Today we are so grateful to host a guest blog, with re-print of lyrics from “Senlac Ridge,” by English folk singer Ian David Churchward and the Legendary Ten Seconds. The lyrics, reading like a poem, depict King Harold’s race to London following his victory against the Vikings at the Battle of Stamford Bridge. His army depleted, he now faces a terrible decision: allowing time to revive his army to fight the invading Normans would concede the continued pillage and raping of English villages on the coast. Or should they dispatch without delay to the Battle of Hastings, despite a weary army and reinforcements not yet arrived?
Senlac Ridge
At Stamford Bridge King Harold
Took the Vikings by surprise
But shortly after victory
From the south bad news arrived
William had landed
To claim the English throne
He had the Pope’s blessing,
Men at arms and knights so bold
Harold raced back to London
His housecarls close behind
Receiving news of rape and pillage
In the English countryside
Harold was determined
Not to waste precious time
Though his army was depleted
He had courage, he had pride
From the woods the Saxons gathered
Out on Senlac Ridge
Though they were weary
They would not give an inch
Up the slope the Normans charged
The shield wall held firm
The Normans they fell back
William had them charge once more
The battle raged on all day
An arrow took out Harold’s eye
The shield wall was broken
Beneath the autumn skies
Yes, the battle raged on all day
An arrow took out Harold’s eye
The shield wall was broken
Beneath the autumn skies
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About Ian Churchward…
The Legendary Ten Seconds was originally a solo music project of Ian Churchward who has played guitar in various bands after starting to play the guitar in 1979. Ian’s first band was called Chapter 29 and after this band split up in 1986 he started a new indie pop band called The Morrisons later that year. This band released a flexi disc, which was played on the John Peel show on BBC radio one in 1987. From the late 1990’s until about 2007 Ian also played in a ceilidh band called Storm Force Ten which then became a new band called Phoenix.
You can learn more about Ian Churchward and the Legendary Ten Seconds and their music at Facebook, CD Baby, a blog dedicated to The Richard 3rd Projects and Twitter.
For a promotional video of Songs About Richard III, click here.
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Click here to see my review of the Legendary Ten Seconds’ album Richard III.
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Lyrics re-print courtesy Ian David Churchward.
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This post was updated to include a correction re: the promotional video.
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