The Wife of Bath's Tale
R.I.C.
In a town not far from here,
Lived a dame, Alisoun so dear,
Five husbands she had, oh my,
Each one brought her joy, oh why?
Oh, Alisoun, with wit so grand,
Five husbands by your command,
Tales you tell of love and life,
With laughter and a bit of strife!
Once upon a time, they say,
Alisoun met a knight one day,
For his crime, he must repent,
By learning what women want, so spent.
Oh, Alisoun, with wit so grand,
Five husbands by your command,
Tales you tell of love and life,
With laughter and a bit of strife!
Through woods and fields, they went around,
Seeking truth that must be found,
Women desire sovereignty,
Over their husbands, oh so free.
Oh, Alisoun, with wit so grand,
Five husbands by your command,
Tales you tell of love and life,
With laughter and a bit of strife!
The knight found a hag, so wise,
Offered her the knight’s prize,
She asked for marriage, bold and true,
The knight, dismayed, what could he do?
Oh, Alisoun, with wit so grand,
Five husbands by your command,
Tales you tell of love and life,
With laughter and a bit of strife!
They wed, though the knight was scared,
But soon the hag’s wisdom bared,
To his surprise, she turned fair,
Beauty found in love and care.
Oh, Alisoun, with wit so grand,
Five husbands by your command,
Tales you tell of love and life,
With laughter and a bit of strife!
So here’s to Alisoun, so wise,
With laughter in her bright eyes,
Five husbands taught her well, you see,
In love and life and revelry!
Oh, Alisoun, with wit so grand,
Five husbands by your command,
Tales you tell of love and life,
With laughter and a bit of strife!
Raise a toast to Alisoun,
With her tales, we all have fun,
In Chaucer’s words, we find delight,
The Wife of Bath, a shining light!
Oh, Alisoun, with wit so grand,
Five husbands by your command,
Tales you tell of love and life,
With laughter and a bit of strife!
R.I.C.'s The Wife of Bath's Tale
"The Wife of Bath's Tale" by R.I.C. is a delightful and spirited retelling of one of Geoffrey Chaucer's most famous Canterbury Tales. This lyrical adaptation captures the essence of the original story while infusing it with a playful, musical quality that brings new life to the medieval narrative.
The song revolves around Alisoun, the Wife of Bath, presenting her as a vivacious and wise woman who has gleaned significant insights from her experiences with five husbands. The recurring refrain, "Oh, Alisoun, with wit so grand, / Five husbands by your command," emphasizes her cunning and control, painting her as a woman ahead of her time in terms of autonomy and self-determination.
R.I.C.'s lyrics cleverly weave together the main plot points of Chaucer's tale, focusing on the knight's quest to discover what women truly desire. The answer - sovereignty over their husbands - is presented as a universal truth, reflecting the song's underlying theme of female empowerment and the subversion of traditional gender roles.
The transformation of the hag into a beautiful young woman serves as a metaphor for the power of mutual respect and understanding in a relationship. It suggests that true beauty emerges when partners grant each other the freedom to be themselves, a surprisingly modern sentiment wrapped in a medieval package.
Throughout the song, there's a palpable sense of joy and celebration. The repeated line "With laughter and a bit of strife" acknowledges the complexities of relationships while maintaining an overall tone of merriment. This balance between wisdom and mirth mirrors Chaucer's original characterization of the Wife of Bath as both insightful and entertaining.
The final verses invite the audience to raise a toast to Alisoun, positioning her as a timeless symbol of female wit and resilience. By framing the tale as a celebration, R.I.C. encourages listeners to find "delight" in Chaucer's words and to view the Wife of Bath as a "shining light" - an enduring icon of literature and feminism.
In adapting this classic tale into song form, R.I.C. has made the medieval accessible and engaging for a modern audience. The catchy refrain and storytelling verses work together to create a memorable tribute to one of literature's most complex and fascinating characters. "The Wife of Bath's Tale" emerges not just as a retelling, but as a joyous celebration of a woman who dared to live life on her own terms, offering timeless lessons about love, life, and the eternal dance between the sexes.