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Steeleye Span Lyrics


A Calling On Song Good people pray heed a petition Your attention we beg and…
Alison Gross Alison Gross that lives in yon tower The ugliest witch in…
All Around My Hat All around my hat I will wear the green willow And…
All The Hard Times Of Old England Come all brother tradesment that travel along O pray, come a…
All Things Are Quite Silent All things are quite silent, each mortal at rest, When…
Arbour And the evergreen flame Together in a dark day Appears sym…
Australia Traditional When I was a young man, my age seventeen, I oug…
Awake Awake Traditional Chorus: Awake, awake oh northern wind Blow on m…
Bach Goes To Limerick Traditional (Instrumental)…
Bachelor's Hall I rode seven horses all to death I rode them till…
Bachelors Hall I rode seven horses all to death I rode them till…
Barnet Fair Once a year when the winter's calling Birds fly south and…
Batchelors Hall Traditional I rode seven horses all to death I rode them ti…



Betsy Bell and Mary Gray Betsy Bell and Mary Gray They were bonny lasses They bigge…
Beyond the Dreaming Place Beyond the dreaming place I watch from my darkness All the…
Black Jack Davey Late last night when the squire came home Enquiring for his…
Black Jack Davy Late last night when the squire came home Inquiring for his…
Blackleg Miner It's in the evening after dark When the blackleg miner creep…
Blacksmith A blacksmith courted me nine months or better He fairly won…
Blow your Trumpet Gabriel Blow your trumpet, Gabriel Blow louder, louder And I hope th…
Bold Poachers Concerning of three young men One night in January Accordi…
Bonny Birdy Traditional O it's of a knight on a summer's night Was ridi…
Bonny Black Hare On the fourteenth of May at the dawn of the…
Bonny Irish Boy Woods As I roved out one morning All in the blooming…
Bonny Moorhen My Bonny Moorhen, my Bonny Moorhen Up in the grey hills…
Boys of Bedlam For to see mad Tom of Bedlam Ten thousand miles I'd…
Bright Morning Star Bright morning star a-rising Bright morning star a-rising …
Cadgwith Anthem Come fill up your glasses and let us be merry, For…
Calling On Song Good people pray heed a petition Your attention we beg and…
Cam Ye Cam ye o'er frae France? Cam ye down by Lunnon? Saw…
Captain Coulston Come and join with Captain Coulston, that hero stout and…
Chanticleer All this night shrill chanticleer Day's proclaiming trumpet…
Cold Haily Rainy Night Oh me hat it is frozen to me head Me feet…
Cold Haily Windy Night Oh, my hat, it is frozen to my head Feet, they…
Come Ye O Cam ye o'er frae France? Cam ye down by Lunnon? Saw…
Copshawholme Fair Traditional On a fine eve'n fair in the month of Avril O…
Corbies Traditional As I was walking all alane I heard Twa Corbi…
Dance With Me A knight he rode his lonely way Thinking about his wedding…
Dancing At Whitsun It's fifty long springtimes since she was a bride, But still…
Demon Lover Where have you been my long lost love This seven long…
Dogs And Ferrets Traditional Chorus I keep my dogs and I keep my ferrets…
Domestic A jolly Shoemaker was Hobbs, John Hobbs A jolly Shoemaker Jo…
Down in Yon Forest Down in yon forest there stands a hall The bells of…
Drink Down The Moon Three maidens a-milking did go Three maidens a-milking did …
Edward What's that blood upon your sword, Edward? It is the blood…
Edwin Come all ye wild young people and listen to my…
Elf Call I heard a bonny cow low, cow low, cow low, I…
Elf Knight The elf-knight sits on yonder hill Fine flowers in the vall…
Erin Traditional At the setting of the sun When my long day's…
False Knight on the Road oh where are you going? says the false knight on the…
Female Drummer I was brought up in Yorkshire and when I was…
Fighting For Strangers What makes you go abroad fighting for strangers When you cou…
Fisherman a' the week your man's awa' and a' the week you…
Following Me Somebody's following, following me Somebody's following, fol…
Four Nights Drunk Now as I come home so drunk I couldn't see,…
Galtee Farmer Oh there was an old Galtee farmer and he had…
Gamble Gold Traditional There chanced to be a pedlar bold A pedlar b…
Gaudete Gaudete, gaudete, Christus est natus Ex Maria virgine, gaude…
Gaudette Gaud Ete, gaudete Christus est natus Ex Maria Virgine Gaudet…
Go Down Sometime in October, We sailed from England's shore, When we…
Go From My Window Traditional A beautiful obsession Like a moth to a flame…
Gone To America Married him in April, lost him in July; Listen to my…
Good King Wenceslas Good King Wenceslas looked out On the feast of Stephen Whe…
Gower Wassail A-wassail, a-wassail throughout all the town Our cup it is w…
Hard Times Of Old England Come all brother tradesment that travel along O pray, come a…
Hares On The Mountain Young women they run like hares on the mountain And if…
Hark the Herald Angels Sing Hark the herald angels sing Glory to the newborn King Peace …
Harvest The neck, the neck, the neck Your hay it is mow'd,…
Harvest of The Moon Steeleye Span All the husbands and the wives We were dan…
Horkstow Grange Steeleye Span sing Horkstow Grange In Horkstow Grange there …
Hunting the Wren "we'll hunt the wren," says robin to bobbin, "we'll hunt …
I Live Not Where I Love Come all ye maids that live at a distance Many a…
I See His Blood Upon the Rose I see his blood upon the rose And in the stars…
I Wish That I Never Was Wed Traditional O ladies take pity on me, Let me in your compan…
In the Bleak Midwinter In the bleak midwinter, frosty winds made moan Earth stood …
Isabel Prior I lie in this cage in full public gaze And I…
Jack Hall Oh, my name it is Jack Hall, Jack Hall Oh, my…
January Man The January Man he walks the road in woolen coat…
John Barleycorn There were three men Came from the west Their fortunes for t…
John of Ditchford In the spring of thirteen twenty two Henry Felip and his…
King Henry Let never a man a wooing wend That lacketh things three A…
Lady Diamond Johnson There was a lord, a lord lived in the North…
Lanercost The priests go down to the river to fish for…
Lark In The Morning Lay still my fond shepherd and don't you rise yet It's…
Let Sometime in October, We sailed from England's shore, When we…
Little Sir Hugh Little Sir Hugh Chorus: Mother mother make my bed Make for …
London There's your lords and ladies fine, Riding in a coach and…
Long Lankin Said the Lord unto his Lady as he rode over…
Long-A-Growing As I was walking by yonder church wall I saw four…
Longbone There was a king who built a ship And sailed away To…
Lord Randall Johnson "O where have you been, Lord Randall, my son? Where…
Lovely On the Water As I walked out one morning In the springtime of the…
Lowlands of Holland The love that I have chosen I'll therewith be content And…
Lyke Wake Dirge This ae nighte, this ae nighte Every nighte and alle Fire an…
Maid and the Palmer Oh, the maid went down to the well for to…
Marrowbones There was a woman in our town and in our…
Mist Moisty Morning One misty moisty morning when cloudy was the weather I met…
My Johnny Was a Shoemaker Traditional My Johnny was a shoemaker and dearly he loved…
My Love Do you remember what we promised when we met, my…
New York Girls As I walked down through Chatham Street A fair maid I…
Now We Are Six Traditional Riddle 1: In marble halls as white as milk …
Old Matron My love she is a gentlewoman Has her living by the…
One Misty Moisty Morning One misty moisty morning when cloudy was the weather I met…
One Misty Morning One misty moisty morning when cloudy was the weather I met…
One Night as I Lay on My Bed One night as I lay on my bed, I dreamed about…
One True Love Traditional Cold blows the wind o'er my true love, Cold blo…
Overture Through the stars the Turtle comes Drifting past a thousand …
Padstow Unite and unite, and let us all unite For summer is…
Peace On The Border After the riding we dispersed, We drifted home in twos and…
Poor Old Soldier Oh, you poor old soldier, what will you become When there's…
Prince Charlie Stuart If you had seen my Charlie at the head of…
Rag Doll (Rag doll, ooh) (Hand me down) When she was just a…
Rave On Little things I like to say and do Make me want…
Reclaimed Patience and grace There will be good days And when there ar…
Reels I was told by my Aunt I was told by my…
Roadways One road leads to London, one road leads to Wales My…
Rogues in a Nation Farewell to all our Scottish fame Farewell our ancient glory…
Rose Bud In June It's a rosebud in June and the violet's in full…
Rosebud In June It's a rosebud in June and the violets in full…
Royal Forester I am a forester of this land As you may plainly…
Sailor Come my own one, come my fair one, Come now unto…
Sails of Silver What is it makes her to weep and to moan? I…
Samain Mi guitarra sabe todo de mí Cuando estuve triste, cuando fuí…
Saucy Sailor Come my own one, come my fair one, Come now unto…
Scarecrow The priests go down to the river to fish for…
Seagull Knight Penny is shining beneath a bright light With anot…
Searching for Lambs Traditional As I walked out one May morning, one May mornin…
See Amid the Winter's Snow Hail, thou ever blessed morn Hail, redemption's happy dawn S…
Senior Service Kemp-Prior Sally's in the alley and Nancy's on the game …
Seven Hundred Elves Chorus Seven hundred elves from out the wood Foul a…
Seventeen Come Sunday Traditional As I strolled out one May morning One May mo…
Shaking Of The Sheets Traditional Dance, dance the shaking of the sheets Dance…
Sheep-Crook and Black Dog Here's my sheep-crook and my black dog I give it to…
Sheepcrook And Blackdog Here's my sheep-crook and my black dog I give it to…
Sir James the Rose Traditional Oh have you heard Sir James the Rose, The yo…
Skewball You gallant sportsmen all, come listen to my story It's of…
Sligo Maid Traditional (Instrumental)…
Some Rival Traditional Some rival has stolen my true love away So I in…
Somebody's Following Me Somebody's following, following me Somebody's following, fol…
Somewhere Along the Road Somewhere along the road Someone waits for me Beyond these p…
Spotted Cow One morning in the month of June, As from my cot'…
Spotted Cow - 2009 Remastered Version One morning in the month of May, As from my cot'…
Stephen Stephen was a stable groom He watered five foals all and…
Sweep Sweep, chimney sweep, is the common cry I keep If you…
Take My Heart Prior-Kemp Take my heart to the Holy Land My comrade, my fr…
Tam Lin Oh, I forbid you maidens all That wear gold in your…
Tell Me Why Traditional What is deeper than the sea? What is higher …
The Beggar I'd rather be a beggar than a king Tell you the…
The Black Freighter you gentlemen can gawk while I'm scrubbing the floors and I…
The Blackleg Miner It's in the evening after dark When the blackleg miner creep…
The Blacksmith A blacksmith courted me nine months or better He fairly won…
The Blacksmith (1970 Version) "A blacksmith courted me, nine months and better He fairly w…
The Bold Poachers Concerning of three young men One night in January According…
The Boy And The Mantle On the third of May to Carlisle did come A courteous…
The Brisk Young Butcher It's of a brisk young butcher as I have heard…
The Brown Girl Traditional I'm as brown as brown can be, My eyes are bl…
The Connemara Cradle Song On wings of the wind o'er the dark rolling sea Angels…
The Cruel Mother Traditional There was a lady lived in York She stabbed h…
The Cruel Ship's Carpenter In fair Worcester town and in Fair Worcestershire A beautif…
The Cutty Wren Traditional Oh where are you going said Milder to Moulder…
The Dark Morris Song Dance the Dark Morris! You will find, Summer turns to Winter…
The Drunkard Traditional I will walk the streets up, I will walk the…
The Elf Knight The elf-knight sits on yonder hill Fine flowers in the valle…
the false knight on the road "Oh, where are you going," says the false knight on…
The First Nowell The first Nowell the angel did say Was to certain poor…
The Fox Knight You can hound me now you've found me But I'm far…
The Hills of Greenmore Traditional One fine winter's morn my horn I did blow To…
The Holly & The Ivy The holly and the ivy, When they are both full grown Of…
The January Man The January Man he walks the road in woolen coat…
The King Joy, health, love, and peace be all here in this…
The Lark In the Morning Lay still my fond shepherd and don't you rise yet It's…
The Maid and The Palmer Oh, the maid went down to the well for to…
The Old Maid in the Garrett I was told by my Aunt I was told by my…
The Old Turf Fire Traditional Oh the old turf fire And the hearth swept clean…
The Parting Glass Traditional Of all the money that e'er I had I spent it…
The Prickly Bush oh the prickly bush, it pricks my heart full sore and…
The Royal Forester I am a forester of this land As you may plainly…
The Song Will Remain If I were a singer I'd sing you a song, A…
The Tricks of London Traditional In London town I lost my way In Oxford city …
The Twelve Witches oh there were twelve witches bold and they lived in the…
The Ups and Downs As I was going to Aylesbury all on a market…
The Victory I am a youthful lady My troubles they are great, My tongue…
The Water Is Wide Traditional The water is wide, I cannot get oer Neither …
The Weaver Oh, when I was a tailor, I carried my bodkin…
The Weaver and the Factory Maid When I was a tailor I carried my bodkin and…
The Weaver and the Factory Maid (live) Oh, when I was a tailor, I carried my bodkin…
The Wee Wee Man 'Twas down by Carterhaugh Father Between the water and the w…
The White Cliffs of Dover There'll always be an England While there's a country lane W…
The Wife Of Usher's Hall There lived a wife in Ushers Well A wealthy wife was…
The Wife Of Ushers Well Traditional There lived a wife in Usher's Well A wealthy…
There Was a Wealthy Merchant There was a wealthy merchant In London he did dwell He had…
They Called Her Babylon To the halls of Latham House the king he did…
Thomas The Rhymer True Thomas sat on Huntley bank And he beheld a lady…
Three Drunken Maidens There were three drunken maidens Came from the Isle of Wight…
To Know Him Is To Love Him Late last night when the squire came home Inquiring for his…
Today in Bethlehem Come all with singing, come all with singing To the place…
Treadmill Song Traditional Step in young man I know your face It's not…
Twinkle Twinkle, twinkle, little star How I wonder what you are! U…
Twinkle Twinkle Little Star Twinkle, twinkle, little star How I wonder what you are! Up …
Two Butchers It's of two noble butchers as I have heard men…
Two Magicians She looked out of the window as white as any…
Unconquered Sun With solstice here we'll celebrate This sacred time and hav…
Underneath Her Apron Traditional A pretty young girl all in the month of May, …
Ups & Downs As I was going to Aylesbury all on a market…
Van Diemen's Land Hold me now, Oh hold me now 'Til this hour Has gone aroun…
We Poor Labouring Men Oh, some do say the farmer's best But I must needs…
Weary Cutters It's just the lack of time I keep Reaching out, lashing…
Well Done Liar! I saw a snail drive a nail I saw a snail…
When I Was On Horseback When I was on horseback, wasn't I pretty ? When I was…
Where Are They Now Man said Nature was his mother Made a promise at his…
White Man Knight Some sing of their glory Few tell the true story …
Who Told the Butcher Oh, who told the Butcher All about the Grey Goose? Oh, it…
Wife of The Soldier What did the wife of the soldier get From the ancient…
Wintersmith Far along the back road Winding through the forest At the …
You Ever since we danced in the dark parade Something old was…
You Will Burn One night as you sleep in your goose feather bed We…


Ben - Moderator


on Bonny Moorhen

Hi Stuart, We have corrected the description above.

Stuart Tartan


on Bonny Moorhen

The song Bonny Moorhen by Steeleye Span is a traditional Scottish ballad that tells the story of a bird, the Bonny Moorhen, and its journey through the glen and over the sea. The narrator of the song expresses affection and admiration for the bird and asks others to toast its health when they are out drinking. The Bonny Moorhen is described as having a rainbow of feathers, including blue, which is unusual for a bird, and invites it to come to the narrator. However, in the second verse, the song takes a darker turn as the narrator reveals that the bird has gone over the sea and will not return until the summer. But when it does return, only certain people will know, suggesting that not everyone will be happy about the Bonny Moorhen's return. The third verse introduces a new element to the story, two men named Ronald and Donald who are out on the fen, presumably trying to hunt or harm the bird. The narrator calls for the Bonny Moorhen to come to them for safety. Overall, the song is a mix of admiration for the beauty of nature and a warning about the dangers that can lurk in it. The Bonny Moorhen represents something pure and innocent, but there are those who would try to harm it, and the song is a call to protect it.

This description of the song completely misses the point in every way. It IS NOT about a bird.
It is an allegorical Jacobite-era song about Bonny Prince Charlie (the bonny moorhen). The colours mentioned, for instance, are the colours of the Clan Stuart tartan.

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