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 Song Will Remain
Steeleye Span Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A song that would live in your heart forever;
I'd sing it loud and strong,
Every single word,
So that when my life is over,
And I never see you again,
The singer may die but the song will remain.
For all I have is gold and silver,
And that's all I have to leave you,
When I leave you behind.
But if I were a singer I'd sing you a song,
A song that would live in your heart forever;
I'd sing it loud and strong,
Every single word,
So that when my life is over,
And I never see you again,
The singer may die but the song will remain.
"The Song Will Remain" by Steeleye Span is a beautiful and poignant song that expresses the desire of the singer to leave a lasting legacy behind. The song, written by their vocalist Maddy Prior and guitarist Nigel Pegrum, begins with the simple yet powerful declaration, "If I were a singer I'd sing you a song, A song that would live in your heart forever." The singer goes on to express the hope that her song will stay with the listener long after she herself has passed away.
The lyrics focus on the theme of mortality and the desire to leave something of oneself behind. The singer acknowledges that material possessions are fleeting, but a heartfelt song has the power to endure. By singing every word "loud and strong," the singer hopes to create a lasting connection with the listener, even after she is gone. The final line, "The singer may die but the song will remain," encapsulates the essence of the song's message, conveying that the singer's legacy will live on through her music.
Overall, "The Song Will Remain" is a beautiful and emotional song that speaks to the universal desire to create something lasting and meaningful. The combination of Maddy Prior's emotive vocals and Nigel Pegrum's skillful guitar playing creates a powerful and moving tribute to the power of music.
Line by Line Meaning
If I were a singer I'd sing you a song,
If I had the gift of music, I would compose a song for you
A song that would live in your heart forever;
I would create a melody that would always be remembered by you
I'd sing it loud and strong,
I would sing it with great passion and volume
Every single word,
Without missing a single word
So that when my life is over,
When I am gone from this world forever
And I never see you again,
And there is no chance for us to see each other again
The singer may die but the song will remain.
My voice may perish, but my song will live on
For all I have is gold and silver,
I can only give you material riches such as gold and silver
And such things so easy to find,
But they are of little worth, as everyone can easily get them
And that's all I have to leave you,
That's all I can offer you
When I leave you behind.
When I depart this world
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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.