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.
Lyke Wake Dirge
Steeleye Span Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Every nighte and alle
Fire and fleet and candle-lighte
And Christe receive thy saule
When thou from hence away art past
To whinny-muir thou com′st at last
If ever thou gavest hosen and shoon
If hosen and shoon thou ne'er gav′st nane
The whinnes shall prick thee to the bare bane
From whinny-muir when thou may'st pass
To brig o' dread thou com′st at last
From brig o′ dread when thou may'st pass
To purgatory fire thou com′st at last
If ever thou gavest meat or drink
The fire shall never make thee shrink
If meat or drink thou ne'er gav′st nane
The fire will burn thee to the bare bane
This ae nighte, this ae nighte
Every nighte and alle
Fire and sleet and candle-lighte
And Christe receive thy saule
The lyrics to Steeleye Span's song "Lyke Wake Dirge" are based on a traditional English folk ballad that dates back to the medieval era. The song is a solemn and macabre prayer that is traditionally sung at funerals or as a reminder of mortality.
The first verse sets the tone for the song, emphasizing the passing of time and the inevitability of death. "This ae nighte, this ae nighte" refers to every night and every occasion when death may come. "Fire and fleet and candle-lighte" symbolize the fragility and transience of life, while "And Christe receive thy saule" is a plea for the soul to be accepted by Christ after death.
The following verses introduce the concept of the afterlife journey. The mention of "whinny-muir" and "brig o' dread" are specific locations that represent different stages of the journey. "Hosen and shoon" refer to the shoes and stockings that the deceased might have donated to the poor during their lifetime. If they did, they are encouraged to put them on for protection. If not, they will be pierced by the thorns of the "whinnes" (thorny bushes).
The next verse introduces the notion of purgatory, a place of purification and spiritual growth. The fire of purgatory will not harm those who have provided food and drink to others but will burn those who have been selfish and unwilling to share.
Line by Line Meaning
This ae nighte, this ae nighte
On this one night, on this one night
Every nighte and alle
Every night and all
Fire and fleet and candle-lighte
Fire and swift movement and candle-light
And Christe receive thy saule
And Christ receive your soul
When thou from hence away art past
When you have departed from here
To whinny-muir thou com′st at last
You arrive at the heather moor at last
If ever thou gavest hosen and shoon
If you ever gave hose and shoes
Sit thee down and put them on
Sit down and put them on
If hosen and shoon thou ne'er gav′st nane
If you never gave hose and shoes to anyone
The whinnes shall prick thee to the bare bane
The prickly bushes will poke you to the bare bone
From whinny-muir when thou may'st pass
When you can pass from the heather moor
To brig o' dread thou com'st at last
You finally come to the bridge of fear
From brig o' dread when thou may'st pass
When you can pass from the bridge of fear
To purgatory fire thou com'st at last
You finally come to the purgatory fire
If ever thou gavest meat or drink
If you ever gave food or drink
The fire shall never make thee shrink
The fire will never make you flinch
If meat or drink thou ne'er gav'st nane
If you never gave food or drink to anyone
The fire will burn thee to the bare bane
The fire will burn you to the bare bone
This ae nighte, this ae nighte
On this one night, on this one night
Every nighte and alle
Every night and all
Fire and sleet and candle-lighte
Fire and cold rain and candle-light
And Christe receive thy saule
And Christ receive your soul
Writer(s): Maddy Prior, Peter Knight, Rick Kemp, Robert Johnson
Contributed by Liam A. 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.