Paul Mauriat (Marseille, 4 March 1925 – 3 November 2006 in Perpignan) was a… Read Full Bio ↴Paul Mauriat (Marseille, 4 March 1925 – 3 November 2006 in Perpignan) was a French orchestra leader, specializing in light music. Mauriat grew up in Marseilles and began leading his own band during the Second World War. In the 1950s he became musical director to at least two well-known French singers, Charles Aznavour and Maurice Chevalier, touring with them respectively. Mauriat composed the music for several French soundtracks (also released on Bel-Air) including Un Taxi Pour Tobrouk (1961), Horace 62 (1962) and Faites Sauter La Banque (1964). Many of Mauriat's recordings are recompositions of other composers' songs and music. Mauriat relied heavily on strings and synthesiser to create interesting music. The arrangements are usually very bright and busy with sensible use of the percussive section to deliver a grand style of performance. In his 70s and 80s live concerts, Mauriat often used singers to provide backing for numbers such as Penelope, Love is Blue and the World Melody section he arranged for his 1980 and 1982 concerts.

The Bird Of Wounds
Paul Mauriat Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

From the time of the seven kings**
Til the tyrants iron rule
Fate written with the stroke of steel
Broken spear in bloody pool
Roman will must be fulfilled
Drumbeat on a march to war
The slave collar for those not killed
Their hollow screams ring evermore

Beneath the eyes of mars
Red orb glaring down
Beneath the eyes of mars
Tribute: bloody ground
Eagles lead us to glory
Ever the victor writes the story
Gradiavus, blood drunk god
Lead your sons in endless war
Ultor, hands nailed to the senate door
Beneath the eye of mars
Brave deeds must be seen
Lest the victory stand incomplete
The blasphemy of swords kept clean
Beneath the eyes of mars
Red orb glaring down
Beneath the eyes of mars
Tribute: bloody ground
Eagles lead us to glory
Ever the victor writes the story
Fate written with the stroke of steel
As we march in endless war

Blood and thunder
In legend live forevermore

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Paul Mauriat's song, The Bird of Wounds, tell the story of Roman conquest, and the brutality of war. From the time of the seven kings, the Romans embrace the will of Mars, the god of war, as they march to battle, leaving a trail of broken spears and bloody pools. The eagles soar above, leading them to their ultimate victory, and ensuring that their story is forever engraved in history. The lyrics also reference the slave collar worn by those who were not killed, as well as the hands of Ultor, which were nailed to the senate door.

Throughout the song, there is a sense of solemnity, as the singer intones that the blasphemous glory of swords kept clean must not stand incomplete. The song examines the idea that brave deeds must be seen, and that only the victor may write the story. As such, those who fall in battle may never have their deeds recognized, and their sacrifices may be forgotten with time. The final line of the song, "Blood and thunder, in legend live forevermore," encapsulates the idea that the violent legacy of war will continue long after those who fought it have passed.

Line by Line Meaning

From the time of the seven kings**
Starting from ancient history

Til the tyrants iron rule
Until oppressive rulers took over

Fate written with the stroke of steel
The path of destruction was determined by violence

Broken spear in bloody pool
Symbolizing a lost battle and countless deaths

Roman will must be fulfilled
The will of the powerful and dominant Roman empire must be obeyed

Drumbeat on a march to war
The constant sound of war drums heralding the approach of yet another violent conflict

The slave collar for those not killed
Enslavement for the unfortunate ones who survived the wars

Their hollow screams ring evermore
The echoes of the lost ones last forever, the memory of their cries haunting the living

Beneath the eyes of mars
Under the watchful gaze of the god of war

Red orb glaring down
The threatening red planet Mars shining in the sky

Tribute: bloody ground
Land soaked in blood and death, the price of victory and domination

Eagles lead us to glory
The symbol of the Roman legion, leading them to glory and conquest

Ever the victor writes the story
History is written by those who win, the accounts only telling one side of the story

Gradiavus, blood drunk god
Name of a god associated with war, violence and bloodshed

Lead your sons in endless war
The god of war leading the sons of Rome into an unending cycle of conflict

Ultor, hands nailed to the senate door
Name of a vengeful god, with even the ruling body of Rome not being safe from his wrath

Brave deeds must be seen
Courageous acts need to be witnessed by others, to cement their place in history

Lest the victory stand incomplete
The triumph must be complete, or else it will be considered a failure

The blasphemy of swords kept clean
Weapons meant for violence and destruction being treated with reverence and kept spotless

Blood and thunder
The sounds and sights of war, with the noise of swords clashing and the sky filled with lightning

In legend live forevermore
Tales of war and victory lasting throughout history, immortalizing the deeds of those who fought

Contributed by Charlotte D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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Comments from YouTube:

Doan Dinh

5y↑9

Đây là một trong những bản nhạc tôi được biết đến vào những năm 98 khi tôi là sinh viên và cũng là thời kỳ đĩa CD bùng nổ mà tôi mới biết tường tận tên của bản nhạc và tác giả hòa tấu bài này. Tôi đã nghe đi nghe lại mãi mà không biết chán. Và đến giờ vẫn vậy.
Cảm ơn những con người đã tạo ra bản nhạc tuyệt vời này !