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 Moorhen
Steeleye Span Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Up in the grey hills down in the glen
When ye gang but the house when ye gang Ben
For drink a health to my Bonny Moorhen
My Bonny Moorhen's gone over the main
And it will be summer when he comes again
But when he comes back again some folk will ken
My Bonny Moorhen has feathers anew
They're all fine colors but name o' them blue
He's red and he's white and he's green and he's grey
My Bonny Moorhen come hither away
Come up by Glenouicm and down by Glenmore
Round by Kinclaven and hither tae me
For Ronald and Donald are out on the fen
Tae break the wing of my Bonny Moorhen
My Bonny Moorhen has feathers anew
They're all fine colors but name o' them blue
He's red and he's white and he's green and he's grey
My Bonny Moorhen come hither away
Come up by Glenouicm and down by Glenmore
Round by Kinclaven and hither take me
For Ronald and Donald are out on the fen
Take break the wing of my Bonny Moorhen
"Bonny Moorhen" is a traditional Scottish ballad. There is evidence to suggest that it is an allegorical song about Bonnie Prince Charlie, also known as Charles Edward Stuart, and his failed rebellion against the British government in 1745.
The use of the name "Bonny Moorhen" is thought to be a code name for Bonnie Prince Charlie, and the rainbow of colors mentioned in the lyrics are believed to refer to the Stuart tartan, which features blue, red, white, green, and gray. The reference to "Ronald and Donald" in the third verse is thought to refer to the Duke of Cumberland and his brother, who led the British forces against the Jacobites.
According to Scottish folklore, the moorhen is a bird that can symbolize either good luck or bad luck depending on the circumstances in which it is encountered. In the case of "Bonny Moorhen," the bird may represent Bonnie Prince Charlie's fortunes in his struggle against the British government.
Line by Line Meaning
My Bonny Moorhen, my Bonny Moorhen
Addressing the beloved bird, expressing affection and admiration
Up in the grey hills down in the glen
Describing the location of the bird, surrounded by nature
When ye gang but the house when ye gang Ben
Wishing the bird well when it leaves the house or goes on an errand
For drink a health to my Bonny Moorhen
Raising a toast in honor of the bird
My Bonny Moorhen's gone over the main
The bird has traveled across the sea
And it will be summer when he comes again
Predicting that the bird will return in the summer
But when he comes back again some folk will ken
Expecting that some people will recognize the bird when it returns
For joy be with you my Bonny Moorhen
Wishing the bird happiness and good fortune
My Bonny Moorhen has feathers anew
Noticing the bird's freshly grown feathers
They're all fine colors but name o' them blue
Describing the colors of the bird's feathers, except for blue
He's red and he's white and he's green and he's grey
Listing the various colors of the bird's feathers
My Bonny Moorhen come hither away
Inviting the bird to come closer
Come up by Glenouicm and down by Glenmore
Requesting the bird to fly through specific locations
Round by Kinclaven and hither tae me
Asking the bird to fly towards the singer
For Ronald and Donald are out on the fen
Warning the bird of the danger of two people named Ronald and Donald who are hunting in the moor
Tae break the wing of my Bonny Moorhen
Threatening to harm the bird by breaking its wings
Contributed by Eli P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Ben - Moderator
Hi Stuart, We have corrected the description above.
Stuart Tartan
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.