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.
Elf Call
Steeleye Span Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I heard a bonny cow low over the lea.
And it was an elf-call, elf-call, elf-call,
And it was an elf-call calling unto me.
And the little elf-call, elf-call, elf-call,
And the little elf-call said unto me:
[Chorus]
Come and nurse an elf child down beneath the sea.
Come and nurse an elf child, elf child, elf child,
Come and nurse an elf child down beneath the sea.
"What do you moan for, moan for, moan for,
What do you moan for?" the elf king said to me.
"I'm moaning for my own child, own child, own child,
I'm moaning for my own child far across the sea."
Then the little elf king, elf king, elf king,
Then the little elf king said unto me:
[Chorus]
I heard a bonny cow low, cow low, cow low,
I heard a bonny cow low over the lea.
And it was an elf-call, elf-call, elf-call,
And it was an elf-call calling unto me.
And the little elf-call, elf-call, elf-call,
And the little elf-call said unto me:
[Chorus: x2]
The song "Elf Call" by Steeleye Span follows the story of the singer hearing a call from an elf while out in the fields. The elk's cry was interpreted as a summons to come and nurse an elf child beneath the sea, which the singer initially resists. However, when the elf king questions the singer's moaning and learns it is for her own child far away, the elf king urges the singer to come and nurse the elf child. The song ends with the repeating chorus, beckoning the singer once again to come and nurse the elf child beneath the sea.
The song, with its references to the realm of the fey, is typical of Steeleye Span's style of English folk rock, which often incorporated themes from English folklore and mythology. Steeleye Span was known for their ethereal and mystical sound, which was created by fusing traditional folk melodies with rock instrumentation, often featuring electric guitars and keyboards.
Line by Line Meaning
I heard a bonny cow low, cow low, cow low,
I heard the sound of a beautiful cow mooing softly over the meadow.
And it was an elf-call, elf-call, elf-call,
It was a call from a magical creature, an Elf, who needed my attention.
And the little elf-call, elf-call, elf-call,
The small Elf requested my help through its call.
Come and nurse an elf child, elf child, elf child,
Come and take care of an Elf baby who needs your nurturing.
Come and nurse an elf child down beneath the sea.
Travel with the Elf to the underwater world where the baby is waiting for you.
What do you moan for, moan for, moan for,
Why are you crying and making sad noises?
"I'm moaning for my own child, own child, own child,
"I'm lamenting the loss of my own offspring who is far away in the sea."
Then the little elf king, elf king, elf king,
The small Elf leader spoke up and communicated directly with me.
Then the little elf king said unto me:
The Elf king continued speaking to me:
I heard a bonny cow low, cow low, cow low,
Once again, I heard the lovely sound of a cow mooing over the meadow.
And it was an elf-call, elf-call, elf-call,
The Elf called out to me once more.
And the little elf-call, elf-call, elf-call,
The little Elf once again made its request known to me.
Come and nurse an elf child, elf child, elf child,
The Elf baby still needs your help and care.
Come and nurse an elf child down beneath the sea.
You must go to the underwater world to tend to the Elf baby.
Chorus
Repeating the same plea to come and care for the Elf baby.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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.