"Guinevere" is a song featured in the 1967 film Camelot with music written by Frederick Loewe and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner. In the song, Mordred (David Hemmings) rouses several knights and they catch the lovers together, as he planned. Lancelot du Lac (Franco Nero) escapes but Guinevere (Vanessa Redgrave) is arrested and sentenced to die at the stake. King Arthur (Richard Harris), who has promoted the rule of law throughout the story, is now bound by his own law—he can make no special exceptions for his own wife. Preparations are made for Guinevere's burning, but Lancelot rescues her at the last minute, much to Arthur's relief.
Lyrics[]
Oh, they found Guinevere
With her bold cavalier
And as swords rang through the hall
Lance escaped them, one and all
On a day dark and drear
Came to trial Guinevere
Ruled the jury for her shame
She be sentenced to the flame
Early dawn was the time
She would pay for her crime
Or would Lancelot reappear
Come and rescue Guinevere?
I'll wager the king himself is hoping he will return
Why would he have chosen five a.m. for the queen to burn?
When the world is black and gray, what time would be more ideal
For Lancelot to come and steal Guinevere?
As the dawn filled the sky
On the day she would die
There was wonder far and near
Would the king burn Guinevere?
Then suddenly earth and sky were dazed by a pounding roar
And suddenly through the dawn an army began to pour
And lo, ahead the army, holding aloft his spear
Came Lancelot to save his dear Guinevere
By the score fell the dead
As the sky turned to red
Countless numbers felt his spear
As he rescued Guinevere
In that dawn, in that gloom
More than love met its doom
In the dying candle's gleam
Came the sundown of a dream
Guinevere, Guinevere
In that dim, mournful year
Saw the men she held most dear
Go to war for Guinevere
Guinevere, Guinevere
Guinevere, Guinevere
Saw the men she held most dear
Go to war for Guinevere
Guinevere, Guinevere, Guinevere
