What's your favourite Steeleye Span song?

Subject: RE: What's your favourite Steeleye Span song?
From: GUEST,Claire M (Permanant GUEST!)
Date: 18 Jul 12 - 03:40 PM

Hiya,

> "It would be easier (and take a lot less time!) to list the songs I don't like."

Snap. They've been there when I felt good, bad or indifferent, so much so I got ill when I went a couple of years without listening. It could just be coincidence....... or not?? BWA HA HA HA !!

I like all their nasty ones the best. I think that's why they appealed so much.

'The Wife Of Usher's Well' is the first song I really took notice of. Very disappointed to find said Well isn't a real place.

Subject: RE: What's your favourite Steeleye Span song?
From: Deneb
Date: 01 Sep 10 - 06:53 AM

My favourite Steeleye Span song? "Sheepcrook And Blackdog".
Definitely.

Gaia

P. S.: Now that I think of it - "Below The Salt" was the first folk recording I listened to. :)

Subject: RE: What's your favourite Steeleye Span song?
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 31 Aug 10 - 07:40 AM

Probably Weaver & Factory Maid mixed up with When I Was A..., Wearisome Trade, & all; + 3 (I think: hard to count) Maddys all singing at once.

All Around My Hat has many nods above, & one no-no-no ~ from Smedley, I think. BUT no-one seems to have raised interesting query as to why they should have sung the words of [or, to avoid cries of "No correct version of traditional song" & stuff, usually associated with] Farewell He, to tune of [or ditto &c usually assocd with] All Around My Hat.

Just seemed to me worth asking ~ or wondering... I mean, if they were going to sing All Around My Hat, why not just sing the words of All Around My Hat, & not those usually sung as another song to some other tune?

~Michael~

Subject: RE: What's your favourite Steeleye Span song?
From: Rob Naylor
Date: 31 Aug 10 - 02:59 AM

Well the most memorable one I heard them do *live* was in about 1974 at Leicester De Montfort Hall.

It was their version of "Rave On"!!!

Very memorable for me. It was their encore, and as they started Maddy whipped off her long dress to reveal a red satin microdress with plunging neckline and a pair of long legs which she then proceeded to put to good use dancing down into the audience and grabbing various people to dance with her for a few bars. I was one of those people!

It's probably not the qality of the song that makes it stick in my mind so strongly :-)

Subject: RE: What's your favourite Steeleye Span song?
From: GUEST,Jim in Rose City Downunder
Date: 31 Aug 10 - 02:27 AM

So many - but - Weaver & the Factory Maid probably gets the nod esp for Maddy's harmonies with herself at the end (played loud)

Subject: RE: What's your favourite Steeleye Span song?
From: Smedley
Date: 13 Jan 10 - 12:44 PM

This thread has prompted me to revisit a lot of their 1970s albums. the problem with a lot of them (though emphatically not the first two) is that the production sometimes mixes the vocals too low and the instrumentation too much in the forefront. Added to this, that instrumentation can be a bit, erm, crunchy. Not subtle enough, and sometimes an air of stretching rather too desperately to attract a 'rock audience'.

But there are still great tracks to be found.

Subject: RE: What's your favourite Steeleye Span song?
From: Georgiansilver
Date: 09 Jan 10 - 10:41 AM

Just lately.. have listened to some of their stuff on Youtube and 'Marigold' is the one I am enjoying most...... change of taste with age I suppose.

Subject: RE: What's your favourite Steeleye Span song?
From: Lighter
Date: 09 Jan 10 - 10:25 AM

My two cents (I know you're all waiting):

Steeleye couldn't do a less than wonderful track before "Robbery with Violins."

From that moment on, step by step....

But fortunately they've been slow and often fabulously interrupted steps.

Fave: "Sheep Crook"? "Prince Charlie Stuart"? "When I was on Horseback"? "Gypsy Laddie"? "Seventeen Come Sunday"? I give up.

Subject: RE: What's your favourite Steeleye Span song?
From: Smedley
Date: 09 Jan 10 - 05:16 AM

Dark-Eyed Sailor.

(Interesting points, Sweeney)

Subject: RE: What's your favourite Steeleye Span song?
From: Jack Blandiver
Date: 09 Jan 10 - 05:14 AM

I'm with Jim on this, but must admit to owning the early stuff + the extended double disk Castle edition of Lark in the Morning with the radio sessions which reveals a rougher edge, though quite so rough as Mr Fox who at least provided an alternative to the Steeleye / Albion / Fairport axis (aka The Hutchings Dynasty) with respect of English Folk Rock which never quite got up to the same sort speeds reached in France with Malicorne etc. Still, there is a charm here that pervades to this day. Of course you'll have all seen this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HGHYl7Kv50g

Which was recorded in 1970, when I myself was either 8 or 9; I recall it from school, along with so much other folky fol-de-rol which I either found irksome or inspirational, but which never lived up to the promise realised on Bright Phoebus and The Battle of the Field which turned out to be swan-songs, pretty much.

My friend Ron Baxter maintains that Steeleye Span didn't do Folk Rock as such, rather they did Folk with Electric Instruments; I'd say that's about right, although I still wake up screaming when 700 Elves invade my nightmares....

Subject: RE: What's your favourite Steeleye Span song?
From: Tradsinger
Date: 09 Jan 10 - 04:44 AM

Tam Lin
Let her go down
When I was on Horseback

Subject: RE: What's your favourite Steeleye Span song?
From: Suegorgeous
Date: 09 Jan 10 - 03:27 AM

The Blacksmith - just for being the song that really opened my eyes/ears to traditional song. Never looked back.

Subject: RE: What's your favourite Steeleye Span song?
From: machree01
Date: 08 Jan 10 - 10:36 AM

The Blacksmith

Subject: RE: What's your favourite Steeleye Span song?
From: GUEST,EF
Date: 08 Jan 10 - 09:00 AM

Lark in the Morning. Gorgeous.

Subject: RE: What's your favourite Steeleye Span song?
From: Suegorgeous
Date: 07 Jan 10 - 07:48 PM

Wossat, Jim? speak up! :)

Subject: RE: What's your favourite Steeleye Span song?
From: Jim Carroll
Date: 07 Jan 10 - 07:23 PM

Subject: RE: What's your favourite Steeleye Span song?
From: GUEST,Ken Brock
Date: 07 Jan 10 - 07:17 PM

Lots of favorites - If I hve to pick one, it would probably be One Misty Moisty Morning

Subject: RE: What's your favourite Steeleye Span song?
From: Suegorgeous
Date: 06 Jan 10 - 07:53 PM

Oh JIM.......... *sigh*

Subject: RE: What's your favourite Steeleye Span song?
From: Jim Carroll
Date: 06 Jan 10 - 03:52 PM

The Sound of their silence - love it!
Jim Carroll

Subject: RE: What's your favourite Steeleye Span song?
From: GUEST,boris
Date: 06 Jan 10 - 01:13 PM

Gay Woods - unerestimated tribute of her tremendous lyrical voice interpreting some of the most beautiful ballads ever : I see his blood upon the rose , Old maid in the garrett , Erin , Beyond the dreaming place , Go from my window . Among the others : Lord Randall , Who told the butcher , Horkstow Grange , You will burn .

Subject: RE: What's your favourite Steeleye Span song?
From: Amos
Date: 20 May 04 - 04:02 PM

King Henry, I think....

Subject: RE:Wahts your' favourit Stealeye Span song?
From: s&r
Date: 20 May 04 - 04:08 AM

Subject: RE: What's your favourite Steeleye Span song?
From: Matt_R
Date: 19 May 04 - 08:01 PM

Alison Gross, of course...especially the ending

Subject: RE: What's your favourite Steeleye Span song?
From: LindsayInWales
Date: 19 May 04 - 07:06 PM

The entire Commoners Crown LP does it for me plus Thomas the Rhymer, Two Magicians, The Ups and Downs...

Subject: RE: What's your favourite Steeleye Span song?
From: Compton
Date: 19 May 04 - 06:59 PM

I'll put my two pennorth with "The Drunkard"..perhaps 'cos I are one !!

Subject: RE: Wahts your' favourit Stealeye Span song?
From: GUEST,I love jOhn fan
Date: 19 May 04 - 09:43 AM

I would never dream of interfering with jOhn's choice of speling

Subject: RE: What's your favourite Steeleye Span song?
From: GUEST,Chris B (Born Again Scouser)
Date: 19 May 04 - 09:10 AM

Ranger1:

Are we sure we aren't missing a preposition?

Oh, I missed a couple: 'Orfeo', 'Cam Ye O'er From France', 'Brian O'Lynn/The Hag With The Money', 'The Drunkard' (though NOT the crude, racist preamble to it), 'Padstow', 'Shaking of the Sheets', 'Old Maid in a Garrett', 'Lady Diamond'.

OK, playmates. Drift time. What are your Least favourite Steeleye numbers? Any entries from the first four albums will be disqualified.

I've already made a couple of suggestions, to which I would add 'Gamble Gold and Robin Hood', 'Hard Times of Old England', The Wee Wee Man' (go on, try playing it to your mates. I dare you.), most of 'Sails of Silver', and all the 'comedy' numbers from 'Now We Are Six' and 'Commoner's Crown'. I also find it very difficult to listen to the songs about infanticide these days, such as 'Little Sir Hugh, 'Long Lankin' and 'The Cruel Mother'- so I don't.

Subject: RE: What's your favourite Steeleye Span song?
From: Jackie in the Green
Date: 19 May 04 - 05:32 AM

Blimey, what a question! There are just too many wonderful songs to choose from, but after giving it much thought I'd have to go for Edwin from Now We Are Six. My favourite album is Commoners Crown.

I saw Steeleye last week on their 35th anniversary tour and they were on excellent form. Maddy's voice just gets better and better. My only complaint was that they didn't sing Thomas the Rhymer.

As anyone heard any news on how Bob Johnson is? I know sadly he has heart problems and wasn't up to 2002 tour or the latest tour.

Subject: RE: What's your favourite Steeleye Span song?
From: ranger1
Date: 18 May 04 - 08:34 PM

Let Her Go Down
The Blacksmith

Subject: RE: What's your favourite Steeleye Span song?
From: GUEST,Chris B (Born Again Scouser)
Date: 18 May 04 - 06:48 PM

Steeleye were my no. 1 favourite band from about 1970 until they broke up in 1978. All my mates at school thought I was mad. I probably was. Never quite got back into them as much after they reformed in the 80's - thrill is gone, I suppose.

For me:

'Dark Eyed Sailor'
'All Things Are Quite Silent'
'Hills of Greenmore'
'Lowlands of Holland'
'The King'
'Lark In the Morning'
'Female Drummer'
'Cold, Haily, Windy Night'
'Lovely On The Water'
'Fisherman's Wife'
'When I Was On Horseback'
'Four Nights Drunk' and all the tune sets from 'Ten Man Mop'
'Rosebud In June'
'Sheepcrook'
'Royal Forester'
'King Henry'
'Saucy Sailor'
'Robbery With Violins' (the full, live version with 'Duffy the   Dancer' and 'Lucy Campbell'
'Weaver and the Factory Maid'
'Parcel Of Rogues'
'Drink Down The Moon'
'Thomas the Rhymer'
'Demon Lover'
'Cadgwith Anthem'
'Usher's Well'
'Dance With Me'
'Bachelor's Hall'
'Sir James The Rose'
'Fighting for Strangers'
'Awake, Awake'
'The Victory'
'The Wife of the Soldier'
'Galtee Farmer (live version with Martin Carthy)'
'Boar's Head Carol (anyone remember 'Jim'll Fix It?')'
'Some Rival'
'Maid And The Palmer'
'Bonnets So Blue'
'Montrose'
'Hunting the Wren''
'False Knight On The Road (Live)'

Well, that's my list but God knows, the last thing the world needs is another Steeleye compilation.

If I NEVER hear 'Gaudete' and 'All Around My Hat' again it will be a damn sight too soon.

Subject: RE: What's your favourite Steeleye Span song?
From: Shanghaiceltic
Date: 18 May 04 - 06:41 PM

My Johnny was a shoemaker
Guadete
Lowlands of Holland

Subject: RE: What's your favourite Steeleye Span song?
From: GUEST,Strudelbag
Date: 18 May 04 - 06:17 PM

I spent most of the week after I bought *Below the Salt* (25 years ago it was) with my head sandwiched between the speakers trying successfully to absorb the music into my very bones. One decibel more and I'd be deaf now. Ran out ASAP to buy their other stuff. It was YEARS before they laid down even one, um, "infelicitous" track.

Surely their first four five albums are among the greatest pop (in the broadest sense) albums ever recorded! (Incredible that 3 different lineups could maintain that quality!)

I'm rambling. Best song: "Sheep Crook and Black Dog," perhaps.

Subject: RE: What's your favourite Steeleye Span song?
From: ard mhacha
Date: 18 May 04 - 03:49 PM

From the brilliant Hark the Village Album, I would select Copshawholme Fair, this Album was only bettered by Planxty [1972].

Subject: RE: What's your favourite Steeleye Span song?
From: Big Tim
Date: 18 May 04 - 03:13 PM

Nothing will ever beat King Henry, I think!

Subject: RE: What's your favourite Steeleye Span song?
From: GUEST
Date: 18 May 04 - 03:09 PM

Dark Eyed Sailor - I believe Gail Woods was the lead female voice on that at one - great delivery .

Subject: RE: What's your favourite Steeleye Span song?
From: Georgiansilver
Date: 18 May 04 - 09:38 AM

My favourite has to be "The Rosebud in June" as it has everything...The chorus, the harmony...the whole sound of the thing...Oh and the sheep shearing (I SAID "SHEARING" GENTS).
The other I really like is "Let Her Go Down"...BUT........
Don't you just love all their songs???????????

Subject: RE: What's your favourite Steeleye Span song?
From: sledge
Date: 18 May 04 - 09:11 AM

The saucy sailor.
Parcel of rogues.
Alison Gross.

Subject: RE: What's your favourite Steeleye Span song?
From: GUEST,biker Dave from Bampton
Date: 18 May 04 - 09:00 AM

one of my favourt songs is jack hall, its really catchy and puts me in a good mood when ever i hear it. i like the hole band they're all good people. i morris danced at the oxford apollo for martin carthys 60th birthday bash. i known martin, norma and eliza since i was a baby. they come down to bampton in oxfordshire nearly every year for witson at the end of may. for them its like a holiday, maddy comes down too sometimes.

Subject: RE: What's your favourite Steeleye Span song?
From: Big Tim
Date: 20 Dec 03 - 04:07 PM

John didn't mispell "bastard"!

Subject: RE: What's your favourite Steeleye Span song?
From: Bearheart
Date: 20 Dec 03 - 02:28 PM

It would be easier (and take a lot less time!) to list the songs I don't like.
I think I was 13 or 14 when I started listening to these folks in the early 70s -- including the ones Maddy and Tim did on their own. Though by then I'd been listening to field recordings (Folksongs of Britain,primarily Child ballads) of my dad's from the 50s for some years, Steeleye opened a whole new world, and got me looking for other stuff-- including the Watersons.

As to spelling-- I think mine definitely suffers when I'm in a hurry, and frankly it is confusing to edit it on the forum because of how things look on the screen-- but I guess most of the time we can figure out what we all mean, which is the important part. And yes, we all convey meaning about ourselves when we communicate-- whether we mean to or not... The question is, what else are we all trying to say in other more subtle ways, when we share our thoughts here? Without a voice to express our feelings, how do we know when we are being sarcastic or kind with one another? I've seen friendships kindle, die and be rekindled because of how folks express--or don't express-- their feelings adequately, by voice or by (e)mail. Sometimes one may judge another by the placing of a comma. But is this fruitful?

And Mercury IS retrograde!!!

Thanks, John, for this lovely thread...

Bekki

Subject: RE: Wahts your' favourit Stealeye Span song?
From: GUEST
Date: 17 Dec 03 - 10:22 PM

jOhn - sounds like you've got a chop on your shoulder

Subject: RE: Wahts your' favourit Stealeye Span song?
From: GUEST
Date: 17 Dec 03 - 10:12 PM

Sorry jOhn, I didn't mean to make it worse. I just wanted to point out that your issue wasn't spelling as much as typing - mostly because I get sick of people who attack other people's use of language or ability to spell or country of origin.

Anyway, the only reason I made it THROUGH 40 threads of this topic is because I, too, love Steeleye Span. And how you spell doesn't mean tap to me. Carm Doan.

Subject: RE: Wahts your' favourit Stealeye Span song?
From: Rt Revd Sir jOhn from Hull
Date: 17 Dec 03 - 08:36 PM

I meant thread not song, its about songs,
anyway-=i spelled it wrong, so bloody waht, dsoes it really matter/
i started a few music threads here lately =your favourite martin carthy song, your favourite roger whitaker song, what you think to.., etc etc,
you know whyt?
look at the whole forum!, count the threads, there is nearly as many bs threads now as there are music threads, !
this is folk music site, some people decide to make a few music threads, ie there is now [16th december], TWELVE, threads about saddam huseen/iraq etc, and people statr music threads and they find any reason to moan, and dont tell me i spelled twelve wrong, because i dont give a shit!
this is a good site, you can learn all sorts here, about folk music, blues music, sessions, festivals, instruments, etc etc etc, loads of stuff,
but the ones that sploi it is them that moan, ie 2you spelled it wrong!, you new exactly waht i mean, or why did you click on the thrad then?, just to take the piss?
anyway, if you play in a band , do you need to spell?, no, weell then!,
if martin carthy or somnmeone like that came here, and spelled it wrong, wpuld you say2, martin you are shit, yoiu cant spell etc?,

if so, you are stupid, look at his misic, not spelling,
as fr as i am concerned,, if you know waht people are on about, and WSPECIALLY if it is to do with folk music, and they spell it wrong, you should shut up!

dont tell me i spelled it wrong, i'm not fucking intrested!
if your that bothereed about spelling, then piss of and make a spelling site, i know plenty of ,musicians that are great at music, but thet cants spell, so what.

if you spotted any spelling mistakes in this message, [and i bet some arsehole going to check it!
dont bother telling me, im NOT bothered,

anyway it just prooves your a sad bastard with nowt beter to do.

Subject: RE: Wahts your' favourit Stealeye Span song?
From: Rt Revd Sir jOhn from Hull
Date: 17 Dec 03 - 08:11 PM

WAHT YOU STILL TALKING ABOUT SPELLING FOR THEN/
this is a a steal eye span song, dont talk about othher thihgs.

Subject: RE: Wahts your' favourit Stealeye Span song?
From: GUEST,Alsyan
Date: 17 Dec 03 - 04:50 PM

Perhaps jOhn's problem is more with typing and not so much with spelling? And so what, either way?

Subject: RE: Wahts your' favourit Stealeye Span song?
From: GUEST,allen woodpecker
Date: 17 Dec 03 - 07:55 AM

jOhn from hull posts to threads all the time, and his spelling, grammar, punctuation are always uniformly terrible. The thing is, I reckon he's doing a Ronnie Barker. He doesn't have a stutter, but in Open all Hours he did a really convincing one - so jOhn is winding y'all up most righteously. Now there's another John from Hull who can't string a bloody sentence together, and he's Deputy Prime Minister!
So let jOhn from hull get on with it - I reckon he's a comical genius, making fools of everyone who despairs of his written English. Good on you, jOhn - a more convincing impression of a dyslexic you'd never want to see.
p.s. On the subject of the thread, I'd say "All things are quite silent". a.w.

Subject: RE: Wahts your' favourit Stealeye Span song?
From: GUEST,Seaking
Date: 17 Dec 03 - 12:27 AM

'Long Lankin' and 'My love'

-and about fifty others..

Subject: RE: Wahts your' favourit Stealeye Span song?
From: Rt Revd Sir jOhn from Hull
Date: 16 Dec 03 - 09:13 PM

ps, no wonder nobody likes you, tou moan to much!

Subject: RE: Wahts your' favourit Stealeye Span song?
From: Rt Revd Sir jOhn from Hull
Date: 16 Dec 03 - 09:11 PM

guest-why dony you just get lost, so, i spelled it wrong, so waht, did you never spell anything wrong in your lif?
you are rubbish person, always moaning, blar, blar,m blar
if you was here i would through some orange peel at at you, and domt tell me i spelled orange peel wrong, vecause i;m not really bothred,
if i wanted to know all about spelling, i would have joined a spelling site.john

Subject: RE: Wahts your' favourit Stealeye Span song?
From: clueless don
Date: 15 Dec 03 - 10:28 AM

Three-way tie:

One Misty, Moisty Morning

All Around My Hat

Dogs and Ferrets