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.
Go From My Window
Steeleye Span Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A beautiful obsession
Like a moth to a flame, he returns,
The window, and the rain,
have brought him back again ...
Go from my window my love, my dove
The wind is in the West and the cuckoo's in his nest
And you can't have a harbouring here
Go from my window my love, my dove
Go from my window my dear
The weather it is warm, it will never do thee harm
But you can't have a harbouring here
Go from my window my love, my dove
Go from my window my dear
The wind is blowing high and the ship is lying by
And you can't have a harbouring here
Go from my window my love, my dove
Go from my window my dear
The window and the rain have brought him back again
But you can't have a harbouring here
Go from my window my love, my dove
Go from my window my dear
The devil's in the man that he will not understand
He can't have a harbouring here
The lyrics of Steeleye Span’s traditional song Go From My Window tell the story of a woman warning her persistent suitor to stay away from her window. She tells him that he cannot harbor there, no matter how much he loves her, because the wind is blowing in the wrong direction and the cuckoo has settled in his nest. Despite the woman’s admonitions, her suitor is determined to remain, spurred on by the weather, the rain, and the sight of a ship lying in the harbor. The woman warns him of the devil lurking in his heart, which prevents him from understanding why he cannot stay. In the end, the woman tells him again to leave, to go from her window, and to find another place where he can harbor his love.
The song’s lyrics depict a timeless struggle between a woman who wants to be left alone and a man who cannot resist her charms. The woman represents traditional values, rooted in social conventions and the status quo, while the man embodies the restless spirit of youth, willing to challenge authority and to follow his heart. The conflict between these two forces has been a constant theme in literature and music for centuries, and it still resonates today, as people struggle to find a balance between tradition and innovation, between stability and change.
Line by Line Meaning
A beautiful obsession
Referring to a love that is intense, overwhelming and all-consuming.
Like a moth to a flame, he returns
Despite the obstacles and consequences, the lover returns to the window like a moth drawn to a flame.
The window, and the rain, have brought him back again
The lover returns to the window because of his strong feelings, regardless of any difficulties.
Go from my window my love, my dove
The artist tells the lover to leave and move away from the window.
Go from my window my dear
The artist tells the lover to depart from the window and stay away.
The wind is in the West and the cuckoo's in his nest
The natural elements and environment are against the idea of the lover staying and resting at the window.
And you can't have a harbouring here
The singer makes it clear that the lover is not welcome to stay near the window or anywhere near.
The weather it is warm, it will never do thee harm
The environment may seem inviting but the artist makes it clear that the lover is not invited.
The wind is blowing high and the ship is lying by
The rough weather and the presence of ships make it a dangerous time for the lover to stay near the window.
The devil's in the man that he will not understand
The artist points out the stubbornness of the lover, who refuses to understand and accept the artist's wish for him to leave.
He can't have a harbouring here
The singer makes it clear that no matter how much the lover wishes to stay and rest near the window, it is not allowed.
Contributed by Scarlett F. 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.