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.

The Prickly Bush
Steeleye Span Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

oh the prickly bush, it pricks my heart full sore
and if ever i'm out of the prickly bush
i'll never get in it any more.

hangman, oh hangman, hold your rope awhile
i think i see my father over yonder stile.
father did you bring me gold or have you brought any fee
for to save my body from the cold, clay ground

and my neck from the gallows tree?

no i didn't bring you gold nor have i brought any fee
but i have come to see you hung upon the gallows tree.

hangman, oh hangman, hold your rope a while
i think i see my brother over yonder stile.
brother did you bring me gold or have you brought any fee
for to save my body from the cold, clay ground
and my neck from the gallows tree?

no i didn't bring you gold nor have i brought any fee
but i have come to see you hung upon the gallows tree.

oh the prickly bush, it pricks my heart full sore
and if ever i'm out of the prickly bush
i'll never get in it any more.
oh the prickly bush, it pricks my heart full sore
and if ever i'm out of the prickly bush
i'll never get in it any more.

hangman, oh hangman, hold your rope a while
i think i see my sister coming over yonder stile.
sister did you bring me gold or have you brought any fee
for to save my body from the cold, clay ground
and my neck from the gallows tree?

no i didn't bring you gold nor have i brought any fee
but i have come to see you hung upon the gallows tree.

oh the prickly bush, it pricks my heart full sore
and if ever i'm out of the prickly bush
i'll never get in it any more.
oh the prickly bush, it pricks my heart full sore
and if ever i'm out of the prickly bush
i'll never get in it any more.

hangman, oh hangman, hold your rope a while
i think i see my lover over yonder stile.
lover did you bring me gold or have you brought any fee
for to save my body from the cold, clay ground
and my neck from the gallows tree?

yes i have brought you gold, yes i brought you the fee
and i've not come to see you hung upon the gallows tree.

oh the prickly bush, it pricks my heart full sore
and if ever i'm out of the prickly bush
i'll never get in it any more.
oh the prickly bush, it pricks my heart full sore
and if ever i'm out of the prickly bush
i'll never get in it any more.

oh the prickly bush, it pricks my heart full sore
and if ever i'm out of the prickly bush
i'll never get in it any more.
oh the prickly bush, it pricks my heart full sore
and if ever i'm out of the prickly bush
i'll never get in it any more.

oh the prickly bush, it pricks my heart full sore
and if ever i'm out of the prickly bush
i'll never get in it any more.
oh the prickly bush, it pricks my heart full sore
and if ever i'm out of the prickly bush
i'll never get in it any more.

oh the prickly bush, it pricks my heart full sore
and if ever i'm out of the prickly bush
i'll never get in it any more.
oh the prickly bush, it pricks my heart full sore

and if ever i'm out of the prickly bush
i'll never get in it any more.

Overall Meaning

"The Prickly Bush" is a traditional folk song that has been recorded by many artists, including Steeleye Span. The song tells the story of a person who is about to be hung for a crime they didn't commit. The prickly bush symbolizes the pain and suffering they are about to endure, and the hopelessness of their situation. The person sees their father, brother, sister, and lover, but none of them are able to provide the help they need to avoid the gallows. Finally, the lover arrives with the needed gold and fee to save the person from their fate.

The song is a powerful commentary on the unfairness of the justice system in many cultures, as well as the value of true love and loyalty. It also explores the emotions of someone who knows they are about to die and the impact it has on their relationships with others.

One interpretation of the song suggests that the lover's arrival represents a spiritual salvation, rather than a literal one. The prickly bush may represent the person's earthly pain, but their escape from it is ultimately a spiritual one.

Overall, "The Prickly Bush" is a haunting and poignant song that delivers a powerful message about the human experience. It is a testament to the enduring power of folk music to convey complex emotions and ideas through simple lyrics and melodies.

Line by Line Meaning

oh the prickly bush, it pricks my heart full sore
The painful memories of being in trouble with the law are always present, and it pains the heart deeply.

and if ever i'm out of the prickly bush
If ever I escape the law's grasp,

i'll never get in it any more.
I will never engage in illegal activities again.

hangman, oh hangman, hold your rope awhile
Please delay your execution for a moment, Mr. Hangman.

i think i see my father over yonder stile.
I believe I see my father approaching from afar.

father did you bring me gold or have you brought any fee
Father, did you bring any money to save me from my fate?

for to save my body from the cold, clay ground
To save me from ending up buried in the ground.

and my neck from the gallows tree?
And to avoid being hanged by the neck on this tree?

no i didn't bring you gold nor have i brought any fee
I am sorry, my child, but I didn't bring any money to save you.

but i have come to see you hung upon the gallows tree.
However, I am here to witness your execution.

hangman, oh hangman, hold your rope a while
Please delay your execution for a moment, Mr. Hangman.

i think i see my brother over yonder stile.
I believe I see my brother approaching from afar.

brother did you bring me gold or have you brought any fee
Brother, did you bring any money to save me from my fate?

oh the prickly bush, it pricks my heart full sore
The painful memories of being in trouble with the law are always present, and it pains the heart deeply.

and if ever i'm out of the prickly bush
If ever I escape the law's grasp,

i'll never get in it any more.
I will never engage in illegal activities again.

sister did you bring me gold or have you brought any fee
Sister, did you bring any money to save me from my fate?

but i have come to see you hung upon the gallows tree.
However, I am here to witness your execution.

hangman, oh hangman, hold your rope a while
Please delay your execution for a moment, Mr. Hangman.

i think i see my lover over yonder stile.
I believe I see my lover approaching from afar.

lover did you bring me gold or have you brought any fee
Love, did you bring any money to save me from my fate?

yes i have brought you gold, yes i brought you the fee
Yes, I have brought the money to save you, my love.

and i've not come to see you hung upon the gallows tree.
And I didn't come here to witness your execution.