White Man
Steeleye Span Lyrics


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Knight

Some sing of their glory
Few tell the true story
Most men they don't need it
White man he kills for it.

They took to the seas
Searching for a land that they could call Paradise
Stealing the breeze that carried them towards the sun
With lust in their eyes and a gun in their hand
They said we've found Paradise
Think of the glory look at the prize we've won.

We know who they were
They were the ones who killed their brothers
To steal from others
We know who they were
They were the ones whose sons and daughters
Are doing it still.

And in their hearts what did they feel?
Did they think they had the right to steal
Another man's land who had no name?
O they didn't think he'd feel the pain.

So they sailed away from their own country
To another man's land far across the sea
And they stole that land from the people there
And they called that land Australia.

Chorus:
Why did he do it
White Man?

They sailed away one winter's day
To a sunlit land that was far away
And they stole that land from the people there
And they called that land America.





Chorus

Overall Meaning

The song "White Man" by Steeleye Span is a powerful critique of colonialism and imperialism. The lyrics begin by pointing out the irony of how most men don't need glory or validation, yet the white man kills for it. This line sets the tone for the rest of the song, which explores the consequences of this thirst for power.


The song describes how white men took to the seas in search of Paradise, which they found in the lands of other people. With their lust for power, they stole the land from these people and called it their own. The lyrics make it clear that this wasn't a fair fight, as the white men had guns and the other people didn't stand a chance.


The chorus of the song repeats the question "Why did he do it, white man?" The answer, of course, is that the white man did it for power, for the glory of claiming new lands and new civilizations. The lyrics, however, make it clear that this glory is hollow and based on theft and violence, and that true greatness comes from respect and understanding.


Line by Line Meaning

Some sing of their glory
Some people boast about their achievements


Few tell the true story
Only a handful of people speak honestly about the reality of the situation


Most men they don't need it
The majority of people don't require fame or recognition


White man he kills for it.
However, some people, like the white man, will do anything, even commit acts of violence, to achieve it


They took to the seas
Referring to Europeans who embarked on long voyages across the ocean


Searching for a land that they could call Paradise
With the goal of finding a place that they deemed to be perfect


Stealing the breeze that carried them towards the sun
Taking advantage of favorable conditions while crossing the sea


With lust in their eyes and a gun in their hand
Possessing a strong desire for conquest, with weaponry at the ready


They said we've found Paradise
Believing that they had discovered their ideal land


Think of the glory look at the prize we've won.
Glorifying their actions and focusing on the benefits they gained from their conquest


We know who they were
Indicating that the identity of these people is well-known


They were the ones who killed their brothers
Referring to the Europeans who fought and killed their fellow Europeans over territory


To steal from others
For the purpose of seizing property or resources that belonged to others


We know who they were
Continuing the point made earlier about the clear knowledge of the identity of these individuals


They were the ones whose sons and daughters
Referring to later generations of Europeans who maintained this violent, coercive mode of achievement


Are doing it still.
Continuing these practices to this day


And in their hearts what did they feel?
Questioning the thoughts and emotions of the colonizers when they carried out these violent acts


Did they think they had the right to steal
Asking whether the colonizers believed that they had a moral claim to the land and property they seized


Another man's land who had no name?
Referring to the native inhabitants of the land who were often deprived of their land and their very identities


O they didn't think he'd feel the pain.
Ignoring or dismissing the perspectives and experiences of the colonized individuals who suffered as a result of these actions


So they sailed away from their own country
Leaving their place of origin with a commitment to claiming new territory


To another man's land far across the sea
Moving to a distant location inhabited by people who viewed land and property differently


And they stole that land from the people there
Physically taking the land and resources from the native inhabitants of the territory


And they called that land Australia.
Naming the stolen territory and defining it in a way that reflected their own beliefs and interests


They sailed away one winter's day
Departing from their place of origin during a particularly cold time of year


To a sunlit land that was far away
Traveling to a location characterized by warmth, light, and new opportunities


And they stole that land from the people there
Carrying out the same practice of theft and exploitation in a new location


And they called that land America.
Giving a new name to this newly-claimed land


Why did he do it
A rhetorical question that asks why colonizers behave in the manner they do


White Man?
A pointed reference to the role of European colonizers in global history




Contributed by Violet S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Ben - Moderator


on Bonny Moorhen

Hi Stuart, We have corrected the description above.

Stuart Tartan


on Bonny Moorhen

The song Bonny Moorhen by Steeleye Span is a traditional Scottish ballad that tells the story of a bird, the Bonny Moorhen, and its journey through the glen and over the sea. The narrator of the song expresses affection and admiration for the bird and asks others to toast its health when they are out drinking. The Bonny Moorhen is described as having a rainbow of feathers, including blue, which is unusual for a bird, and invites it to come to the narrator. However, in the second verse, the song takes a darker turn as the narrator reveals that the bird has gone over the sea and will not return until the summer. But when it does return, only certain people will know, suggesting that not everyone will be happy about the Bonny Moorhen's return. The third verse introduces a new element to the story, two men named Ronald and Donald who are out on the fen, presumably trying to hunt or harm the bird. The narrator calls for the Bonny Moorhen to come to them for safety. Overall, the song is a mix of admiration for the beauty of nature and a warning about the dangers that can lurk in it. The Bonny Moorhen represents something pure and innocent, but there are those who would try to harm it, and the song is a call to protect it.

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.