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.
Lowlands of Holland
Steeleye Span Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And the salt sea shall be frozen before that I repent
Repent it shall I never until the day I dee
But the lowlands of Holland has twined my love and me.
My love lies in the salt sea and I am on the side
It's enough to break a young thing's heart what lately was a bride.
But lately was a bonny bride with pleasure in her e'e.
My love he built a bonny ship and set her on the sea
With seven score good mariners to bear her company.
But there's three score of them is sunk and three score dead at sea
And the lowlands of Holland has twined my love and me.
My love has built another ship and set her on the main
And nane but twenty mariners all for to bring her hame.
But the weary wind began to rise, the sea began to roll
And my love then and his bonny ship turned withershins about.
Then shall neither quiff come on my head nor comb come in my hair
And shall neither coal nor candlelight shine in my bower mair.
And neither will I marry until the day I dee
For I never had a love but one and he's drowned in the sea.
"Oh hold your tongue my daughter dear, be still and be content.
There's men enough in Galloway; you need not sore lament."
Oh there's men enough in Galloway, alas there's none for me
For I never had a love but one and he's drowned in the sea
The song "Lowlands of Holland" by Steeleye Span is a melancholy tale of love and loss. The singer of the song has chosen a love that they will be content with, even if it means never repenting until the day they die. However, their love is lost to the sea, leaving them heartbroken and alone. The singer reminisces about their bonny bride who had pleasure in her eyes, but is now lost to the lowlands of Holland.
The song tells the story of the singer's love, who built a bonny ship with seven score good mariners to bear her company. Unfortunately, three score of them are sunk, and three score are dead at sea. In the hope of bringing her love back, the singer's love built another ship with only twenty mariners to bring her home. But the weary wind began to rise, the sea began to roll, and the ship turned withershins about. Now the singer laments that they will never marry again because they never had a love but one, and he is drowned in the sea.
The song is a poignant reminder of the fickle nature of love and the unpredictability of the sea. It speaks to the universal truth that heartbreak and grief can leave one feeling alone and disconnected from the rest of the world.
Line by Line Meaning
The love that I have chosen I'll therewith be content
I'm choosing to be content with the love I have
And the salt sea shall be frozen before that I repent
I'll never repent my choice, even if the impossible happens
Repent it shall I never until the day I dee
I'll never regret my choice until the day I die
But the lowlands of Holland has twined my love and me.
The lowlands of Holland have taken my love away from me
My love lies in the salt sea and I am on the side
My love is lost at sea and I'm left behind
It's enough to break a young thing's heart what lately was a bride.
It's heartbreaking for a young bride like me to lose her love
But lately was a bonny bride with pleasure in her e'e.
I was a happy and beautiful bride, full of joy
My love he built a bonny ship and set her on the sea
My love built a beautiful ship and sent it off to sea
With seven score good mariners to bear her company.
With 140 good sailors to accompany her
But there's three score of them is sunk and three score dead at sea
60 of them have perished and another 60 are dead at sea
And the lowlands of Holland has twined my love and me.
The lowlands of Holland have taken my love away from me
My love has built another ship and set her on the main
My love has built another ship and set it sail on the sea
And nane but twenty mariners all for to bring her hame.
With just 20 sailors to bring her back home
But the weary wind began to rise, the sea began to roll
But the wind got stronger and the sea got rough
And my love then and his bonny ship turned withershins about.
My love and his ship turned around and went the other way
Then shall neither quiff come on my head nor comb come in my hair
I'll never take care of my appearance again
And shall neither coal nor candlelight shine in my bower mair.
I won't have any light in my room
And neither will I marry until the day I dee
I won't marry again until the day I die
For I never had a love but one and he's drowned in the sea.
I only had one love and he's drowned in the sea, so I'll never love again
"Oh hold your tongue my daughter dear, be still and be content.
"Be quiet and happy, my dear daughter
There's men enough in Galloway; you need not sore lament."
There are plenty of men in Galloway, you don't need to be so sad
Oh there's men enough in Galloway, alas there's none for me
There may be plenty of men in Galloway, but none for me
For I never had a love but one and he's drowned in the sea.
I only had one love and he's drowned in the sea, so I'll never love again
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Peermusic Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: J BAIRD, PD TRADITIONAL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@philipferguson8570
I've discovered quite a bit in recent years from that era - Fairports, Steeleye, Sandy denny solo stuff, Mr Fox, Shirley (and Dolly) Collins, Pentangle, June Tabor, Martin Carthy, Anne Briggs, Bert Jansch, John Martyn and much, much more.
The most albums I have of any one artist would be Bert.
The only band from that era that I was familiar with growing up was Pentangle. I bought their first album in the 1970s because a friend of mine had it and I used to listen to it a lot at her place.
She was also big into Incredible String Band - I tried but never really got into them.
]
These days my favourite performing/recording artist is Seth Lakeman, fantastic guy; I have all his albums and also have seen him live a couple of times. Also really like his oldest brother Sean Lakeman & Kathryn Roberts. Quite like the middle brother (Sam Lakeman) and his wife Cara Dillon, but they are often a bit too twee/MOR. I prefer Seth's more muscular version of folk.
I also really like Imagined Village, a great folk project.
I'm just about to buy June Tabor's 'Ashore' and also one of her and Oyster Band.
@user-bh4rx8mf8g
This song of Scottish origin dates to the time of the Seven Years War, fought in the Low Countries and Prussia/Silesia in the mid-eighteenth century but, as with many British folksongs, it has been borrowed, updated and bastardised many times. At the Battle of Minden, 1759, various English regiments advanced to meet the enemy. As they echeloned forward, they passed through rose gardens, where yellow and red roses grew. The flowers reminded the soldiers of home and, soldiers being a sentimental lot in their own way, they plucked them and wore them in their hats (so the story goes).
"Minden Day" is celebrated to this day by numerous British Army regiments. One such is the 1st Battalion, Royal Anglian Regiment, successor to the 12th Regiment of Foot (Suffolk Regiment), who were one of the regiments at Minden. On Minden Day, they wear decorate their colours with red and yellow roses.
A version of this song exists in Suffolk, which has a verse which refers to the roses of Minden:
"My love across the ocean
Wears a scarlet coat so fair,
With a musket at his shoulder
And roses in his hair"
@davidmcc8727
2024 and this song never ages. Brilliant
@lindsayheywood7195
I vividly remember the first time I heard this song. I was already a Fairport Convention fan, but when my brother put this album on for me and Lowlands of Holland started playing, I was blown away by how much I loved it instantly. 50 years later, it’s still an incredible song.
@reginaldrusin9412
50 years ,wow is long time...
@johnanderson8046
Music like this from those "folk-rock" British bands of the late 60s - Steeleye Span, Fairport Convention, Pentangle etc. - remains fresh and vital today when so much of the "rock" music of that era is forgettable.
@donutthump5089
I’m not articulate enough to express why I love this so much. Let’s just say it takes me “there”
@christrinder1255
Who’s listening to my favourite and very beautiful steeleye span song in December 2022 xx
@silverarrowslk
This version is better
https://youtu.be/4VRRlOsj9JE?si=f-mSwBg8xkP8jUG6
@glynnarogers2634
I am. Been a fan of theirs and Maddy Pryor for YEARS. Great and timeless!! Saw them in Houston in the 90's. Waited for 2 hours because of rain, but they came inside the Biergarten and we had a great concert inside! Fabulous!👍💖
@EmmettHoops
This song, and others on the same album, have aged very, very well. IMHO this was the pinnacle of folk/rock.
@pauldasen5868
Who's listening to this beautiful song - 2020.