessed Joan brutually dissect someone who challenged her ideas
And the playground soon resembled Grand Guignol
The playground became a violent and bloody mess
And she marched us
Joan led us
Round until we couldn't stand
Until we were exhausted
She says the nation
She believes strongly in her country
She abhors will soon be writhing on the floor
The people she hates will be defeated and suffering
And the British will
Her ultimate goal is for Britain to
No longer rule her land
Not have control over her home country
And she's waiting for the dauphin who will come across the ocean
She is waiting for the rightful heir to the throne
And knows that God agrees with her complaints
She is convinced that God approves of her actions
So I'm hoping she'll ignore my English accent in her war
I am hoping Joan can put aside our differences and focus on the bigger picture
'Cause it's really hard to hang around with saints
Being with someone who considers themselves holy is tough
The British will no longer rule
Joan is dead-set on removing British authority
The British will no longer rule the
She has a vendetta against British rulership
World!
She wants to change the course of history as we know it
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: DAMIAN KULASH, BEN FOLDS, AMANDA MACKINNON PALMER, NEIL RICHARD GAIMAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind