Once Upon A Troubadour
Nightwish & Tarja Turunen Lyrics

A lonely bard wandering across the lands am I
I walk alone, travelling through different lands, singing and dancing, and searching for answers that can satisfy my curiosity.

Singing dancing finding answers to every why
My way of life involves performing arts, which helps me find some answers to my questions.

The taverns are full and one crosses my path, too
As I walk, I come across many taverns, and one such tavern falls in my way.

I just might reward myself with a beer or two
I'm considering having a drink or two at the tavern as a form of self-reward for my journey.

This inn the place of many romantic tales
The tavern has a reputation for romantic stories and love affairs.

On the loft women offer their sales
Upstairs, women offer their services for sale, possibly as sex workers.

But my eyes they catch a girl beat by everyone
Amidst all this, I spot a girl who is mistreated and abused by everyone else.

A slave she is but for me a rose undone
Although she is a servant/ slave, I see her as beautiful and special, like a rose that has yet to fully bloom.

Hear me sing
I invite my listeners to listen to my singing.

Watch me dance
I invite my audience to watch and enjoy my dancing.

Play that lute of thine
I request the person to play their lute to provide accompaniment for my song and dance.

And share with me this dance
I ask someone to dance with me and join in the celebration.

As she danced my eyes began to shine
As I watched the girl dance, my eyes lit up with awe and admiration.

There she was the maiden so divine
I see her as a beautiful, pure and perfect lady.

How could I approach her with my outlook so poor
I doubt that I could impress or gain the love of such a lovely girl when I myself am mere and impoverished.

Her beauty being much more than I could endure
It is hard to take or suffer the beauty and grace of the girl who means a lot to me.

So I asked if I could sing a chanson
I request her and her male friends around to let me sing a chanson or a song.

With a language of ancient and of lore
I offer to sing a song that has ancient language and historical significance.

Gathered the men around us me and the girl in rags
Her male companions gather around both of us; a group of people with her in her tattered clothes.

Soon were the melodies heard by all, in the name of the lost
All people present there listen to me singing these ancient tunes that might have otherwise perished.

Sing with us this tale
I encourage everyone to join me in singing this story.

With a clap of hands
Everyone happily and excitedly claps with their hands in joy.

The stories long-forgotten we still know
I affirm that we still are aware of long-forgotten stories that we'll continue to tell.

Performing our skills wherever we go
We have the skill of performing that we will showcase wherever we travel.

I end my story as I receive a kiss
I conclude my story in addenda with a moment of passion, of receiving a kiss.

From my girl the dearest Beatrice
The girl who gave me the kiss is called Beatrice, and she is someone who's very dear to me.

Sing with us the tales
I invite everyone to sing and enjoy the tales of my journey and my experiences.

Which the music will keep alive
I believe that my music will keep these tales alive and will remember them for generations to come.