Dreams of Chivalry

"Dreams of Chivalry" expresses the devastation experienced by a woman betrayed by love, but more importantly, by a belief in the fantasy world of chivalry. My video images include exquisite 19th-century paintings with knights and ladies from the legends and books of chivalry. Lyrics are shown below.

The project began as a school assignment: do a video about chivalry.  The lyrics materialized very fast, within two days. Then I started to hear the music, and it took much more time to compose it and learn how to play it as well.  The final performance required memorizing the lyrics, the piano part, and then singing with my playing. This took a month of daily practice. 

To create the video, I pictured in my mind images about knights and ladies, but when I looked at the 19th century paintings that are in the public domain, I was just "blown away." The paintings were exactly what I needed.  View my finished video at YouTube, and see my lyrics and the list of paintings with links below.

 

Dreams of Chivalry
Original song and lyrics by Vicky Oldham © October 28, 2021

I believed you when you said it was forever, promising your love to me,
And you said that we belonged together and together we would always be,
You were the man of my dreams and I believed in my heart, that you'd be true to me,
I'm a fool for chivalry—lost in dreams of chivalry.

You know I would have listened, if you ever had the courage to explain to me,
But you left me here alone to wonder why you're afraid of facing me,
I knew you had an eye for the ladies but I, was blind as I could be,  
I'm a fool for chivalry—lost in dreams of chivalry.

I thought you were my knight in shining armor when you said I could depend on you,
And I gave up everything I had, just so I could always be with you,
You swept me off my feet, and I wanted to be yours, but now what can I do,
I'm a fool for chivalry—lost in dreams of chivalry.

Oh, o-o-oh, o-o-o-oh. Oh, o-o-oh, o-o-o-oh.

You said you're living by a code of honor, a crusader with a heart of gold,
No power on this earth could ever defeat you, but the truth be told,
You're a candle burning down, fading in the dark, and now your heart is cold,
I'm a fool for chivalry—lost in dreams of chivalry.

I was Guinevere and you were Lancelot, living in a fairy tale,
Waking from a spell, I was lost in a story that was doomed to fail,
I should have realized, when my ship came in, that someday it would sail...
I'm a fool for chivalry—lost in dreams of chivalry.

Like a knight in shining armor, you rode into my life, and then you stole my heart,
You told me I'm the lady of your destiny, and that we'll never be apart,
I didn't want to see, it was just a fantasy — now I know from the start,
I'm a fool for chivalry, lost in dreams of chivalry; I'm a fool for chivalry—lost in dreams of chivalry.

Oh, o-o-oh, o-o-o-oh. Oh, o-o-oh, o-o-o-oh.

Image References (19th-century paintings in the public domain):

Allen, J.R. (n.d., 19th Century). Windsor Castle from the Thames [Painting]. Wikimedia Commons. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Allen,_JR_-_Windsor_Castle_19th_century.jpg
    
Anderson, S.G. (1870). Elaine [Painting]. Wikimedia Commons. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sophie_Anderson_-_Elaine_-_Google_Art_Project.jpg

Burton, F.W. (1864). The meeting on the turret [Painting]. Wikimedia Commons. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Hellelil_and_Hildebrand,_the_meeting_on_the_turret_stairs,_by_Frederic_William_Burton.jpg

Crane, W. (1862). The lady of Shalott [Painting]. Wikimedia Commons.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Walter_Crane_-_The_Lady_of_Shalott_-_Google_Art_Project.jpg

Dicksee, F. B. (1885). Chivalry [Painting]. [Painting]. Wikimedia Commons. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Dicksee-Chivalry-1885.jpg

Dicksee, F.B. (1901). La belle dame sans merci. [Painting]. Wikimedia Commons. https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8e/La_Belle_Dam_Sans_Merci.jpg

Dicksee, F. B. (1884). Romeo and Juliet [Painting]. [Painting]. Wikimedia Commons. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:DickseeRomeoandJuliet.jpg

Dicksee, F. B. (1900). The two crowns [Painting]. [Painting]. Wikimedia Commons. https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7e/Sir_Frank_Dicksee_-_The_Two_Crowns_-_Google_Art_Project.jpg

Dicksee, F.B. (1901). Yseult [Painting]. Wikimedia Commons. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Yseult_by_Sir_Francis_Bernard_Dicksee.jpg

Draper, J.H. (1890s). Lancelot and Guinevere [Painting]. Wikimedia Commons. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Draper_LancelotandGuinevere.jpg

Draper, H.J. (1901). Tristan and Isolde [Painting]. Wikimedia Commons. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:DrapersTristanIsolde.jpg

Fortescue-Brickdale, E. (1900). A knight and cupid before a castle door [Painting]. Wikimedia Commons. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Eleanor_Fortescue-Brickdale_-_A_Knight_and_Cupid_before_a_Castle_Door.jpg

Fortescue-Brickdale, E. (1900). The deceitfulness of riches [Painting]. Wikimedia Commons. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Riches_Brickdale.jpg

Leeke, F. (1916). Lohengrin [Painting]. Wikimedia Commons. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ferdinand_Leeke_-_Lohengrin_1916.jpg

Leighton, E. (1900). God speed [Painting]. Wikimedia Commons. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Leighton-God_Speed!.jpg

Leighton, E. (1902). The end of the song [Painting]. Wikimedia Commons. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Leighton-Tristan_and_Isolde-1902.jpg

Peeters, B.E. (1646). Fortified harbour [Painting]. Wikimedia Commons. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bonaventura_Peeters_-_Fortified_Harbour_-_WGA17127.jpg

Turner, J.M.W. (1829). Alnwick Castle [Painting]. Wikimedia Commons. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:J.M.W._Turner_-_Alnwick_Castle_-_Google_Art_Project.jpg

Turner, J.M.W. (1825). Barnard Castle [Painting]. Wikimedia Commons. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Joseph_Mallord_William_Turner_-_Barnard_Castle_-_Google_Art_Project.jpg

Turner, J.M.W. (1810). Lowther Castle [Painting]. Wikimedia Commons. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lowther_Castle_-_Evening_by_Turner_1810.jpg

Von Wichera, R. (1900). Guinevere and the court at Camelot [Painting]. Wikimedia Commons. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Raimund_von_Wichera_-_Guinevere_and_the_Court_at_Camelot.jpg

Waterhouse, J. W. (1915). "I am half sick of shadows" said the Lady of Shalott [Painting]. Wikimedia Commons. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:John_William_Waterhouse_-_I_am_half-sick_of_shadows,_said_the_lady_of_shalott.JPG

Waterhouse, J. W. (1893). La belle dame sans merci [Painting]. Wikimedia Commons. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:John_William_Waterhouse_-_La_Belle_Dame_sans_Merci_(1893).jpg

Waterhouse, J. W. (1916). Miranda - the tempest [Painting]. Wikimedia Commons. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Miranda_-_The_Tempest_JWW.jpg

Waterhouse, J.W. (1884). Ophelia [Painting]. [Painting]. Wikimedia Commons. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:JWW_Ophelia_1889.jpg

Waterhouse, J. W. (1888). The lady of Shalott [Painting]. Wikimedia Commons. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:John_William_Waterhouse_The_Lady_of_Shalott.jpg

Waterhouse, J.W. (1916). Tristan and Isolde with the potion [Painting]. Wikimedia Commons. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:John_william_waterhouse_tristan_and_isolde_with_the_potion.jpg

Waterhouse, J. W. (1903). Windflowers [Painting]. Wikimedia Commons. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Windswept_by_John_William_Waterhouse.jpg

Wikimedia Commons (unknown author). (n.d., 19th century). Flusslandschaft mit Wasserfall und Burgruine [Painting]. Wikimedia Commons. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:D_19_Jh_Flusslandschaft_mit_Wasserfall_und_Burgruine.jpg

Willroider, L. (1646). Mountain landscape with a castle [Painting]. Wikimedia Commons. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Willroider_Mountain_landscape_with_a_castle.jpg


Video footage credits:

nopow (n.d.). 3d storybook animation [Video]. Can Stock Photo Inc. https://www.canstockphoto.com/3d-storybook-animation-28809460.html

fmarsicano (n.d.). Sad desperate woman on the beach [Video]. Can Stock Photo Inc. https://www.canstockphoto.com/sad-desperate-woman-on-the-beach-18468869.html

fmarsicano (n.d.). Woman crying depressed [Video]. Can Stock Photo Inc. https://www.canstockphoto.com/woman-crying-depressed-18468527.html

VectorFusionArt (n.d.). Animation of dust flying over candle fading out [Video]. Can Stock Photo Inc. https://www.canstockphoto.com/animation-of-dust-flying-over-candle-96001450.html