Ceolskog - Lady In Black (Uriah Heep Cover) / Riding on a Load of Hay

This recording is both a cover and a medley - the Uriah Heep classic, Lady In Black, as well as a traditional Irish folk tune, "Riding on a Load of Hay". "Lady in Black" is a song by the rock band Uriah Heep. It is the fourth track of their 1971 album Salisbury (later re-recorded and released by Ken Hensley on "The Wizards Diary"). The song is credited to Ken Hensley. It tells the story of a man wandering through war-torn darkness and encountering a goddess-like entity who consoles him. It is often praised, by fans and critics alike, as Hensley's most poetic work to date. I originally recorded this song in mid-2015, and uploaded it to YouTube a few months later. I was going to add it to my second release, "Made In My Bedroom II", but I wasn't happy with my mix or my mastering, so I decided to redo it, and hopefully I will release it on my fifth album. That's my sister providing the vocal harmony.

Lyrics:

She came to me one morning
One lonely Sunday morning
Her long hair flowing in the mid-winter wind
I know not how she found me
For in darkness I was walking
And destruction lay around me
From a fight I could not win

Ah, ah, ah

She asked me name my foe then
I said the need within some men
To fight and kill their brothers without thought of men or God
And I begged her give me horses
To trample down my enemies
So eager was my passion to devour this waste of life

Ah, ah, ah

But she would not think of battle that
Reduces men to animals
So easy to begin and yet impossible to end
For she the mother of all men
Had counseled me so wisely that
I feared to walk alone again
And asked if she would stay

Ah, ah, ah

Oh, lady, lend your hand, I cried
Oh, let me rest here at your side
Have faith and trust in me, she said and filled my heart with life
There is no strength in numbers
I've no such misconceptions
But when you need me be assured I won't be far away

Ah, ah, ah

Thus having spoke she turned away
And though I found no words to say
I stood and watched until I saw her black cloak disappear
My labor is no easier
But now I know I'm not alone
I find new heart each time I think upon that windy day
And if one day she comes to you
Drink deeply from her words so wise
Take courage from her as your prize and say hello for me

Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah

Originally from the Uriah Heep album Salisbury
Words & Music by Ken Hensley
Lady In Black - Copyright © 1971 Mercury Records

I'm a singer, songwriter and guitarist from Hamilton, New Zealand. My videos are a mix of music, and hiking the outdoors. Ceolskog is my folk metal / heavy metal / country rock (and some other genres) band. It is also the name given to this hiking and nature-themed YouTube channel. Ceol means music in Irish, and skog means forest Norwegian and Swedish. I don't have a Patreon, but if you're a regular viewer, and you want to support me some way, you can find my music on Spotify, Bandcamp, iTunes, Soundcloud, Amazon, and YouTube too (of course).

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