The song lasts almost six-and-a-half minutes, and is composed of four stanzas of eight lines each with a "la-la" refrain.

The song is constructed mainly as a dialogue between Joan of Arc and the fire which is consuming her as she burns at the stake, after having been found guilty of heresy (in 1431).

Joan's surrender to the fire, as its bride, may also be seen as a symbol of her religious fervor and commitment.

[1] This song was apparently inspired by Cohen's love for the German singer Nico.

[2] It has also been noted that the structure in which the song is both sung and recited on parallel tracks (most obvious in the first and last four lines) was inspired by Medieval palimpsests.