Steeleye Span Trivia

1. The opening song of "Storm Force 10" is a reworking of an extract from a reasonably well-known book. Which book is the source for the song "Awake, Awake"?

From Quiz Live at Last at Storm Force 10

Answer: The Bible

The song is a love song based on words from the Bible, from the Song of Solomon. In particular chapters four and five. The title of the song comes from the first two words of the lyrics, the opening lines being: "Awake, awake oh northern wind Blow on my garden fair" This is similar to the wording from the chapter 4 verse 16. "Wake up, North Wind. South Wind, blow on my garden" or possibly "Awake, north wind, and come, south wind! Blow on my garden" Several bible versions give these words, other translations may use different but similar wording.

From Quiz Rocket Cottage

Answer: Claret

The full chorus runs, "There's your lords and ladies fine Riding in a coach and six, Nothing to drink but claret wine, Talking politics." This is a song from the broadsheets of the Victorian era. It proclaims London as being "A great and gallant city", but also that London "is a dainty place". I've heard London called many things, have spent much time there, but dainty is not a word I've ever heard used to describe it.

From Quiz Steeleye Span are All Around My Hat

Answer: The grey

Both Ends Burning is the name of a horse, and the title of the song about it by Richard Thompson. Galway Bay is also the title and subject of a song about horses, this time by Show of Hands. The remaining two with the mundane descriptions are those listed in the song lyrics. The second verse of this particular recording starts: "Go saddle to me the bonny brown steed For the grey was never so speedy." Here we have it stated that the grey is a bit slow. This song is from the vast collection described as traditional. Many versions have been collected under a number of names. Variations of the name include Gypsy Davey, Gypsum Davy and Gypsy Rover. The common plot to all of these is the squire or lord coming home and finding that his wife has run off with a gypsy. He chases after them to find her and asks his lady why she has left all the comforts behind. She then turns and says she is happier on the cold ground with her lover than with the comforts she had previously.

From Quiz Steeleye Span don the Commoners Crown

Answer: Yellow

The answer here is found at the end of the last verse: "She took him by the yellow hair and also by the feet. She threw him in the old draw well fifty fathoms deep." The storyline is that Hugh is playing ball with friends, kicks the ball over the wall of a castle and everyone is scared to go and retrieve it from the property. The boy, Little Sir Hugh, goes in to the garden anyway and is enticed into the castle, like Edmund in "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" being tempted by the White Queen. Once inside he is killed. At first glance this song appears to be a typical ballad about murder, about children avoiding certain places and not accepting sweets from strangers. But it is very old in its origins. The oldest versions are also heavily anti-Semitic. They date back to the time when Jews were blamed for anything and everything as an excuse to appropriate their property. The original versions of this song imply that the owner of the castle is Jewish and is guilty of child murder. The title is also reminiscent of one of the blood libel saints, Little Saint Hugh of Lincoln. He, (along with several others), were children whose deaths were falsely blamed on Jews. Not that you would realise any of this in the sanitised version sung here. This particular version has no religious symbolism or references that I can identify.

From Quiz Steeleye Span are a Parcel of Rogues

Answer: Will

This song tells of an impetuous fellow. He strolls out one morning and meets two people. The second one is a milkmaid. After sitting with her an hour, he proposes marriage and she accepts. Then we get the verse containing the answer. "Her parents then consented, all parties were agreed Her portion thirty shillings, we married were with speed Then Will the piper he did play whilst others dance and sing" There is a nursery rhyme about Tom, the piper's son. Little Sir Hugh is a song by Steeleye Span on the album "Commoners Crown". Ned Ludd is alleged to be the origin of the term Luddite, and is also the subject of a song cycle recorded by Steeleye Span.

From Quiz Steeleye Span Become Six

Answer: Cut down trees

The second verse starts: "He felled the oak, he felled the birch the beech nor poplar spared And much was grieved the sullen elves at what the stranger dared" According to the folk music site, Mainly Norfolk, this song is a "translation of the first eight verses of a traditional Danish ballad, Eline af Villenskov" except that in "that translation it refers trolls instead of elves." Songs of mythology and magic abound in Steeleye's albums. There are two more on this album alone. Other albums include examples such as "Alison Gross", "King Henry" and "Longbone". Of course then there is the whole album "Wintersmith" which takes the Terry Pratchett novel of the same name as inspiration.

From Quiz Steeleye Span are "Below the Salt"

Answer: May

The opening line is "One morning in the month of May" which identifies the time of the year. The song's plot is quite simple, the singer meets a "charming maid" who has a chat up line, seldom heard (or herd) these days of "I've lost my spotted cow". The singer freely claims to know where the beast can be found and they head off to "yonder grove" where they spend the day from "the dawning of the day" until night time. The album notes state that this song was collected from Norfolk.

From Quiz Live at Last at Storm Force 10

Answer: Beer

Here we have the story of how a chimney sweep sees life. He enjoys his job, takes pride in it and at the end decides he only wants to work for the gentry. The answer to the question is at the start of the third verse; "Arise girls, arise, wipe the sleep from off your eyes Go and fetch to me some beer that I might swallow" So he demands some beer, then says that he can climb to the top of the chimney without use of rope or ladder. Maybe boasting resulting from the effects of the beer. This is also a clear breach of modern Health and Safety guidelines, both for the consumption of alcohol and the lack of safety equipment during the climb.

From Quiz Rocket Cottage

Answer: Bosnian

The full title of the tune is "The Bosnian Hornpipes", not a lot I can say about the lyrics as they are just nonsense words, "diddley di diddley torurem liddle dum" seems to form most of it. The tune is apparently traditional. It appears that the hornpipe as a dance developed in the 16th century. The kingdom of Bosnia ceased to exist in the mid-15th century and did not become a nation again until 15 years after this album was released. Consequently, why this tune acquired the name I cannot tell. According to the site Mainly Norfolk, on the Steeleye Span album "Recollections" (only released in Australia), Peter Knight gives an introduction to this track that in part says, "The next song isn't a song at all. It's ... a song, but it hasn't got any words, because we all made the words up as we went along which was tremendously exciting. This song is a sort of, eh, mathematical bit of musical nonsense."

From Quiz Steeleye Span don the Commoners Crown

Answer: Peter Sellers

All of the options were members of the Goons, but it was Peter Sellers who, for some reason unknown, appears on this song. The last words, spoken at the end of the song are from the lips of Mr Sellers; "I say, are you a matelote? Careful what you say, sir - we're onboard ship here." The song itself is a typically sea-shanty. The story being of a sailor who reaches New York with money and thinks he is doing well with the women. Come the morning he is broke, no money, clothes or possessions. All he can do is wear a barrel and go sign up on a ship which sends him round Cape Horn.

From Quiz Steeleye Span Become Six

Answer: Milkmaids

The very first line tells us that "Three maidens a-milking did go". Ploughboys are common in folk song, shepherdesses less so and more commonly in the singular. Swineherds are much rarer. This song is a combination of two others and is not consistent in its characters. The first few verses are from a song which goes by several names, "Drink Down the Moon" being one of them. At the beginning of the song, we have three milkmaids. These three meet a "young man they know" and ask if he is able "to catch them a small bird or two". But then we slide into another song, "The Cuckoo", there is now only one woman with the lad. The rest of the song is about sex. Not explicitly or with any vulgarity, but the phrase "cuckoo's nest" is a common euphemism for the woman's genital area. Common in folk songs anyway. The penultimate verse ends: "She said young man you blunder and I said it isn't true And I left he with the makings of a young cuckoo" Or to put it another way, she might now be pregnant with a child that is not her husband's. To me the life style of the cuckoo (laying eggs in other birds' nests) and the word cuckold, all draw from the same concept. For another example of this consider the song "The Cuckoo's Nest", a version of which can be found on "Morris On" album recorded by Ashley Hutchings and friends.

From Quiz Steeleye Span are "Below the Salt"

Answer: Violets

The first line runs "It's a rosebud in June and the violets in full bloom" then the line in the question follows on. This song is a typical idealistic pastoral song of young love in a rural setting. The start of the chorus reflects this: "We'll pipe and we'll sing love. We'll dance in a ring love, When each lad takes his lass. All on the green grass" This is a traditional song which the album cover notes this version as being collected in Somerset by Cecil Sharp. However, the album cover also notes that "Reality is a complex of related hypotheses", which in turn is possibly a consequence of "drinking with the parson". Proving don't take all album cover notes at face value.

From Quiz Live at Last at Storm Force 10

Answer: Bertholt Brecht

Both of the English and German language versions of the lyrics were written by Berthold Brecht for his play "Schweyk im Zweiten Weltkrieg", or in English "Schwejk in the Second World War". This play was written as sequel to Jaroslav Hasek's novel "The Good Soldier Svejk", which is set in World War One. The song's verses detail the presents (or possibly loot) a soldier sends his wife. For example, a linen shirt from Prague and a silken dress from Paris. Then we come to the final twist at the end of this anti-war song, the soldier dies in distant Russia. "And the end of the tale is the widow's veil That she got from the distant steppes."

From Quiz Rocket Cottage

Answer: Harp

The opening of this song proclaims the prowess of the titular character. "There was a King lived in the West. Green the woods so early, Of all the harpers he was the best. Where the hart goes yearly." Looking at the history of this song, it appears to be a version of the Greek myth about Orpheus and Eurydice. Scanning the sleeve notes for other versions of this song it appears to have to have come via Scandinavia and then spread into Gaelic regions. In some of these versions, instead of following the Greek myth, where Eurydice descends into Hell, the woman is carried off by the Elven King. As per the version here: "The King of Faerie with his dart Has pierced the lady to the heart." Then her lover, King Orfeo or Sir Orfeo, follows her and charms the Elven court with his musical prowess. This time on a harp. Here the chorus comes in. "And he took out his harp to play. First he played the notes of pain, And all their hearts were weary, Then he played the Faerie reel, And all their hearts were cheery." The Elven King then lets the King of the West, Orfeo in other versions, have his lady back as a reward for his skill.

From Quiz Steeleye Span are All Around My Hat

Answer: Robbers Retreat

The "Cadgwith Anthem" appears to be associated with Cadgwith, Cornwall. It has for many years been sung in the local area and become the village song. Under the name "The Robbers Retreat", it appears in a couple of books published at the beginning of the twentieth century. The chorus ends with: "Then away, then away, then away, To the caves in yonder mountain Where the robbers retreat"

From Quiz Steeleye Span are a Parcel of Rogues

Answer: Murder

The verse of relevance here is: "The poachers they were tired And to leave they were desired And at last young Parkins fired And spilled one keeper's blood" Then another gamekeeper gets shot. "He on the ground lay crying Just like some person dying" For this, two poachers are transported and once is hung. "Exiled in transportation Two brothers they were taken And the other one hung as a token" This song is from a group of traditional songs described as "transportation ballads". According to Mainly Norfolk, the notes for this song they (Steeleye) noted: "Transportation, usually to Australia or the Americas, was, to rustic people who rarely travelled further than the local market town, tantamount to a sentence of death. In Norfolk, where this song was collected, there was a tradition whereby a bottle of the transported man's urine was hung up in his house. If it clouded it meant he was ill and if it wasted, he was believed to have died and his family went into mourning."

From Quiz Steeleye Span Become Six

Answer: Riddles

The three riddles or verses all scan differently. The first riddle partially and the second one totally can be found in J. R. R. Tolkien's "The Hobbit". The third one appears to have a history as far back as the tenth century. The phrase "Now We Are Six", has another meaning here. This was the first Steeleye Span album with drummer Nigel Pegrum, who became the sixth member of the band.

From Quiz Steeleye Span are "Below the Salt"

Answer: The Bride's Favourite

Both of the jigs comprising this track are listed as "traditional". Although music scores may be written for various instruments, I doubt if they normally include spoons. But Tim Hart is credited with playing spoons on this track. As for the others, "Bach Goes to Limerick" is a jig recorded by Steeleye on the album "Commoners Crown". The jig, "Lumps of Plum Pudding", has been recorded by the Etchingham Steam Band and "Cuckold's All Awry" has been recorded by the Albion Dance Band. All three bands mentioned here, Steeleye Span, Etchingham Steam Band and the Albion Band were founded by Ashley Hutchings.

From Quiz Live at Last at Storm Force 10

Answer: Complain

The majority of the English language songs about the battle of Waterloo focus on the victory or the death of Admiral Nelson. I am not familiar with any French language folk songs on the subject. This song differs in that it is focused on the death of the crew, the crew forced to serve by the press gang. Back to this song, the singer is bemoaning the death of her sweetheart who was serving as a pressed man on the HMS Victory at the Battle of Trafalgar. A great victory for the Royal Navy but not so good for those who died in the battle. As the full chorus goes: "Mourn, England, mourn and complain For the brave Lord Nelson's men That died upon the main" Of the alternatives, both rejoicing and singing out loud might sound reasonable for celebrating a victorious battle. "Dance the Razor Dance" refers to a song by Richard Thompson.

From Quiz Rocket Cottage

Answer: Lyre

Twelve witches are described as bold and living in the North. The North of where isn't mentioned but presumably the north of the British Isles. The skill of each witch in turn is listed. For the third witch the verse tells us not only the instrument but how she used her talent. "And the third witch, she could strike Upon the golden lyre, And she charmed both young and old Into the dancing fire." The eighth witch also used a musical instrument of sorts but not for melodic purposes. "She would blow a blast, And everyone who heard Would shudder and stand aghast."

From Quiz Steeleye Span are All Around My Hat

Answer: Sum Waves

The tune was written by the band's fiddle player, Peter Knight. "Tansey's Fancy" is a jig that appears on the Steeleye album "Below the Salt". "Sligo Maid" is a reel that is recorded on the Steeleye Span album "Rocket Cottage" while "Castle Rock" is the name of a tune on the Fairport Convention album "Fame and Glory".

From Quiz Steeleye Span are a Parcel of Rogues

Answer: Dairy produce

The opening of the song describes the situation. "As I was going to Aylesbury all on a market day, A pretty little Aylesbury girl I met upon the way. Her business was to market with butter, cheese and whey" This gives the alternative title for this traditional song, The Aylesbury Girl. Other versions with other towns are noted though. The story then moves on to flirtation and not much of a seduction, since the girl shows no reluctance whatsoever. However, when they get to the market, she changes her tune. "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."

From Quiz Steeleye Span Become Six

Answer: To Know Him Is to Love Him

Phil Spector is listed as writer on all of these, but for the three wrong answers he is listed as a co-writer. "To Know Him is to Love Him" is shown as all his own work. The song is fine just not what I would have expected on this album. The song also features David Bowie on alto saxophone.

From Quiz Steeleye Span are "Below the Salt"

Answer: Shepherd

Poor Willie the shepherd offers all his possessions and asks his beloved Dinah to marry him. She wants to wait while she gets a job in service. After she does, she decides that a mere shepherd is not good enough for her. A more modern interpretation is written on the album cover where the poor lad is an accounts clerk and his beloved ends up as an exotic dancer in Soho.

From Quiz Live at Last at Storm Force 10

Answer: The Threepenny Opera

The song "The Black Freighter" comes from the same work as "Mac the Knife", which is "The Threepenny Opera" by Berthold Brecht and Kurt Weill. This work is itself an adaption of "The Beggar's Opera" by John Gay. The lyrics tell the tale of a barmaid having a daydream about getting revenge on those she feels have wronged her. The song is also known as "Pirate Jenny". The other options are operas or operettas by British composers all of which have the sea as the main setting: "Peter Grimes" by Benjamin Britten, "Dido and Aeneas" by Henry Purcell and "The Pirates of Penzance" by the duo of Arthur Sullivan and William Gilbert.

From Quiz Rocket Cottage

Answer: Nightingale

The opening lines of the song include the detail. "I'm as brisk as a night-time nightingale as wild as the forest doe." This song is about a spurned lover, spurned because she has dark skin. But this isn't about race, that was far less of an issue when this song appears to have been first sung. It refers to women working in the agricultural industry, those who worked in the fields and got suntanned. Ladies on the other hand had much whiter skin. So this song is more about class than race. By the end of the song, the "brown girl" gets her revenge. Her lover wants her back, he is pining away. The brown girl's response is somewhat lacking in tenderness; "I'll dance upon your grave for twelve months and a day. You'll die for betraying a bonny brown girl all on one summer's day." The same message is given in the chorus.

From Quiz Steeleye Span are All Around My Hat

Answer: Tree bark

This song originated in Britain but crossed the Atlantic and several versions have been collected in North America. The synopsis is the woman of the title having sent her three sons away, in this case across the sea, but in some versions across the mountains or to school. They die. The mother then wishes and longs for her sons to return. They do, but only for one night. "It fell about the Martinmas, the nights were long and dark, Three sons came home to Usher's Well their hats were made of bark That neither grew in forest green nor on any wooded rise, But from the north side of the tree that grows in Paradise." And a bit later; "Then up and crowed the blood red cock and up and crowed the grey, The oldest to the youngest said, "It's time we were away. For the cock does crow and the day doth show and the channerin worm doth chide And we must go from Usher's Well to the gates of Paradise." According to folk song collector Alan Lomax; "in several versions of the song, the children return wearing (birch) bark caps, which is a sure sign of magic", but other versions seem to imply that the children have been to school, possibly to learn magic. Either way the moral in some versions that you shouldn't send your children away to get educated. Possibly to some rural people of the past, reading and writing did count as magic.

From Quiz Steeleye Span don the Commoners Crown

Answer: Hare

The chorus is quite clear on this: "I keep my dogs and I keep my ferrets, I have them in my keeping To catch those hares that run by night While the gamekeepers lie sleeping." Poaching songs have always been popular amongst the general populace. Apart from being a source of food, poaching was a way of getting back at the governing classes. The penalties for being caught were severe though. Transportation at least, and if gamekeepers were killed then someone being hung for murder was likely.

From Quiz Steeleye Span are a Parcel of Rogues

Answer: Pure crystal

A story of meeting another one of the "little people". In folklore it is considered best not to annoy them. This gentleman is described as having a long beard, legs a finger long and being three inches between the shoulders. Having met the wee man, the singer gets taken to his dwelling. Where we find it described as: "Until we came to a bonny green hall. The roof was made of the beaten gold And purest crystal was the floor." However, the viewing does not last long. The last verse tells us that; "He clapped his hands, down came the mist, And the man and the hall no more were seen."

From Quiz Steeleye Span Become Six

Answer: The Mooncoin Jig

All of the options listed are jigs that have been recorded by Steeleye Span. "The Hag with the Money" and "Bryan O'Lynn" both appear on the album "Please to See the King", while "Willie Clancy's Fancy" is on the album "Ten Man Mop" Both of those albums were from their earlier electric folk days, being the second and third albums recorded by the group. They moved into folk-rock with the release of "Below the Salt" in 1972.

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Last Updated Apr 22 2024 11:05 AM

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