Saint Joan of Arc was born at Domremy in Champagne, France, in 1412, and died at Rouen, 1431, at the age of 19. She heard voices of the Saints of God, that told her to go to the King of France and help him reconquer his kingdom. She was condemned to death as a heretic, sorceress, and adulteress, and...
[Verse 1]
Now the flames they followed Joan of Arc
As she came riding through the dark
No moon to keep her armor bright
No man to get her through this very smoky night
[Verse 2]
She said, "I'm tired of the war
I want the kind of work I had before
A wedding dress or something white
To wear upon my swollen appetite"
[Chorus]
La da da, la da da, la la la la la la
La la la la la da
La la la da da da
La la da da da da
[Verse 3]
Well, I'm glad to hear you talk this way
You know I've watched you riding every day
And something in me yearns to win
Such a cold and lonesome heroine
[Verse 4]
"And who are you?" she sternly spoke
To the one beneath the smoke
"Why, I'm fire", he replied
"And I love your solitude, I love your pride"
[Chorus]
La la la, la da da, la la da da da da
La la la la la da
La la la la la da
La la da da da da
[Verse 5]
"Then fire, make your body cold
I'm gonna give you mine to hold"
Saying this she climbed inside
To be his one, to be his only bride
[Verse 6]
And deep into his fiery heart
He took the dust of Joan of Arc
And high above the wedding guests
He hung the ashes of her wedding dress
[Chorus]
La da da, la da da, la la da da la da
La da da da la da
La da da la la la
La la da da da da
[Verse 7]
It was deep into his fiery heart
He took the dust of Joan of Arc
And then she clearly understood
If he was fire, oh then she must be wood
[Verse 8]
I saw her wince, I saw her cry
I saw the glory in her eye
Myself, I long for love and light
But must it come so cruel, and oh so bright?
[Chorus]
La da dla, la da da, la la la la la da
La la la la la da
La da da la la la
La da da da da da
Joan of Arc was written by Leonard Cohen.
Joan of Arc was produced by Bob Johnston.
Leonard Cohen released Joan of Arc on Fri Mar 19 1971.
Leonard said in 1974 that this song was about “a German singer he used to know” – meaning Nico, which he described as “ … a woman that has haunted me for a long time” and as “a brave woman”.