Joan: Not in Fire, but Arcade Fire

Recently, I randomly came across a song by Arcade Fire called Joan of Arc. Interestingly enough, the song does frequently make clear references to Joan’s narrative, even somewhat painting a timeline of major events within the lyrics. For instance, the song refers to Joan’s voices in the beginning, stating:

             You had a vision they couldn't see so

They put you down

               But everything that you said would happen

                It came around

This specifically invokes the fact that Joan predicted (via God) the victory at Orleans. It immediately calls up the idea of Joan telling her interrogators at Poitiers, “take me to Orleans, I will show you the signs for which I have been sent” (Pernoud 56). One can also hear some of the assertiveness that Joan utilized to address her interrogators echoed in the lyrics, if somewhat different in effect. The song goes on to both incorporate mentions of Joan’s burning and the cutting of her hair. The song even plays on the idea that Joan was abandoned by the French, stating:

                But where were they when they called your name

 And they lit the fire?

Additionally, on the same note, (actually reminiscent of the way in which The Messenger portrays Joan’s lack of support from King Charles after her capture) the song repeats:

                First they love you

                Then they kill you

Of course, the purpose of such lyrics is not simply to relay Joan history and the words hold their own meaning within the song. However, it is interesting that the song, in a fairly direct fashion, centers its initial theme upon Joan, using her story to tell its own.

Here are just the lyrics:

http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/arcadefire/joanofarc.html

 

Here is the band performing the song live: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fpDYEreUkP8&noredirect=1