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.

We Poor Labouring Men
Steeleye Span Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Oh, some do say the farmer's best
But I must needs say no
If it weren't for we poor laboring men
What would the farmers do?

They'd beat out all of their old stuff
Until some new come in
There's never a trade in old England

Like we poor laboring men

Oh, some do say the baker's best
But I must needs say no
If it weren't for we poor laboring men
What would the bakers do?

They'd beat out all their old stuff
Until some new come in
There's never a trade in old England
Like we poor laboring men

Oh, some do say the butcher's best
But I must needs say no
If it weren't for we poor laboring men
What would the butchers do?

They'd beat out all their old stuff
Until some new come in
There's never a trade in old England
Like we poor laboring men

There's never a trade in old England
Like we poor laboring men

Let every true born Englishman
Lift up his flowing glass
And toast each honest working man
Likewise his bonny lass

And when these cruel days are gone
Good times will come again
There's never a trade in old England
Like we poor laboring men

And when these cruel days are gone
There's never a trade in old England
Like we poor laboring men
Like we poor laboring men

And when these cruel days are gone
Good times will come again
Good times will come again

There's never a trade in old England
There's never a trade in old England

Overall Meaning

The song "We Poor Labouring Men" by Steeleye Span speaks to the important role of the working class in England during the time it was written. The lyrics speak to the fact that although others may think that the farmers, bakers and butchers are the best, it is in fact the poor labouring men who are the backbone of England's economy. Without their hard work, these other trades would not be able to survive. The song speaks to the importance of these working class people and calls on others to lift up their glasses in a toast to each honest working man and his bonny lass.

The repeated phrase "There's never a trade in old England like we poor labouring men" drives home the point that the working class are unique in their contributions to society. They work tirelessly to keep other trades thriving, despite often receiving little recognition or reward for their efforts. This song is a tribute to the hard work and dedication of the working class and a call for better times to come for these often-overlooked members of society.

Overall, the song is a heartfelt tribute to the working class and their essential place in English society. By highlighting the important role of these often undervalued workers, the song calls upon listeners to appreciate and support the working class, both in the present and in the future.

Line by Line Meaning

Oh, some do say the farmer's best
Some people claim that farmers have the best profession

But I must needs say no
But I must disagree

If it weren't for we poor laboring men
If it were not for us poor laborers

What would the farmers do?
What would the farmers accomplish?

They'd beat out all of their old stuff
They would work out their old supplies

Until some new come in
Until new ones arrive

There's never a trade in old England
There isn't a profession in Old England

Like we poor laboring men
Similar to that of us, poor working men

Let every true born Englishman
Let every genuine Englishman

Lift up his flowing glass
Raise his glass of alcohol

And toast each honest working man
And honor every hard-working man