"Ex-Wives" is the opening number from SIX the Musical — a pop-concert retelling of the six wives of Henry VIII. Elaine came to ChangeLyric with an ambitious rewrite that transplants the entire song into a fantasy setting. Every historical queen became an original fantasy character, every Tudor reference got replaced with swords, dragons, and kingdoms.
What Changed
The iconic opening chant "divorced, beheaded, died / divorced, beheaded, survived" was completely replaced with "ensorcelled, netted, abide / outsourced, regretted, allied." It's a radical departure — the original's blunt historical summary becomes a set of fantasy-flavored verbs that still carry the rhythm and punch of the original.
Each queen's solo verse was rewritten with a new identity. Catherine of Aragon became Kalista of the Golden Corp, collecting "power of the higher sword." Anne Boleyn became Shirlene, arriving "from outer space." Jane Seymour became Sorka. Anna of Cleves' verse references a kingdom instead of a portrait. Katherine Howard became Ark of Fina with a "dragon's gift." Catherine Parr became a "survivor, violente roar" who saw him to "the end of his regime."
The chorus shifted from "everybody knows that we used to be six wives" to "everybody knows that we have such drive," and "now we're ex-wives" became "now we'll revive." The rewrite kept the structural bones of every section intact while building an entirely new narrative on top of them.
Listen & Compare
Hear the original song and the custom version side by side
Original LyricsDivorced, beheaded, died
Divorced, beheaded, survived
And tonight we are...
Listen up, let me tell you a story
A story that you think you've heard before
We know you know our names and our fame and our faces
Know all about the glories and the disgraces
I'm done, cause all this time
I'll be just one word in a stupid rhyme
So I picked up a pen and a microphone
History's about to get overthrown
Divorced, beheaded, died
Divorced, beheaded, survived
But just for you tonight
We're divorced, beheaded, live
Welcome to the show, to the histor-remix
Switching up the flow as we add the prefix
Everybody knows that we used to be six wives
Raising up the roof till we hit the ceiling
Get ready for the truth that we'll be revealing
Everybody knows that we used to be six wives
But now we're ex-wives
All you ever hear and read about
Is our ex and the way it ends
But a pair doesn't beat a royal flush
You're gonna find out how we got unfriended
Tonight we're gonna do ourselves justice
Cause we're taking you to court
And every true-to rose has its thorns
And you're gonna hear them live, in consort
Divorced, beheaded, died
Divorced, beheaded, survived
But just for you tonight
We're divorced, beheaded, bye
Welcome to the show, to the histor-remix
Switching up the flow as we add the prefix
Everybody knows that we used to be six wives
My name's Catherine of Aragon
Was married 24 years, I'm a paragon
Of royalty, my loyalty is to the Vatican
So if you try to dump me, you won't try that again
I'm that Boleyn girl and I'm up next
See I broke England from the church, yeah I'm that sexy
Why did I lose my head?
Well my sleeves may be green but my lipstick's red
Jane Seymour, the only one he truly loved
When my son was newly born I died
But I'm not what I seem, or am I?
Stick around and you'll suddenly see more
Ich bin Anna of Cleves
When he saw my portrait he was like
But I didn't look as good as I did in my pic
Funny how we all discussed that but never Henry's little
Prick out your ears, I'm the Catherine who lost her head
For my promiscuity outside of wed
Lock up your husbands, lock up your sons
K. Howard is here and the fun's begun
So five down, I'm the final wife
I saw him to the end of his life
I'm the survivor, Catherine Parr
I bet you wanna know how I got this far
I said I bet you wanna know how we got this far
Do you wanna know how we got this far?
Welcome to the show, to the histor-remix
Switching up the flow as we add the prefix
Everybody knows that we used to be six wives
Get your hands up, get this party buzzing
You want a queen bee? Well there's half a dozen
Everybody knows that we used to be six wives
But now we're ex-wives
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
Custom LyricsEnsorcelled, netted, abide
Outsourced, regretted, allied
And tonight we are...
Listen up, let me tell you a story
A story that you think you've heard before
We know you know our names and our fame and our faces
Know all about the glories and the disgraces
I'm done, cause all this time
I'll be just one word in a stupid rhyme
So I picked up a pen and a microphone
History's about to get overthrown
Ensorcelled, netted, abide
Outsourced, regretted, allied
But just for you tonight
We're endorsed, threaded, live
Well baby here we go, the histor-remix
Switching up the flow as we add the prefix
Everybody knows that we have such drive
Breaking up the rules till we hit the ceiling
Get ready for the truth that we'll be revealing
Everybody knows that we have such drive
And now we'll revive
All you ever hear and read about
Is Christos and the way it ended
The pair doesn't beat a royal flush
You're gonna find out how we got unfriended
Tonight we're gonna do ourselves justice
Cause we're taking you to court
And every true-to rose has its thorns
And you're gonna hear them live, in consort
Ensorcelled, netted, abide
Outsourced, regretted, allied
But just for you tonight
We're endorsed, threaded, bye
Well baby here we go, the histor-remix
Switching up the flow as we add the prefix
Everybody knows that we have such drive
My name's Kalista of the Golden Corp
I collect power of the higher sword
My only loyalty is to my son
So if you try to silence me, you won't stand for long
Ned, I'm that Shirlene girl and I love Nexi
From outer space, yeah I'm not sexy
Why did I lose my thread?
Well the moths aren't seen but they're in my head
Abide, Sorka, the only one he truly loved
Vomitrax is whence I was before Atra
But I'm not what I seem, or am I?
Stick around and you'll suddenly see more
I've been at Eloy's
When he saw my kingdom he was like
But I didn't fall in line, that's a mother's trick
Funny how we all discuss that but never crisis, little
Pick up your ears, I'm Ark of Fina
Stands instead, regretted for my dragon's gift
The world did not rest
So up the tear, show it some care
Fina is here and the dream is there
And I'm five down on the final queen
I saw him to the end of his regime
I'm a survivor, violente roar
I bet you wanna know how I got this far
I said I bet you wanna know how we got this far
Do you wanna know how we got this far?
Well baby here we go, the histor-remix
Switching up the flow as we add the prefix
Everybody knows that we have such drive
Get your hands up, get this party buzzing
You want a queen bee? Well there's half a dozen
Everybody knows that we have such drive
And now we'll revive
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
World-Building Through Lyric Swaps
This project shows what's possible when a customer arrives with a fully realized creative vision. Elaine didn't just want names changed — she wanted the song to exist in a different universe entirely. Every replacement had to serve double duty: matching the original syllable count and rhythm while building out the lore of a fantasy world where queens wield swords and dragons instead of political alliances.
The technical challenge of a rewrite this extensive is keeping it singable. "Ensorcelled, netted, abide" has to scan with the same percussive snap as "divorced, beheaded, died." "Kalista of the Golden Corp" needs to flow through the same melodic line as "Catherine of Aragon." Every fantasy substitution was crafted to land on the exact same beats as the original.
Browse more projects like this in our lyric swap showcase, or start your own custom lyric swap.