Tensions between the band grew during the production in 1970 of their first album, Hark! The Village Wait to the point where they never again worked together after its completion, but the music itself shows no signs of these difficulties. While having a rock sensibility there is a greater sense of the authentic folk tradition than even in the best of Fairport, and a particular beauty arising from the two pairs of voices. The Woods being replaced by admired folk stalwart Martin Carthy, with violinist Peter Knight to widen the musical textures, the group late in 1970 recorded their most admired record Please to see the King. Ten Man Mop followed in 1971, more accomplished but generally felt to be less exciting. The expensive gatefold sleeve swallowed the band's royalties, and was referred to as a tombstone, since Hutchings and Carthy then left, to pursue Hutchings' new vision of a specifically English strand of folk rock with The Albion Band, and Steeleye Mk 2 folded.
However the inclusion of the less celebrated and more rock orientated replacements Rick Kemp and Bob Johnson led to the most commercially successful phase in the band's existence, vocalist Maddy Prior becoming the primary focus of the band, and a run of well received albums, from Below the Salt and Now we Are Six, their first with drummer Nigel Pegrum, to their eighth, and most commercially successful, All Around my Hat, in 1975.
Still active, they have a claim to be one of the longest-lived and perhaps the most commercially successful of all the folk rock bands of the era, thanks to their hit singles Gaudete and All Around My Hat, 3 top 40 albums and even a certified "gold" record with All Around My Hat.
Tim Hart died of lung cancer on 24 December 2009, aged 61.
Bonny Black Hare
Steeleye Span Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
With me gun on me shoulder to the woods I did stray
In search of some game if the weather proved fair
To see can I get a shot at the bonny black hare
I met a young girl there, her face like the rose
Her skin was as fair as the lily that blows
Says I "Me fair maiden, why ramble you so?
Can you tell me where the bonny black hare do go?"
But under me apron they say it do go
And if you'll not deceive me I'll vow and declare
We'll both go together to hunt the bonny black hare"
I laid this girl down with her face to the sky
I took out me ramrod and me bullets likewise
Saying "Wrap your legs round me, dig in with your heels
For the closer we get, love, the better it feels"
The birds they were singing in the bushes and trees
And the song that they sang was "She's easy to please"
I felt her heart quiver and I knew what I'd done
Says I "Have you had enough of me old sporting gun?"
The answer she gave me, oh, the answer was "Nay
It's not often young sportsmen like you come this way
But if your powder is good and your bullets are fair
Why don't you keep firing at the bonny black hare?"
"Me powder's all wet and me bullets all spent
And I can't fire a shot for it's choked at the vent
And I'll be back in the morning if you are still here
We'll both go together to hunt the bonny black hare"
The lyrics to Steeleye Span's song Bonny Black Hare tells the story of a young man who goes out hunting with his gun on his shoulder. He meets a young girl, who he describes as having a face like a rose and fair skin like a lily. He asks her if she knows where the bonny black hare is, but she confesses that she does not. Nevertheless, she offers to show him where the hare could be found. They walk together until they find a clearing where they lay down, and the girl wraps her legs around him.
As the birds sing in the background, the young man pulls out his bullets and ramrod and begins to use her for his pleasure. The girl eagerly acquiesces, her heart quivering with delight. But eventually, the young man's gun malfunctions, and he has to leave to sort out the problem. He promises to come back in the morning, and together they will hunt the bonny black hare.
The lyrics to the song are a play on words, and it's not entirely clear what the story is meant to convey. Some people think that it's about sex and a bawdy joke, while others see it as a commentary on shoddy workmanship or gun maintenance.
Line by Line Meaning
On the fourteenth of May at the dawn of the day
On May 14th, in the early morning
With me gun on me shoulder to the woods I did stray
I went into the woods with my gun
In search of some game if the weather proved fair
Looking for a hunting opportunity if the weather was good
To see can I get a shot at the bonny black hare
To try and shoot a black hare
I met a young girl there, her face like the rose
I met a beautiful young girl
Her skin was as fair as the lily that blows
Her skin was as beautiful as a blooming lily
Says I "Me fair maiden, why ramble you so?
I asked, "why are you wandering around?"
Can you tell me where the bonny black hare do go?"
Can you tell me where the black hare goes?
The answer she gave me, oh the answer was "No
She said no
But under me apron they say it do go
But they say it goes under my apron
And if you'll not deceive me I'll vow and declare
If you promise not to deceive me
We'll both go together to hunt the bonny black hare"
We will hunt the black hare together
I laid this girl down with her face to the sky
I laid her down facing the sky
I took out me ramrod and me bullets likewise
I took out my ramrod and bullets
Saying "Wrap your legs round me, dig in with your heels
Saying "Wrap your legs around me"
For the closer we get, love, the better it feels"
The closer we are, the better it feels
The birds they were singing in the bushes and trees
The birds were singing
And the song that they sang was "She's easy to please"
And they sang that she was easy to please
I felt her heart quiver and I knew what I'd done
I knew I had made her heart race
Says I "Have you had enough of me old sporting gun?"
I asked if she had enough of me
The answer she gave me, oh, the answer was "Nay
She said no
It's not often young sportsmen like you come this way
Young hunters like you don't come this way often
But if your powder is good and your bullets are fair
But if your gunpowder and bullets are good
Why don't you keep firing at the bonny black hare?"
Why don't you keep shooting the black hare?
"Me powder's all wet and me bullets all spent
My gunpowder is wet and my bullets are gone
And I can't fire a shot for it's choked at the vent
I can't fire because the gun is clogged
And I'll be back in the morning if you are still here
I'll come back tomorrow if you're still here
We'll both go together to hunt the bonny black hare"
We'll hunt the black hare together tomorrow
Contributed by Caleb T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
SG 28948
I saw them last night at Moseley Folk Festival. I have never seen them live before but have most of their records. I think my jaw dropped during this, their final number before encores of AAMH and G. These guys in concert should be required viewing for all young and aspiring bands, both folk and rock. I will now be eternally grateful that they are still performing and can do it like this.
Wendy Arrowsmith
Martin carthy and steeleye span
Deblinette
Brilliant violinning indeed! I think that the cameraman eventually sussed that it wasn't the guitar making that almighty sound :-) Love this version.
Jimmy Malone
How perspicacious
mombassaman
Actually, I think this is a great way to do this song. I love it. Well done Span. Rock and fucking roll.
Jay Ehrlich
What a smokin hard rock fiddle solo!!!
Beemerboy324
Yes, it was!!!
DIEJENIGENWELCHEN
rarely seen one of the old English folk rock bands being so much on fire nowadays!
Crossbow0106
I bought the cd/dvd. Its great, highly recommended. The band is sharp and, of course, Ms. rior sings like an angel.
deroesloarnoare
Top musicians,great bass play!