Steeleye Span formed in 1969 from members of Fairport Convention and out of… Read Full Bio ↴Steeleye Span formed in 1969 from members of Fairport Convention and out of the ashes of Sweeney's Men creating a distinctive fusion of both British folk with electric rock music. The resulting first version of the band was formed by ex-Fairport bassist Ashley Hutchings and built around two pairs of vocalists, Tim Hart and Maddy Prior and Gay & Terry Woods. Rhythm was to be supplied largely by Hutchings' bass, and without drums.

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.

Rave On
Steeleye Span Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Little things I like to say and do
Make me want to be with you
Rave on, it's a crazy feelin'
I know it's got me reelin'
I'm so glad, you're revealin' your love for me

Rave on, rave on and tell me
Tell me not to be lonely

Tell me, you love me only
Rave on to me

Way you dance and you hold me tight
The way you kiss and say goodnight
Rave on, it's a crazy feelin'
I know it's got me reelin'
I'm so glad, you're revealin' your love for me

Rave on, rave on and tell me
Tell me not to be lonely
Tell me, you love me only
Rave on to me

Little things I like to say and do
Make me want to be with you
Rave on, it's a crazy feelin'
I know it's got me reelin'
I'm so glad, you're revealin' your love for me

Rave on, rave on and tell me
Tell me not to be lonely
Tell me, you love me only
Rave on to me

Little things I like to say and do
Make me want to be with you
Rave on, it's a crazy feelin'
I know it's got me reelin'
I'm so glad, you're revealin' your love for me

Rave on, rave on and tell me
Tell me not to feel lonely
Tell me, you love me only

Rave on to me, rave on to me
Rave on to me, rave on to me

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "Rave On" by Steeleye Span describe the crazy feeling of being in love and the little things that make one want to be with their beloved. The singer expresses how glad they are that the person they love is revealing their feelings for them, and the way they dance, hold them tight, kiss them goodnight, and do other little things makes the singer feel that way. The lines "Rave on, it's a crazy feeling, I know it's got me reelin'" convey the overwhelming sensation of love that the singer is experiencing. The chorus, "Tell me not to be lonely, tell me you love me only, rave on to me" highlights the importance of being loved and reassured in a relationship.

The song is a celebration of love and the simple gestures that make a relationship special. It encourages the listener to revel in the excitement of love, and to express their feelings to their beloved. The chorus is a reminder that love should be verbalized and not left unspoken, reinforcing the idea that love requires communication and openness.

Overall, the lyrics of "Rave On" convey a simple but powerful message about the joy of being in love and the importance of expressing love to one's partner.

Line by Line Meaning

Little things I like to say and do
Small actions and words that I say bring a desire to be with you

Make me want to be with you
Those small things make me feel a strong desire to be with you

Rave on, it's a crazy feelin'
This feeling is crazy and intense

I know it's got me reelin'
I am feeling overwhelmed by this intense emotion

I'm so glad, you're revealin' your love for me
I am happy that you are showing me your love

Rave on, rave on and tell me
Continue to express these intense feelings to me

Tell me not to be lonely
Assure me that I am not alone in feeling this way

Tell me, you love me only
Confirm that you only love me

Way you dance and you hold me tight
I love the way you dance and hold me close

The way you kiss and say goodnight
I love the gentle goodbye kiss you give me

Tell me not to feel lonely
Let me know that I am not alone in my feelings