Conquistador Lyrics
And like some angel's haloed brow
You reek of purity
Has long since lost its sheen
And in your death masked face
There are no signs which can be seen
I could see no maze to unwind
And in your rusty scabbard now, the sand has taken seed
And though your jewel-encrusted blade
Has not been plundered still
The sea has washed across your face
And taken of its fill
I could see no maze to unwind
And though I hoped for something to find
I could see no maze to unwind
And though I came to jeer at you
I leave now with regret
And as the gloom begins to fall
I see there is no, only all
And though you came with sword held high
You did not conquer, only die
I could see no maze to unwind
And though I hoped for something to find
I could see no maze to unwind
I could see no maze to unwind
This track was recorded live with the Edmonton Orchestra, and the atmosphere is electric. Yes, the Conquistadors were the Spanish conquerors of the New World in the 1500's... but the image is a powerful metaphor for the anti-war movement (the Vietnam War in this case). Those who promote war see the Conquistador's gleaming armour, sword and shield as the answer to all of society's problems. But those who live long enough to see the real horrors of war, see the rust and tarnish on the dream. They KNOW that war, once again, is NOT the solution to ANY problem. Alas, it seems each generation has to learn this lesson all over again, and history continues to repeat itself...
i wish to add my thoughts on two lines - And like some angel's haloed brow You reek of purity - i've always been in love with that expression. it is scathingly ironic and full of vitriol while indicating a person who engages in evil yet believes themselves to be righteous. i know this person well. it describes my father perfectly. to boil that all down to the poetry of those four words and charge them with intensity is an accomplishment to be recognized.
@ghostbat Hear, hear! I love that line too. It makes me think of religious fanaticism — the ultimate expression of self-righteousness. The conquistadors and many of their contemporaries used religion as an excuse for massive violence (and in the case of the conquistadors, genocide). (Amusing fact: actually their chief mission was to find a sea route to Asia (which many thought they had succeeded in doing) and bring back gold and other precious metals, gemstones, etc. When they didn't find any valuables they recognised as such, some of them, including the most famous, Hernando...
@ghostbat Hear, hear! I love that line too. It makes me think of religious fanaticism — the ultimate expression of self-righteousness. The conquistadors and many of their contemporaries used religion as an excuse for massive violence (and in the case of the conquistadors, genocide). (Amusing fact: actually their chief mission was to find a sea route to Asia (which many thought they had succeeded in doing) and bring back gold and other precious metals, gemstones, etc. When they didn't find any valuables they recognised as such, some of them, including the most famous, Hernando Cortez, sent letters back to the monarchs who had hired them (in Cortez's case, Ferdinand and Isabella of Spain) claiming that there was gold everywhere and so forth.)
Time conquers us all.
Song about the Spanish explorers that were called conquistadors back in the 1500's.
ONE OF THE GREATEST ANTI-WAR SONGS EVER!!
Though the name refers to the 1500's Spanish explorers who set foot on the Americas, my impression is of the Medieval Knights Templar.
Why? The lyrics refer to to a fallen warrior. "and like some angel's haloed brow you reek of purity", that sounds more like a warrior monk fighting the Islamic infidels and protecting the Holy Land pilgrims. These guys prayed and also fought bloody battles. Whereas the Spaniards raped, robbed and pillaged. Also sword and shields were more of a crusader choice of weapons: a vulture sits upon your silver shield and in your rusty scabbard now the sand has taken seed and though your jewel-encrusted blade has not been plundered still (no jewels at all on blades though - no vanity allowed). The Spaniards used guns and canons more that pikes and swords (rapiers).
Note also: Conquistador there is no time I must pay my respect and though I came to jeer at you I leave now with regret and as the gloom begins to fall I see there is no aureole and though you came with sword held high you did not conquer, only die
The Templars were jeered by the contemporary royal subjects of France when they were discredited (thanks to the two stooges King Philip the IV and Pope Clement V). Today the Templars are regarded as heros who were immensely done injustice against them considering their faithfulness and courage. These medieval warriors did not get to conquer, the Levant (Palestine), only occupied for a few centuries, in fact they lost the land to the Saracen infidels and a large number died in that dusty land. They fought knowing they might to die (or expected to die) but gain an entrance to Heaven (according to the belief they held). The Spanish explorers, unfortunatey to the North and South American indigenous inhabitants, did conquer the continents.
Historically, the conquistadors were swindled out of their gains by the Lawyers and Bureaucrats the King of Spain really trusted. A good number of conquistadors were scoundrels : mercenaries and criminals, who the King could never trust.
Maybe the title should have been Chevalier, not conquistador.
That is a fabulous interpretation.Templors were also thought to have left secret clues to treasues or religious artifacts , 'Maze to Unwind'. Another person mentioned also that Conquistadors were into finding mystical 'cities of gold' and so on. I think the 'Maze to unwind' was trying to find a reason why the good knight had to die and feeling that it was all for not.
That is a fabulous interpretation.Templors were also thought to have left secret clues to treasues or religious artifacts , 'Maze to Unwind'. Another person mentioned also that Conquistadors were into finding mystical 'cities of gold' and so on. I think the 'Maze to unwind' was trying to find a reason why the good knight had to die and feeling that it was all for not.
@racontour Bullshit.
@racontour Bullshit.
That all may be true, but it has not a goddamned thing to do with THIS song. This is about the desire of white men to be “gods”, to rule/murder - aka EXTERMINATE - All the “Brutes”.
That all may be true, but it has not a goddamned thing to do with THIS song. This is about the desire of white men to be “gods”, to rule/murder - aka EXTERMINATE - All the “Brutes”.
This is about the Heart Of Darkness, and the darkness in the human heart. And the utter futility of this outlook on the world.
This is about the Heart Of Darkness, and the darkness in the human heart. And the utter futility of this outlook on the world.
The narrator is addressing a woman who was once beautiful but who has long since aged, and her beauty has faded. When she was young and pretty, she rejected all suitors and remained chaste and aloof. Now that she has aged, any chance at love has passed her by.
Woman: "breast... sheath... scabbard... aureolae" Once beautiful: "silver... jewel... sheen" Age/Loss of beauty: "lost its sheen.... vultures... death mask... rust... sand" Chastity/Aloofness: "armor-plated breast (protecting her heart from injury and her body from view)... not plundered... did not conquer"
For some reason, he has come to mock her. Perhaps he is one of the suitors ("your stallion") she rejected all those years ago ("I hoped for something to find.. but could see no maze to unwind"), and he has come back to gloat. But instead, he is moved to pity by the sight of her wretchedness and loneliness.
I think it is a song about the Spanish conquistadors slaughtering of the Aztecs, Incas, etc. If you read about Pizarro, he wound up being murdered by his own men so although he hoped for utopia in his conquering he died in the end. Maybe he did feel guilt!? Also they thought their killing was justified by their religion and the Kings authority so they reeked in purity.
This song is a haunting reminder that nobody wins in war. The conquistadors felt righteous in their cause. Slaughtering natives in the name of their king and god. All for gold. The conquistadors came in their shiny armour and gilded swords and didnt conquer, only died.
I always loved the sardonic line "And like some angel's haloed brow You reek of purity" which fits the historical narrative well.
When the Spaniards arrived in the New World they were seen by the Native people as aliens with white skin and facial hair. They had bad hygiene and stank horribly.
As such, the Native people followed them around with incense burners to mask the horrible smell. The Spaniards mistakenly interpreted this as a sign of reverence and a mark of holy honor.