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.
Hark The Herald Angels Sing
Steeleye Span Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Glory to the newborn King
Peace on earth and mercy mild
God and sinners reconciled
Joyful all ye nations rise
Join the triumph of the skies
With the angelic host proclaim
Hark the herald angels sing
Glory to the newborn King
Christ by highest heav'n adored
Christ the everlasting lord
Late in time behold Him come
Offspring of the virgins womb
Veiled in flesh the Godhead see
Hail, the incarnate deity
Pleased as man with men to dwell
Jesus our Emmanuel
Hark the herald angels sing
Glory to the newborn King
Hail the heaven-born Prince of peace
Hail the Son of righteousness
Light and life to all He brings
Risen with healing in His wings
Mild He lays his glory by
Born that man no more may die
Born to raise the sons of earth
Born to give them second birth
Hark the herald angels sing
Glory to the newborn King
The lyrics to Steeleye Span's version of “Hark the Herald Angels Sing” are quite similar to the original 18th-century hymn by Charles Wesley, which is still sung in churches around the world. The song celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ, with the first verse proclaiming “Glory to the newborn King” and “peace on earth and mercy mild” brought about by the redemption of sinners through his birth. The second verse refers to Christ as the “heaven-born Prince of peace” and the “Son of righteousness” who brings “light and life to all.”
The third verse delves into the theological concept of the incarnation, with Christ being both fully divine (“Christ by highest heav’n adored”) and fully human (“Pleased as man with men to dwell”). The phrase “veiled in flesh the Godhead see” refers to the idea that Christ, being fully God, humbled himself and took on human form in order to dwell among us. The verse concludes with the proclamation “Jesus our Emmanuel,” which means “God with us.”
The final verse celebrates the idea that Christ was born to save humanity from death and sin, with the line “born that man no more may die” and the reference to his mission to give “second birth” to all who believe in him. It also highlights the idea of Christ’s sacrifice, with the phrase “Mild he lays his glory by” referring to the concept of the incarnation as a “kenosis” or self-emptying, where Christ gave up his divine glory in order to become human and ultimately sacrifice himself for our sake.
Line by Line Meaning
Hark the herald angels sing
Listen to the songs of the angels
Glory to the newborn King
Praise the newly born King
Peace on earth and mercy mild
May there be peace on earth and forgiveness
God and sinners reconciled
God has made amends with sinners
Joyful all ye nations rise
All nations should be filled with joy
Join the triumph of the skies
Celebrate the victory in the skies
With the angelic host proclaim
Join the angels in proclaiming
Christ is born in Bethlehem
Jesus is born in Bethlehem
Christ by highest heav'n adored
Jesus is adored by the highest heaven
Christ the everlasting lord
Jesus is the eternal Lord
Late in time behold Him come
He has come later in time
Offspring of the virgins womb
He is the son of a virgin
Veiled in flesh the Godhead see
He is wrapped in flesh for us to see
Hail, the incarnate deity
Praise the deity who became human
Pleased as man with men to dwell
He was pleased to live among humans
Jesus our Emmanuel
Jesus, our God with us
Hail the heaven-born Prince of peace
Praise the Prince of Peace born in heaven
Hail the Son of righteousness
Praise the Son who brings righteousness
Light and life to all He brings
He brings light and life to all
Risen with healing in His wings
He has risen and brings healing
Mild He lays his glory by
He humbly sets aside his glory
Born that man no more may die
Born to save man from eternal death
Born to raise the sons of earth
Born to raise humans from the earth
Born to give them second birth
Born to give humans spiritual rebirth
Hark the herald angels sing
Listen to the songs of the angels
Glory to the newborn King
Praise the newly born King
Contributed by Kaylee 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.