The Lady of Shalott Songtext
von Loreena McKennitt

On either side the river lie
Long fields of barley and of rye
That clothe the world and meet the sky
Through the field the road run by
To many towered Camelot

And up and down the people go
Gazing where the lilies blow
Round an island there below
The island of Shalott

Only reapers, reaping early
In amongst the bearded barley
Hear a song that echoes cheerly
From the river winding clearly
Flowing down to Camelot

And by the moon the reapers weary
Piling sheaves in uplands airy
Listening, whispers ′tis the fairy
The lady of Shalott


There she weaves both night and day
A magic web with colours gay
She has heard a whisper say
A curse is on her if she stay
To look down to Camelot

She knows not what the curse may be
And so she weaves steadily
And little other care hath she
The lady of Shalott

A bow shot from her bower eaves
He rode between the barley sheaves
The sun came dazzling through the leaves
And flamed upon the brazen greaves
Of bold Sir. Lancelot

A red cross knight for ever kneeled
To a lady in his shield
That sparkled on the yellow field
Beside remote Shalott

She left the web, she left the loom
She made three paces through the room
She saw the waterlily bloom
She saw the helmet and the plume
She looked to Camelot


But flew the web and floated wide
The mirror cracked from side to side
"The curse is come upon me," cried
The lady of Shalott

In the stormy east-wind straining
The pale yellow woods were waning
The broad stream in his banks complaining
Heavily the low sky raining
Over towered Camelot

Down she came and found a boat
Beneath a willow left afloat
And round about the prow she wrote
The Lady of Shalott

"Who is this and what is here?"
In the lighted palace near
Died the sound of royal cheer
And they crossed themselves for fear
The knights at Camelot

But Lancelot mused a little space
He said, "She has a lovely face
God in his mercy lend her grace
The Lady of Shalott"