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.
False Knight on the Road
Steeleye Span Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
says the false knight on the road.
i'm going to me school.
says the wee boy and still he stood.
what is on your back?
says the false knight on the road.
me bundles and me books
says the wee boy and still he stood.
i came a walking by your door
says the false knight on the road.
that lay in your way
says the wee boy and still he stood.
i flung your dog a stone
says the false knight on the road.
i wish it was a bone
says the wee boy and still he stood.
-instrumental-
oh what sheep and cattles that
says the false knight on the road.
they're mine and me fathers
says the wee boy and still he stood.
and how many shall be mine?
says the false knight on the road.
the ones that have the blue tail
says the wee boy and still he stood.
-instrumental-
oh can i get a share of them?
says the false knight on the road.
you cannot get a share of them
says the wee boy and still he stood.
and why the stick all in your hand?
says the false knight on the road.
to keep me from all cold and harm
says the wee boy and still he stood.
oh i wish you were in yonder tree
says the false knight on the road.
a ladder under me
says the wee boy and still he stood.
the ladder it'll break
says the false knight on the road
and you will surely break
says the wee boy and still he stood.
-instrumental-
i wish you were on yonder sea
says the false knight on the road.
a good boat under me
says the wee boy and still he stood.
the boat will surely sink
says the false knight on the road
and you will surely drown
says the wee boy and still he stood.
-instrumental-
has your mother more than you
says the false knight on the road.
none of them for you.
says the wee boy and still he stood.
i think i hear a bell
says the false knight on the road
it's ringing you to hell
says the wee boy and still he stood.
-instrumental-
The song "False Knight on the Road" by Steeleye Span is a folk ballad that tells the story of a young boy who encounters a false knight on the road. The false knight asks the boy where he is going and what he is carrying. The boy innocently answers that he is going to school and carrying his books and bundles. The false knight then boasts about having thrown a stone at the boy's dog, to which the boy responds by wishing it was a bone.
The false knight continues to ask the boy about his possessions, including his sheep and cattle, but the boy tells him that he cannot have a share of them. The false knight then suggests that the boy should climb a tree or sail away on a boat, but the boy wisely points out the dangers of doing so. Finally, the false knight attempts to scare the boy by saying he hears a bell that is ringing him to hell, but the boy remains unfazed and stands his ground.
The song is often interpreted as a warning against deceit and trickery. The false knight's attempts to lure the boy into danger highlight the importance of staying true to oneself and resisting temptation.
Line by Line Meaning
oh where are you going?
The false knight asks the little boy where he is headed.
says the false knight on the road.
The false knight speaks to the little boy with cunning charm.
i'm going to me school.
The little boy tells the false knight that he is going to school.
says the wee boy and still he stood.
The boy confidently stands his ground and responds to the false knight.
what is on your back?
The false knight inquires about what the little boy is carrying.
me bundles and me books
The boy tells the false knight that he is carrying books and belongings.
i came a walking by your door
The false knight reveals that he passed by the boy's home.
that lay in your way
The little boy dismisses the false knight's claim as irrelevant.
i flung your dog a stone
The false knight admits to causing harm to the little boy's dog.
i wish it was a bone
The false knight shows callous betrayal by wishing he had caused less harm.
oh what sheep and cattles that
The false knight covets the boy's family's livestock.
they're mine and me fathers
The little boy asserts that the animals belong to him and his father.
and how many shall be mine?
The false knight attempts to claim ownership of some of the animals.
the ones that have the blue tail
The little boy cunningly designates the animals with the blue tail as the ones the false knight can have.
oh can i get a share of them?
The false knight greedily asks to share in the ownership of the animals.
you cannot get a share of them
The little boy sharply refuses the false knight's request for ownership.
and why the stick all in your hand?
The false knight asks about the stick the boy is carrying.
to keep me from all cold and harm
The boy reveals that the stick is to protect him from harm and danger.
oh i wish you were in yonder tree
The false knight implies that he wishes to harm the little boy.
a ladder under me
The false knight suggests that he would climb up to the boy to cause harm.
the ladder it'll break
The little boy subtly implies that the false knight's plan will fail.
and you will surely break
The boy predicts the failure of the false knight's plan with confidence.
i wish you were on yonder sea
The false knight suggests he wishes to cause danger to the little boy.
a good boat under me
The false knight suggests he would float towards the boy on a good boat.
the boat will surely sink
The little boy implies that any plan of the false knight's will ultimately fail.
and you will surely drown
The boy shows unwavering self-confidence in his reply to the false knight.
has your mother more than you
The false knight attempts to extract more information from the little boy.
none of them for you.
The boy firmly disregards the false knight's inquiry and begins to dismiss him.
i think i hear a bell
The false knight begins to sense that he may be unwelcome.
it's ringing you to hell
The boy warns the false knight of the consequences of his deceptive actions.
Contributed by Bella C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@hedgerow215
The droning I-V-i chord is Tim Hart's jangly electric mountain dulcimer and the percussive picking is Carthy on the Telecaster. By playing the electric guitar like a folk acoustic guitarist Carthy achieved an extremely tight rock sound which defined the early Steeleye Span. Check out the Watersons' "Bright Phoebus" on which Carthy and Richard Thompson accompany most of the songs with dual acoustic guitars!
@johnmckenzie9944
That's exactly why I love this band and this tune mate!
@bobskins808
It's magical this to me.. What I mean is I loved this as a kid, forgot it over time and I haven't heard it for 25 years at least, to rediscover it and be reminded as a playlist chose the full album it is on, is joyous! Wow! I'm chuffed to bits!
@Wrz2e
It's wonderful. Imagine a song nowadays about a young boy meeting the devil on the road home from school.
@elmonte5lim
Robert Wilkinson we must be related ;)
@Promotall
For me this is a great song from an album of magical music. Of crafted words compiled to give something more than just enjoyment. From my perspective it warns. It explicitly sings how a father can teach the concerns he has to his children. And when he is old, as I am, he can see and understand where they took on board and/or cast-over what he said to further their own destiny.
@gordonjackson217
This is why I loved this band back in the day, and went right off them when they got a drummer!
@Chrismacleod777
I love Steeleye Span and this song is one of their best! Thanks for posting!
@buchling1
I prefer this over the other version by far. It's the kind of energetic playfulness that I associate with the lyrics.
@coramunroe
absolutely fantastic piece of music