> Steeleye Span > Songs > You Will Burn

You Will Burn

[Peter Knight]

Steeleye Span recorded Peter Knight’s song You Will Burn in 1996 for their album Time. The record’s sleeve notes said:

There was a genuine belief during the Inquisition that the Devil was using women to work his evil deeds. To some, these women were known as witches, to others as wise women or midwives. Throughout the ages it has been quite a common practice to blame women for the evil in the world. To be burned at the stake was considered the kindest thing to do to the unfortunate souls who had fallen prey to Satanic possession as it purified and freed them from certain eternal damnation. With ‘God’s Blessing’ they tortured and murdered thousands of innocent women (and men).

Lyrics

One night as you sleep in your goose feather bed
We will be kneeling at your bedside
We’ll pray for your soul like the good Lord said
Let all be forgiven let none be denied

Then one night as you sleep in your goose feather bed
We will be standing at your bedside
Your bones will be broken and your blood will be shed
Your eyes will be taken and your hands will be tied

Then we’ll take you to the forest
Where none will hear your cry
And we’ll cut down the Sycamore and Broom
And it’s there we will forgive you
And it’s there we’ll watch you die
Like a dancing silhouette against the moon

And you will burn, you will burn
We will purify your soul in the fire, in the fire
And your spirit will live forever
It will rise, it will rise
From the ashes and the embers in your eyes, in your eyes
And your spirit will live forever

Praise the Lord
Another soul is saved
Praise the Lord
Praise the Lord

One night as you sleep in your goose feather bed
We will be kneeling at your bedside
We’ll pray for your soul like the good Lord said
Let all be forgiven let none be denied

Then one night as you sleep in your goose feather bed
We will be standing at your bedside
Your home will be burning and your child will be dead
Your eyes will be taken and your hands will be tied

Then we’ll take you to the forest
Where none will hear your cry
And we’ll cut down the Sycamore and Broom
And it’s there we will forgive you
And it’s there we’ll watch you die
Like a dancing silhouette against the moon

And you will burn, you will burn
We will purify your soul in the fire, in the fire
And your spirit will live forever
It will rise, it will rise
From the ashes and the embers in your eyes, in your eyes
And your spirit will live forever

𝄆 Praise the Lord
Another soul is saved
Praise the Lord
Praise the Lord𝄇