Lyrics of 'All Eyes On The Saint' by Enter Shikari

22nd of June, 209 AD, A crowd gathers.
Ohhh they fuckin' love a good beheading.
Watch as St.Alban's head, rolls down the hill.
The crowd stood still, 'cause what they just saw,
It petrified them to the core,
Ahhh to the core.
Ahhhhhh.

As the executioner raised his as his axe,
I swear the saint smiled.

Welcome Verulamium, cathedral city,
All eyes on the saint.
Welcome Verulamium, cathedral city,
All eyes on the saint.

Our city with its beautiful history,
Is being diluted.
But we will not let go.
No we wont.
Now get a grip on your roots boy.
Don't let go.
But we will not let go.

Ahhhhhh.

As the executioner raised his as his axe,
I swear the saint smiled.

Welcome Verulamium, Cathedral city,
All eyes on the saint.
Welcome Verulamium, Cathedral city,
All eyes on the saint.

And it's cold outside.
And it's cold outside.
And it's cold outside.
And it's cold outside.

As the executioner swung his wedge,
His eyes popped right out his fuckin' head.
Then when he should see the ancient moment,
The making of the first British martyr.
British martyr.

Here lies truth, where I stand.
Here lies truth, where I stand.
Here lies truth, where I stand.
Here lies truth, where I stand.

So where St.Albans head,
Laid to rest, after the kill.
Fresh water sprung up from the ground,
At the bottom of what's now,
Holywell hill.
Holywell hill.

Ok, this is the story of Albinus, the Roman centurion stationed in Britain in 209AD, He was killed for sheltering the christian priest Amphibolus, who was on the run from the Romans for practicing christianity. After seeing him pray, St.Alban was converted to christianity and put on the clothes of the priest to let him escape. After being given a trial, the Governor forgave St.Alban and would pardon him had he given up his religion.

However, St.Alban denied and was sentenced to beheading. As the story says, he was taken up to the top of a hill. On the way there it is said that flowers sprung from under where he trod. He told his guard that he was thirsty and nearby a stream sprung. This is said to be the birth of the River Ver, although history says it had been there for a while. On being beheaded, a huge crowd was present. the first executioner could not execute St.Alban as he felt guilty and was overcome by an illness. The second, after he had killed St.Alban, who was said to have smiled at death, was blinded and his eyes popped from their sockets. The stream mentioned gave name to the place which we now call Holywell Hill (St.Albans dialect means that is pronounced Hollywell Hill).

The other references come from and inscription in STA saying "here lies truth, where I stand". The local council are all for making the area a massive tourist town, and thus are forgetting its roots and diluting its history for tourists and there is constant conflict about this between residents and the council. STA is a Cathedral city and we old Albanians are proud to claim that St.Alban was the first British martyr. Verulamium is the Roman name for the town that is now called St.Albans.