Rose Of England

Rose Of England
from The Road To Freedom
Written & Sung by Chris de Burgh
Published by Hornall Brothers Music Ltd
Year Released: 2004


Hear my voice and listen well, and a story I will tell,
How duty brought a broken heart, and why a love so strong
Must fall apart;

She was lovely, she was fine, daughter of a royal line,
He, no equal, but for them it mattered little for they were in love;

Rose of England, sweet and fair, shining with the sun,
Rose of England, have a care, for where the thorn is,
There the blood will run;

Oh my heart, oh my heart;

Through the summer days and nights, stolen kisses and delights
Would thrill their hearts and fill their dreams with all emotions
That true love can bring;

But black of mourning came one day, when her sister passed away,
And many said on bended knee, she has gone, and you must be our Queen;

Rose of England, sweet and fair, shining with the sun,
Rose of England, have a care, for where the thorn is,
There the blood will run;

Oh my heart, oh my heart;

To the abbey she did ride, with her lover by her side,
When they heard the church bells ring, she was Queen
And one day, he'd be King;

But men of malice, men of hate, protesting to her chambers came,
"A foreign prince will have your hand, for he'll bring peace
And riches to our land;"
She said, "Do you tell me that I cannot wed the one I love?
Do you tell me that I am not mistress of my heart?"

And so with heavy weight of life she kissed her lover one last time,
"This land I wed, and no man comes, for if I cannot have you, I’ll have none;"

Rose of England, sweet and fair, shining with the sun,
Rose of England have a care, for where the thorn is,
There the blood will run;

Oh my heart, oh my heart.

========================================
2004年Chris de Burgh出了『The Road To Freedom』這張專輯，在ICRT第一次聽到同名主打歌『The Road To Freedom』，便喜歡上這位歌手，之後聽了整張專輯後，更喜歡上了這一張史詩般的專輯；吸引我的是這張專輯中的清新、故事以及去除了一般俗濫的情情愛愛，我喜歡專輯中輕輕淡淡的鋼琴配樂、弦樂器（吉他吧，我猜），聽著聽著就好像回到古老、悠遠、但有著淡淡哀傷的年代。

這一首『Rose Of England』是我最喜歡的曲目之一（『The Road To Freedom』是另一首）。對於這首歌，我始終只是聽，不去找歌名，也不去找歌詞，完全靠聆聽去感覺。每每聽到『...she wae Queen, and one day, he'd be king』總是揣想歌詞背後是一對歡歡喜喜的公主與王子，經歷了許許多多的波折，終於如願相守。但，歌曲後面的曲調悲傷、激昂總讓我不解，到底在這對情侶身上發生了什麼事？今天找來了歌詞和一些相關資料，原來是關於處女英皇伊麗莎白一世悲壯的愛情故事。是怎樣的決心，讓伊麗莎白一世犧牲個人的愛情，以國家為優先，卻又不願背叛愛人，而孤單一生？！伊麗莎白一世又是個怎樣的女子和領導者，有怎樣的事蹟，會讓Chris de Burgh為她寫下這首歌，並表示這是他最喜歡創作之一？

參考：
詩人歌手不滅的純情夢
Chrisdeburgh.net（非官網，但資料頗豐）
Chris de Burgh官網