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.
Ups And Downs
Steeleye Span Lyrics
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A pretty little Aylesbury girl I met upon the way
Her business was to market with butter, cheese and whey
And we both jogged on together my boys fol-der-o diddle-o-day
And we both jogged on together my boys fol-der-o diddle-o-day
As we jogged on together my boys together side by side
By chance this fair maid's garter it came untied
Your garter's come untied my love fol-der-o diddle-o-day
Your garter's come untied my love fol-der-o diddle-o-day
As we rode on together my boys to the outskirts of the town
At length this fair young damsel she stopped and looked around
O since you've been so venturesome pray tie it up for me
O I will if you go to the apple grove fol-der-o diddle-o-day
O I will if you go to the apple grove fol-der-o diddle-o-day
And when we got to the apple grove the grass was growing high
I laid this girl upon her back her garter for to tie
While tying of her garter such sights I never did see
And we both jogged on together my boys fol-der-o diddle-o-day
And we both jogged on together my boys fol-der-o diddle-o-day
O since you've had your will of me come tell to me your name
Likewise your occupation and where and whence you came
Ma name is Mickey the drover boy from Dublin town come I
And I live at the sign of the ups and downs fol-der-o diddle-o-day
And I live at the sign of the ups and downs fol-der-o diddle-o-day
And when she got to Aylesbury her butter was not sold
And the losing of her maidenhead it made her blood run cold
He's gone, he's gone, he's gone, she said, he's not the lad for me
For he lives at the sign of the ups and downs fol-der-o diddle-o-day
For he lives at the sign of the ups and downs fol-der-o diddle-o-day
The lyrics to the Steeleye Span song "Ups and Downs" tell the story of a chance encounter between a young drover boy named Mickey and a pretty girl from Aylesbury who is on her way to market with her goods. As they journey together, Mickey notices that the girl's garter has come untied and offers to re-tie it for her. When they arrive at the apple grove where she suggests they stop, Mickey takes the opportunity to make love to her. The girl later realizes that he is not the kind of man she wants to be with and laments that she lost her virginity to him.
The song relates a cautionary tale about the dangers that women faced when travelling alone in earlier times. It also suggests that sexual encounters sometimes have unexpected consequences, as the girl is left feeling regretful and disillusioned. The title "Ups and Downs" may be a reference to the unpredictability of life and the inevitability of both good and bad experiences.
Line by Line Meaning
As I was going to Aylesbury all on a market day
I was on my way to Aylesbury on a day when the town's market was open
A pretty little Aylesbury girl I met upon the way
I saw a lovely girl from Aylesbury while I was on my journey
Her business was to market with butter, cheese and whey
She was selling butter, cheese, and whey at the market
And we both jogged on together my boys fol-der-o diddle-o-day
We continued on our way together, singing fol-der-o diddle-o-day
By chance this fair maid's garter it came untied
By accident, the girl's garter came undone
For fear that she might lose it I unto her did say
To make sure she wouldn't lose it, I told her about her undone garter
Your garter's come untied my love fol-der-o diddle-o-day
Your garter is undone, my dear, let's sing fol-der-o diddle-o-day
At length this fair young damsel she stopped and looked around
Eventually, the young girl stopped and looked around
O since you've been so venturesome pray tie it up for me
Since you were so helpful before, please tie it up for me
O I will if you go to the apple grove fol-der-o diddle-o-day
Sure, I'll do it, but let's go to the apple grove and sing fol-der-o diddle-o-day
I laid this girl upon her back her garter for to tie
I laid her on her back to tie her garter
While tying of her garter such sights I never did see
While I was tying her garter, I saw things I had never seen before
O since you've had your will of me come tell to me your name
Since you're done with me, tell me your name
Likewise your occupation and where and whence you came
Also, tell me your job and where you're from
Ma name is Mickey the drover boy from Dublin town come I
My name is Mickey, and I'm a cowboy from Dublin
And when she got to Aylesbury her butter was not sold
When she arrived in Aylesbury, she still hadn't sold her butter
And the losing of her maidenhead it made her blood run cold
The realization that she lost her virginity made her feel frightened
He's gone, he's gone, he's gone, she said, he's not the lad for me
He left, he left, he left, she said. He's not the right person for me
For he lives at the sign of the ups and downs fol-der-o diddle-o-day
Because he lives at the inn called the Ups and Downs, let's sing fol-der-o diddle-o-day
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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.