Arwen Arabella Hardy, known professionally as Bella Hardy, is an English c… Read Full Bio ↴Arwen Arabella Hardy, known professionally as Bella Hardy, is an English contemporary folk musician, singer and songwriter from Edale in Derbyshire. She performed in various line-ups as a teenager, including The Pack and Ola, and reached the final of the BBC Young Folk Awards in 2004, but it was the release of her debut solo album Night Visiting in 2007 which garnered her recognition at the forefront of modern folk music.

As a child she was always singing. Edale, in Derbyshire, was the ideal place to nurture this natural ability, with an abundance of communal song. Having played the fiddle a small amount at school, Bella attended a Folkworks Youth Summer School in Durham age 13. Motivated by the number of young people playing folk music, she was inspired to begin working on folk fiddle. She also met many of her great friends and musical companions.

Some of these new friends arranged to meet up again, and on New Year's Day a year later The Pack was formed. Initially The Pack was a way for this group of people to get free tickets to festivals. The spirited performances and complex arrangements of the 12 piece band proved a resounding success, and they went on to play many of the scene's greatest stages, including Cambridge Folk Festival main stage in 2003. In 2002, the only Pack album 12 Little Devils was released, with fRoots calling it "... a genuine feel good album. Get yours now!".

Hardy released her debut solo album Night Visiting in 2007, to critical acclaim. Mojo gave her a 4* 'Brilliant' rating, fRoots wrote "Bella Hardy is more than a new generation folk revivalist... Her potential is massive", and Taplas Magazine noted "...her debut CD solo album is a piece of wondrous beauty and inventive incisiveness". In 2008 she was nominated for the Horizon Award at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards. She was also nominated for Best Original Song the same year with Three Black Feathers, which Jim Moray went on to record on his 2008 album Low Culture.

Hardy released her second solo album In The Shadow of Mountains in 2009 at the Cambridge Folk Festival. Again it gained critical acclaim. English Dance and Song Magazine wrote "It's astounding and somewhat daunting to realise this is only Bella's second album... Surely no-one has any right to be writing songs with the sophistication of 'Sylvie Sovay', so early in their career..."

Hares on the Mountain
Bella Hardy Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Hares on the Mountain
Traditional.

If all the young men were like hares on the mountain
If all the young men were like hares on the mountain
How many young girls would take guns and go hunting

If all the young men sang like blackbirds and thrushes

If all the young men sang like blackbirds and thrushes
How many young girls would go beating the bushes

If all the young men swam like fish in the water
If all the young men swam like fish in the water
How many young girls would undress and dive after

If all the young men were like hares on the mountain

If all the young men were like hares on the mountain
How many young girls would take guns and go hunting

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Bella Hardy's song "Hares on the Mountain" explore the concept of gender roles and societal expectations. The verses present hypothetical scenarios where men exhibit certain qualities or behaviors, and questions the reaction of young girls to them. The repetition of the lines "If all the young men were like hares on the mountain" emphasizes the idea of imagining a different reality where gender roles are reversed or challenged.

In the first verse, the lyrics suggest that if young men were as elusive and independent as hares on the mountain, how many young girls would feel empowered to take charge and pursue their desires, symbolized by taking guns and going hunting. Here, the hares on the mountain represent freedom and autonomy.

The second verse explores the potential impact of men expressing themselves through singing, comparing their voices to blackbirds and thrushes. It poses the question of how many young girls would be inspired to explore their own passions and interests represented by "beating the bushes," which can imply seeking new experiences or discovering hidden talents.

The final verse takes a more sensual turn, imagining a scenario where men are as graceful and agile as fish in the water. It questions how many young girls would feel liberated and unashamed to express their desires and embrace their sexuality, represented by undressing and diving after the men.

Overall, the lyrics of "Hares on the Mountain" challenge societal expectations and highlight the potential for empowerment and exploration when traditional gender roles are disrupted.

Line by Line Meaning

If all the young men were like hares on the mountain
If all the young men were as wild and free as hares in their natural habitat

How many young girls would take guns and go hunting
How many young girls would be inspired to take control and pursue what they desire

If all the young men sang like blackbirds and thrushes
If all the young men had the melodious voices of blackbirds and thrushes

How many young girls would go beating the bushes
How many young girls would eagerly explore every corner in search of those beautiful voices

If all the young men swam like fish in the water
If all the young men moved effortlessly and gracefully in the water like fish

How many young girls would undress and dive after
How many young girls would feel inspired to shed their inhibitions and chase after their desires

If all the young men were like hares on the mountain
If all the young men were as bold and daring as hares in their natural environment

How many young girls would take guns and go hunting
How many young girls would take charge of their own lives and actively pursue their goals

Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Traditional, Bella Hardy

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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