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 Holly And The Ivy
Steeleye Span Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When they are both full grown
Of all the trees that are in the wood
The holly bears the crown
O the rising of the sun
And the running of the deer
The playing of the merry organ
Sweet singing of the choir
The holly bears a blossom
As white as lily flower
And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ
To be our sweet Saviour
O the rising of the sun
And the running of the deer
The playing of the merry organ
Sweet singing of the choir
The holly bears a berry
As red as any blood
And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ
To do poor sinners good
O the rising of the sun
And the running of the deer
The playing of the merry organ
Sweet singing of the choir
The holly bears a prickle
As sharp as any thorn;
And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ
On Christmas Day in the morn.
O the rising of the sun
And the running of the deer
The playing of the merry organ
Sweet singing of the choir
The holly bears a bark
As bitter as any gall;
And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ
For to redeem us all.
O the rising of the sun
And the running of the deer
The playing of the merry organ
Sweet singing of the choir
The holly and the ivy
Now both are full well grown,
Of all the trees that are in the wood,
The holly bears the crown.
O the rising of the sun
And the running of the deer
The playing of the merry organ
Sweet singing of the choir
The Holly and The Ivy is a traditional Christmas carol that originated in England during the early 19th century. The song describes the various attributes of the holly and the ivy plants, and how they are associated with Mary and Jesus Christ. The first verse of the song emphasizes the importance of the holly tree in the woods, as it is the one that “bears the crown”. The succeeding verses describe other characteristics of the holly and its significance. The second verse talks about the holly’s blossom and how it represents the purity of Mary who bore Jesus Christ as the savior. The third verse talks about the holly’s berry that is as red as any blood, which symbolizes the sacrifice of Jesus Christ for the sins of humanity. The fourth verse emphasizes the prickles or thorns of the holly as a reminder of Christ's crown of thorns. The final verse concludes the song by reiterating the holly’s superiority amongst all other trees.
Overall, the song’s lyrics suggest that the holly and the ivy – both of which flourish during winter – have been integrated into Christian mythology and have symbolic meanings in relation to the birth of Christ. It is a song that celebrates nature, and the coming of the Messiah.
Line by Line Meaning
The holly and the ivy,
The plants named holly and ivy
When they are both full grown
When they have reached maturity
Of all the trees that are in the wood
Among all the trees in the forest
The holly bears the crown
The holly plant is the most prominent
O the rising of the sun
At daybreak
And the running of the deer
As the deer run through the forest
The playing of the merry organ
The joyous sound of the organ playing
Sweet singing of the choir
The choir singing beautifully
The holly bears a blossom
The holly plant produces a lovely white flower
As white as lily flower
The flower's color is as pure as a lily
And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ
Mary gave birth to Jesus Christ
To be our sweet Saviour
Who would be our compassionate Savior
The holly bears a berry
The holly plant also produces a red berry
As red as any blood
The berry's color is as red as blood
And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ
Mary gave birth to Jesus Christ
To do poor sinners good
Who came to save those who are unworthy
The holly bears a prickle
The holly plant has thorns
As sharp as any thorn;
The thorns are very sharp
And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ
Mary gave birth to Jesus Christ
On Christmas Day in the morn.
On the morning of Christmas Day
The holly bears a bark
The holly plant has a bitter bark
As bitter as any gall;
The bitterness of the bark is comparable to that of gall
And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ
Mary gave birth to Jesus Christ
For to redeem us all.
To save us all from sin and evil
The holly and the ivy
The holly plant and the ivy plant
Now both are full well grown,
Have now grown into maturity
Of all the trees that are in the wood,
Among all the trees in the forest
The holly bears the crown.
The holly plant dominates and stands out among all others
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Peermusic Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: LALO SCHIFRIN, . TRADITIONAL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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.