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.
The Drunkard
Steeleye Span Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I will walk the streets up, I will walk the streets down
I will see the landlady dressed in a silk gown
With my elbows all out and my breeches without knees
You are the biggest vagabond that I ever did see.
Where I go so raggedy and you go so fine
Ale and tobacco for you I have paid
If I ain't you'd have gone in your raggedy ways.
If I had a-listened to my old woman at the first
I might have had silver and gold in my purse
To maintain my wife and my children so small
But 'tis I, silly drunkard, have ruined them all.
I will cock up my hat as I had on before
And I'll go home to me wife and I'll love her no more
And the more I will beat her the more she will cry
And the more silly drunkard and blackguard am I.
The lyrics of this traditional song, The Drunkard, tell the story of a man who has lost everything due to his excessive drinking. The singer walks the streets, observing the contrast between his own ragged appearance and the finery of those better off than him, including the landlady dressed in silk. He blames his own poverty on the money he has spent on ale and tobacco, accusing the landlady of taking advantage of his addiction.
The singer admits that his old woman warned him about the consequences of his drinking, but he did not listen. He laments his current situation, feeling regretful that he has squandered his wealth and ruined his family. In a desperate and bitter tone, he declares his intention to return home to his wife and no longer love her, instead choosing to further degrade her by beating her.
The lyrics paint a bleak picture of the effects of alcoholism and poverty, showing how destructive they can be to individuals and their loved ones. Though the song is old, its themes and messages are still relevant today.
Line by Line Meaning
I will walk the streets up, I will walk the streets down
I'll wander aimlessly, with no specific goal in mind, through the busy city streets
I will see the landlady dressed in a silk gown
I'll catch a glimpse of the innkeeper, looking elegant in her fancy clothes
With my elbows all out and my breeches without knees
I'll be dressed in tattered clothing, with holes exposing my skin
You are the biggest vagabond that I ever did see.
You, the person I'm addressing, are the greatest vagrant and rogue I've ever come across.
Where I go so raggedy and you go so fine
You're dressed immaculately while I look like a shabby mess
It's of the good money you have took of mine
You've stolen my hard-earned wealth
Ale and tobacco for you I have paid
I've footed the bill for your drinking and smoking habits.
If I ain't you'd have gone in your raggedy ways.
Without my continuously supporting you, you'd be in poor shape, suffering in the same squalor I do.
If I had a-listened to my old woman at the first
Had I heeded my wife's warnings initially,
I might have had silver and gold in my purse
I wouldn't be penniless if I had taken her advice
To maintain my wife and my children so small
I could have provided for my family, including my young offspring
But 'tis I, silly drunkard, have ruined them all.
Instead, because of my foolish behavior, I've squandered everything, leading to the ruin of my loved ones.
I will cock up my hat as I had on before
I'll raise my hat, the same way I always do when I leave the tavern
And I'll go home to me wife and I'll love her no more
I'll return to my wife but won't have any affection for her anymore.
And the more I will beat her the more she will cry
The more I mistreat her, the more she'll weep, anguished by my violent behavior.
And the more silly drunkard and blackguard am I.
My despicable actions only make me more of a foolish, drunken reprobate.
Contributed by Aiden Y. 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.