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.
I Live Not Where I Love
Steeleye Span Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Many a miles from off your swain
Come and assist me this very moment
For to pass away some time
Singing sweetly and completely
Songs of pleasure and of love
For my heart is with them all together
Though I live not where I love
When I wake I find no rest
For every moment thinking of you
My heart affixed in your breast
Although far distance may be assistance
From my mind his love to remove
Yet my heart is with him all together
Though I live not where I love
All the world shall be one religion
Living things shall cease to die
If ever I prove false to my jewel
Or any way my love deny
The world shall change and be most strange
If ever I my mind remove
For my heart is with him all together
Though I live not where I love
So farewell lads and farewell lasses
Now I think I've got my choice
I will away to yonder mountain
Where I think I hear his voice
And if he calls then I will follow
Though the world it is so wide
For my heart is with him all together
Thought I live not where I love
The song "I Live Not Where I Love" by Steeleye Span is a traditional English folk song that speaks of the pain of loving from a distance. The song begins with a call to all the maids who live far away from their sweethearts, to come and join the singer and help pass away the time with songs of pleasure and love. The singer expresses how her heart is still with her lover, even though they are miles apart.
The lyrics then go on to show how this distance affects the singer's sleep and waking hours. The singer dreams about her lover and finds no rest when she is awake, thinking about him. Though the distance may seem like assistance in removing her lover from her mind, the singer's heart is still with him all together, despite living so far away.
The last verse speaks of a hope that all the world can be united in one religion and living things shall cease to die. However, the singer also vows to never be false to her lover or deny her love for him. She then bids farewell to everyone and sets off to the mountains, where she hears his voice calling out to her. The singer is ready to follow his call, even though the world is wide, because her heart is with him all together, though she lives not where she loves.
Line by Line Meaning
Come all ye maids that live at a distance
Addressing women who live far away from their lovers
Many a miles from off your swain
Living miles away from your partner
Come and assist me this very moment
Asking for help
For to pass away some time
To spend some time
Singing sweetly and completely
Singing beautiful and full songs
Songs of pleasure and of love
Singing about love and happiness
For my heart is with them all together
Although physically far away, emotionally attached to the songs and their content
Though I live not where I love
Despite not being close to my loved one
When I sleep I dream about you
Dreaming about the loved one during sleep
When I wake I find no rest
Not being able to get peace of mind upon waking up
For every moment thinking of you
Thinking about the loved one every moment
My heart affixed in your breast
My heart belongs to you
Although far distance may be assistance
Being apart can sometimes help forgetting the love
From my mind his love to remove
Trying to forget the loved one
Yet my heart is with him all together
However, my emotions and feelings are still attached to my loved one
All the world shall be one religion
Talking about love being the one religion
Living things shall cease to die
Notion of immortality if love exists in world
If ever I prove false to my jewel
If I am untrue to my lover
Or any way my love deny
Trying to hide or deny love
The world shall change and be most strange
If love is denied, the world will be different
If ever I my mind remove
If I ever try to forget the love
So farewell lads and farewell lasses
Saying goodbye to the people
Now I think I've got my choice
Thinking that I made the choice of leaving to see the loved one
I will away to yonder mountain
Going towards the mountain where the loved one is
Where I think I hear his voice
Feeling as though the loved one is calling out
And if he calls then I will follow
Having an unconditional love that will follow the calling of the loved one
Though the world it is so wide
Despite being far away from home and loved ones
For my heart is with him all together
But my heart belongs to the one I love
Thought I live not where I love
Even if it means being away from home and away from loved ones
Contributed by Zoe V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Brian Middleton
This is Maddy at her very best, and that's about as good as it gets. Gorgeous.
Paul Lavan
Yes, this is truly beautiful. I've shed a few tears listening to this, and no mistake.
Hotelechomike
My wife & I attended the Steeleye Concert in Oxford in May 2006 (last night of the tour) when Maddy sang this. We were sat in row 5 and for some reason as Maddy introduced this song she looked in our direction (Peter Knight's partner was sat behind us) & my wife almost burst into tears. It remains one of her favourite songs from Steeleye.
We met Peter & Ken after the show where our son was given the last tour T-shirt available - the one nailed to the merchandising board.
mapior
Stunning. Was released first on the Tim Hart & Maddy Prior album "Summer Solstice" Takes me back....
Doug
"All the world will be one religion, all living things will cease to die" 😍
folkmusicgirl
This song and "Lovely on the Water" are my absolute two favourite songs sung by Maddy Prior. I know there are so many other great songs by Steeleye Span - the list is long! However, "I Live Not Where I Love" and "Lovely on the Water" are for me - at the top of the list.
Graeme Tearle
"Lovely On The Water" was Maddy at her absolute best.
JamesStuart Brice
This is a song that I have liked for many years. The first version I heard was Mary Black, and later I bought the LP with Maddy Prior and Tim Hart. The two are both very agreeable, I like both versions.
Brian Stevens
Love this song
rothwellss
The best voice perfect time just lovely Thanks