Rhiannon

The lyrics present Rhiannon as a woman who is alluring but difficult to hold or understand. The speaker admires her freedom and wonders what it would be like to love her, yet also asks whether anyone could stay with her or “win” her. The mood shifts between fascination, uncertainty, and longing. In the later lines, the speaker seems to want to be carried away too, suggesting that Rhiannon’s freedom has become something they desire.

Several images make her seem almost like part of nature. She “rings like a bell through the night,” a sound that draws attention but cannot be held. Comparing her to a bird in flight and saying she is “taken by the wind” suggests independence and movement. The cat in the dark image makes her feel mysterious, while the claim that she “is the darkness” blurs the line between a person and an elusive force.

The lyrics do not settle whether Rhiannon is a real lover, a dreamlike figure, or a symbol of freedom. The opening calls the song one about a witch, but the verses leave her nature uncertain. “Dreams unwind” may suggest hopes coming loose or fading, while “love’s a state of mind” hints that love may depend on perception. The repeated desire to reach the sky’s end sounds both romantic and impossible, preserving the song’s sense of mystery.