To France

Mike Oldfield

Taking on water,
Sailing a restless sea
From a memory,
A fantasy.
The wind carries
Into white water,
Far from the islands.
Don't you know you're
Never going to get to France.
Mary, Queen of Chance, will they find you?
Never going to get to France.
Could a new romance ever bind you?
Walking on foreign ground,
Like a shadow,
Roaming in far off
Territory.
Over your shoulder,
Stories unfold, you're
Searching for sanctuary.
You know you're
Walking on foreign ground,
Like a shadow,
Roaming in far off
Territory.
Over your shoulder,
Stories unfold, you're
Searching for sanctuary.
You know you're
I see a picture
By the lamp's flicker.
Isn't it strange how
Dreams fade and shimmer?
Walking on foreign ground,
Like a shadow,
Roaming in far off
Territory.
Over your shoulder,
Stories unfold, you're
Searching for sanctuary.
Y know you're
I see a picture
By the lamp's flicker.
Isn't it strange how
Dreams fade and shimmer?
Walking on foreign ground,
Like a shadow,
Roaming in far off
Territory.
Over your shoulder,
Stories unfold, you're
Searching for sanctuary.
You know you're

Never going to get to France.
Never going to....
Never going to get to France.
Never going to....
Never going to get to France.
Never going to....



Lyrics submitted by Ice

To France Lyrics as written by Michael Gordon Oldfield

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management

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To France song meanings
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7 Comments

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  • +2
    General Comment
    Mike Oldfield wrote this song about Mary Queen of Scots, although it is quite abstract.
    luciemabelleon October 29, 2008   Link
  • +1
    General Comment
    Yes I believe "To France" is about Mary Queen of Scots. She was catholic and spent her child hood in France and as we know had a major struggle with Elizabeth I who ended up beheading her. So she never got to France!!
    Gothic123on June 21, 2010   Link
  • +1
    General Comment
    Beautiful song. It is so fitting - the music is haunting, foreboding, expectatious and tragic. Perfect for the subject, as Mary Stuart's story and life are all of those things. She became Queen of a country of which she had little understanding. Scotland and France, where she grew up, were very different and contrasted worlds in the 16th century. Mary carried a deep religious conviction with her into a land which was becoming ever more hostile and wary of that religion. She was armed with little more than a young girl's naivety in a dangerous land. She was gullible and often led astray by those with more devious intent. Passionate, she was involved in a few romantic trysts, Lord Bothwell, et al. In the end, hunted by the Virgin Queen (ironically, someone who had less a birthright claim to the English crown than did Mary), numerous plans for her escape. Alas, she never did get to France. The tale of Mary Stuart is fantastic and captivating - Mike Oldfield pays it honourable tribute with this beautiful song and Maggie Reilly's incomparable voice.
    GasurArdRi1917on December 10, 2013   Link
  • +1
    General Comment
    I remembered this from my first year of university and i have looked for it since 1984 but never knew who sang or wrote it - found it tonight on Spotify - I'm soooo happy
    suzipam1on November 14, 2014   Link
  • 0
    General Comment
    Damn I love Maggie Reillys voice. It's so lovely.
    Armon May 01, 2004   Link
  • 0
    General Comment
    Great song! Check out the cover Blind Guardian did! (yeah the metal band) It's on the Forgotten Tales-record. The best cover ever done!
    .ChildOfTheNight.on December 28, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment
    Brexit?
    andy106298on August 23, 2021   Link

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