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Ruins Lyrics by Jack Hardy

Live Album

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[Intro]
This is a song about druids
Late eighteenth-century, nineteenth-century British literature
There was a big fad on druids
And 'cause of this fad they sort of over-romanticized them
Sort of glossed over some of the starker facts
One of which was that the druids were into human sacrifice
This would happen at their two major festivals of the year
One was on May Day which they called Bealtaine
And the second was on Halloween which they called Samhain
And on these festivals they would build these huge wicker structures
And fill them full of choice prisoners and the first-born of every family
And set them on fire
This was to ensure a good harvest for the following year
And this would take place in a giant stone circle
In the middle of a sacred oak grove
And the mistletoe was a part of the ceremony
Other than all of this esoteric bullshit
This whole song takes place in the Bronx
I think you'll see some of the similarities

[Verse 1]
I have looked at Rome burning through the eyes of the Bronx
Sail away in the evening, sail away 'til the dawn
The parks' slow decaying, the yearning of lovers
Who find not a metaphor for their songs
Sail away from the land of Samhain
All's deserted 'cept the rock-gray pigeon
I lose only your smile like that of the child
Finds the fruits of the market are not all for free
There are not flowers left to throw on the grave

[Refrain]
Sail away to the land of Bealtaine
Sail away in the evening, sail away 'til the dawn

[Verse 2]
I have looked at these buildings as the towers of Carthage
Sail away in the evening, sail away 'til the dawn
Divorced from the feelings that fill them like bones
Stuffed like the wicker beast for the throng
Sail away from the land of Samhain
We worship the parasites of sin
The mistletoe grows in the cracks of the oak
The sacred grove is now glass and now stone
Those cold slabs of stone they lay the dead on

[Refrain]
Sail away to the land of Bealtaine
Sail away in the evening, sail away 'til the dawn

[Verse 3]
I have looked at these barges float down towards the sea
Sail away in the evening, sail away 'til the dawn
The ghosts of the automobiles gleam
Past the stadium silence the Nile moves along
Sail away from the land of Samhain
A life for a life is the offering
I lose only my song that's spread 'neath the wrong
Like a mother mourning her first-born to go
The kiss that is stolen or the kiss that is sold

[Refrain]
Sail away to the land of Bealtaine
Sail away in the evening, sail away 'til the dawn

[Outro]
"Ruins"
Credits
Jack Hardy

Jack Hardy

About “Ruins” by Jack Hardy

Read the complete lyrics to "Ruins" by Jack Hardy from the album "Live Album". On Lyrks you can follow along with the full text, explore the artist's discography, and discover related songs. The track is often categorized under Folk, Pop.

"Ruins" is performed by Jack Hardy. from the album "Live Album" This page provides the full lyric text for fans who want to sing along, study the songwriting, or compare versions across releases. Lyrks organizes lyrics by artist and song slug so you can bookmark and share a stable URL. Music lyrics help listeners connect with emotion, narrative, and rhythm in a track. Whether you are learning English, researching a favorite chorus, or preparing for karaoke, having accurate line breaks and section labels (verse, chorus, bridge) makes the experience easier. We link to the official artist profile on Lyrks where available, including biography snippets, top songs, and chart placements when we have that data. If you enjoy "Ruins", explore more songs by Jack Hardy using the links below. Chart and trending pages on Lyrks highlight what listeners are searching for this week. For copyright or correction requests, see our DMCA and contact pages.

View all songs and biography for Jack Hardy · Trending lyrics · Billboard Hot 100

Frequently asked questions

"Ruins" is credited to Jack Hardy. Songwriting credits may include additional writers listed on the release; check the credits section on this page for linked collaborators.

"Ruins" appears on "Live Album".

Visit the Jack Hardy artist page at /artist/jack-hardy for biography, popular tracks, and links to more lyric pages.

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