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.
Drink Down The Moon
Steeleye Span Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Three maidens a-milking did go
And the wind it did blow high
And the wind it did blow low
It tossed their petticoats to a fro
They met with some young man they know
They met with some young man they know
To catch them a small bird or two
Oh yes, I've a very good skill
Oh yes, I've a very good skill
And it's come along with me to yonder flowering tree
And I'll catch a small bird or two
So off to the green woods went they
And it's off to the green woods went they
And he tapped at the bush and the bird it did fly in
A little above her lily white knee
Her sparkling eyes they did turn around
Just as if she had been all in a swoon
And she cried "I've a bird and a very pretty bird
And he's pecking away at his own ground"
Here's a health to the bird in the bush
Here's a health to the bird in the bush
And we'll drink up the sun, we'll drink down the moon
Let the people say little or much
There is a thorn bush in our Cale yard
There is a thorn bush in our Cale yard
At the back o'thorn bush there lays a lad and lass
And they're busy busy fairing at the cuckoo's nest
Hi the cuckoo, ho the cuckoo, hi the cuckoo's nest
Hi the cuckoo, ho the cuckoo, hi the cuckoo's nest
I'd give anybody a shilling and a bottle of the best
That'll rumple up the feathers in the cuckoo's nest
It is thorn and it is prickle, it is compassed all around
It is thorn and it is prickle, and it isn't easy found
She said young man you blunder and I said it isn't true
And I left her with the makings of a young cuckoo
Hi the cuckoo, ho the cuckoo, hi the cuckoo's nest
Hi the cuckoo, ho the cuckoo, hi the cuckoo's nest
I'd give anybody a shilling and a bottle of the best
That'll rumple up the feathers in the cuckoo's nest
The lyrics to Steeleye Span's song "Drink Down The Moon" tell a story about three maidens who went milking and met with a young man they knew. They asked him if he had any skill to catch them a small bird or two, and he responded that he did and led them to a flowering tree where he caught the birds. The sparkling eyes of one of the maidens turned around as if she was in a swoon, and she cried that she had a bird who was pecking away at his own ground. They then raise their cups to the bird in the bush and declare that they will drink up the sun and drink down the moon, whether people say little or much.
The lyrics then shift to a thorn bush in the Cale yard where a lad and lass are busy at the cuckoo's nest. They sing a playful tune about the cuckoo, and the lad claims he can find the nest despite the thorns and prickles. The lass accuses him of blundering, but he leaves her with the makings of a young cuckoo.
The lyrics of "Drink Down The Moon" seem to be celebrating and reveling in the joys of life, from catching birds and drinking with friends to the playful teasing of young lovers. The song captures a moment of carefree abandon and encourages the listener to join in the celebration.
Line by Line Meaning
Three maidens a-milking did go
Three young women were walking on the countryside, where they milked cows.
And the wind it did blow high
The wind was blowing heavily.
And the wind it did blow low
The wind was blowing gently.
It tossed their petticoats to a fro
The wind lifted and played with their skirts.
They met with some young man they know
They encountered a young man whom they were familiar with.
And they boldly asked him if he had any skill
They asked him confidently whether he had any ability.
To catch them a small bird or two
To capture some little birds for them.
Oh yes, I've a very good skill
The young man responded positively by affirming his talent.
And it's come along with me to yonder flowering tree
He invited them to join him by the flowering tree nearby.
And I'll catch a small bird or two
He promised to capture a few little birds for them.
So off to the green woods went they
They proceeded into the woods.
And he tapped at the bush and the bird it did fly in
He tapped the bush, and the little bird flew into it.
A little above her lily white knee
The bird flew to just above her knee, which was fair and spotless like a lily.
Her sparkling eyes they did turn around
She was surprised and excited as she looked around with her bright eyes.
Just as if she had been all in a swoon
She was so overwhelmed that she appeared as if she had fainted.
And she cried "I've a bird and a very pretty bird
She shouted with joy that she had a beautiful little bird.
And he's pecking away at his own ground"
The bird was pecking at the ground, where it was standing.
Here's a health to the bird in the bush
They proposed a toast to the little bird inside the bush.
And we'll drink up the sun, we'll drink down the moon
They intended to drink and celebrate heartily, even during daylight until nighttime.
Let the people say little or much
They didn't care what anyone else would say about it.
There is a thorn bush in our Cale yard
In their designated yard, there was a bush covered in thorns.
At the back o'thorn bush there lays a lad and lass
Behind the thorny bush, there was a young couple lying together.
And they're busy busy fairing at the cuckoo's nest
The couple were hard at work gathering materials for a cuckoo's nest.
Hi the cuckoo, ho the cuckoo, hi the cuckoo's nest
They sang joyfully about the cuckoo bird and its nest.
I'd give anybody a shilling and a bottle of the best
They expressed confidence in their ability to do something impressive.
That'll rumple up the feathers in the cuckoo's nest
They believed they could disturb the calmness of the nest by messing with it.
It is thorn and it is prickle, it is compassed all around
They acknowledged that the bush was covered in painful thorns from all sides.
And it isn't easy found
Even though it was in their yard, it was not easy to locate.
She said young man you blunder and I said it isn't true
The young lady accused the young man of making a mistake, but he insisted he had not.
And I left her with the makings of a young cuckoo
He left her with the materials for a cuckoo's nest, as they had been gathering before.
Contributed by Evelyn G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Ben - Moderator
on Bonny Moorhen
Hi Stuart, We have corrected the description above.
Stuart Tartan
on Bonny Moorhen
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.