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.
Cold Haily Rainy Night
Steeleye Span Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Me feet they are like a lump of lead
Oh me shoes they are frozen to me feet
With standing at your window
Let me in, the soldier cried
Cold haily windy night
Oh let me in, the soldier cried
Me father he watches down on the street
Me mother the chamber keys do keep
Oh, the doors and the windows they do creak
I dare not let you in O
Let me in, the soldier cried
Cold haily windy night
Oh let me in, the soldier cried
For I'll not go back again, no
Oh and she's rose up and she's let him in
She's kissed her true love cheek and chin
And she's drawn him between her sheets again
And she opened and she let him in O
Then she has blessed the rainy night
Cold haily windy night
Oh then she has blessed the rainy night
That she opened and she let him in O
Soldier, soldier stay with me
Soldier, soldier won't you marry me
Oh no, no, no, it never can be
So fare bid thee well forever
Then she has wept for the rainy night
Cold haily windy night
Then she has wept for the rainy night
That she opened and she let him in O
Oh and he's jumped up all out of the bed
He's put his hat all on his head
But she had lost her maidenhead
Her mother she heard the din O
Then she has cursed the rainy night
Cold haily windy night
O then she has cursed the rainy night
That she opened and she let him in O
The song "Cold Haily Rainy Night" by Steeleye Span tells the story of a soldier who seeks refuge from the bitter cold in the home of his lover. The first verse describes the physical toll that standing outside in the cold has taken on the soldier as his hat is frozen to his head and his feet to his shoes. The soldier pleads with his lover to let him in, promising not to go back out into the freezing night.
The second verse reveals that the lover's parents disapprove of the soldier, and she is hesitant to let him in. However, she eventually gives in to his pleas and they reunite in the warmth of the bed. The third verse shows the aftermath of their night together, as the soldier quickly leaves and the lover is left feeling heartbroken and alone.
The song touches on themes of love, loss, and social class as the soldier and his lover come from different backgrounds and the disapproval of her parents adds an additional layer of tension to their relationship.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh me hat it is frozen to me head
My hat is stuck and frozen to my head
Me feet they are like a lump of lead
My feet are as heavy as if they were made of lead
Oh me shoes they are frozen to me feet
My shoes are frozen to my feet due to standing at your window
With standing at your window
I've been standing outside your window
Let me in, the soldier cried
The soldier is pleading to be let inside
Cold haily windy night
It's a cold, rainy and windy night
For I'll not go back again, no
The soldier doesn't want to leave again
Me father he watches down on the street
My father is keeping a lookout outside
Me mother the chamber keys do keep
My mother is guarding the keys to the rooms
Oh, the doors and the windows they do creak
The doors and windows are making a noise when opened
I dare not let you in O
I cannot risk letting you in
Oh and she's rose up and she's let him in
She decided to let him in
She's kissed her true love cheek and chin
She gave him a passionate kiss
And she's drawn him between her sheets again
She invited him to her bed
And she opened and she let him in O
She let him into her home and life
Then she has blessed the rainy night
She felt grateful and blessed for the rainy night which allowed her to reunite with her lover
Soldier, soldier stay with me
She is begging the soldier to stay with her
Soldier, soldier won't you marry me
She is proposing marriage to the soldier
Oh no, no, no, it never can be
The soldier refuses her marriage proposal
So fare bid thee well forever
He bids farewell to her forever
Then she has wept for the rainy night
She is crying for the rainy night which led to her lover leaving her forever
Oh and he's jumped up all out of the bed
The soldier leaps out of the bed
He's put his hat all on his head
He puts his hat on his head
But she had lost her maidenhead
She has lost her virginity to him
Her mother she heard the din O
Her mother heard the commotion
Then she has cursed the rainy night
She feels angry and bitter towards the rainy night for bringing the soldier into her daughter's life
That she opened and she let him in O
She regrets opening the door and letting him in
Contributed by Declan I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@FearTheVikingYT
LYRICS:
Oh, my hat, it is frozen to my head
Feet, they are like a lump of lead
Oh, my shoes, they are frozen to my feet
With standing at your window
"Let me in", the soldier cried
"Cold, haily, windy night, oh"
"Let me in", the soldier cried
"For I'll not go back again, no"
My father watches down on the street
Mother, the chamber keys do keep
Oh the doors and windows, they do creek
I dare not let you in, no
"Let me in", the soldier cried
"Cold, haily, windy night, oh"
"Let me in", the soldier cried
"For I'll not go back again, no"
Oh, and she's rose up and she's let him in
She's kissed her true love cheek and chin
And she's drawn him between the sheets again
She's opened and she's let him in, oh
Then she has blessed the rainy night
Cold, haily, windy night, oh
Oh, then she has blessed the rainy night
That she's opened and she let him in, oh
"Soldier, soldier, stay with me
Soldier, soldier, won't you marry me oh?"
"No, no, no it never can be
So fare thee well forever"
And then she has wept for the rainy night
Cold, haily, windy night, oh
Then she has wept for the rainy night
That she's opened and she's let him in, oh
Oh and he's jumped up all out of the bed
He's put his hat all on his head
Oh but she had lost her maiden head
Her mother, she heard the din, oh
And then she has cursed the rainy night
Cold haily, windy night, oh
Then she has cursed the rainy night
That she opened and she let him in, oh
And then she has cursed the rainy night
Cold haily, windy night, oh
Then she has cursed the rainy night
That she's opened and she let him in, oh
@martinlaight1562
Hard to believe I bought this album nearly 50 years àgo and am still listening to it!
@RedRobin13
Same here, mate.
@jarmonieminen6916
The best line-up ever. After 32 years I still listen to this...
@dianemoffat1647
Great band. I was introduced to them when I was only 16 and even though I loved the rock bands of the seventies, I appreciated the strong voices and lyrics of Steeleye Span. I still listen to them yet and they take me back to my youth.
@michaelmurray3267
Diane Moffat ...................and yes to that!! Then throw Sandy Denny/Fairport Convention into your pot of nostalgia and you have pure bliss!!!!
@graemehodges4367
+Michael Murray And Pentangle with Jaqui McShee.The great triumvirate of folk - probably never to be bettered.
@RN1805
For me the best Steeleye incarnation - no drums needed when you have Carthy playing clawhammer on a telecaster through a massive fender stack with the faintest touch of overdrive, the guv'ner sending out pulsing bass lines and Tim Hart providing the equivalent of splash cymbals on dulcimer - pure heaven and great musicianship.
@jackmerlotdoesntliveherean9652
It is a nicely balanced ensemble, isn't it.
@rxa177
I am not a fan of the stuff with drums. The fusion loses subtlety.
@CBbehereNOW
SO True ❤️