nevermind nitpicking over lyrics, accents, song origins, stolen tunes and the rest....just listen to Maddy's astounding vocal range, that does it for me...every time, she's amazing!
That's how we want to remember this legendary band! I don't understand anything of the lyrics as a finnish person, but the sound and the attitude are so beautiful. Love you Maddie, love to the whole band.
This song is the only reason I keep coming back to Steeleye Span. I don't care much for their hat song and others, but THIS song is damned impressive! PS: I like the slower studio version better.
The Jacobites may have lost the war - disastrously - but they produced by far the best songs. The winning side is still stuck with "God save the Queen."
This is absolutely amazing. What a range in her voice Maddie has. Not to mention the superb playing of instruments by the band. Incredible stuff. And Maddy is still a babe.
I love this and am amazed by it! There's Maddie's gorgeously nimble and spritely vocals and that fiddler! He is GOOD! And they sure can dance! I'm wearing out my exclamation symbol!
Love, loe, LOVE this song and only by Steeleye Span could it acquire such power and pace! Text below, with lyrics, reproduced with thanks from his RU-vid comment. Credit: J GooAre you confused by this song?? No longer: When George I imported his seraglio of impoverished gentlewomen From Germany, he provided the Jacobite songwriters with material for Some of their most ribald verses. Madame Kilmansegge, Countess of Platen, Is referred to exclusively as "The Sow" in the songs, while the King's Favorite mistress, the lean and haggard Madame Schulemburg (afterwards Named Duchess of Kendall) was given the name of "The Goose". She is the "goosie" referred to in this song. The "blade" is the Count Koningsmark. "Bobbing John refers to John, Earl of Mar, who was at the time recruiting Highlanders for the Hanoverian cause. "Geordie Whelps" is, of course, George I himself. Lunnon = London Kittle Housie = Brothel Linkin = Tripping along Claith = Cloth Niffer = Haggle Gin = If Wab = Web (or length) of cloth Tint = Lost Ha's and Mailins = Houses and Farmlands Gane = Gone Belyve = Quickly Brawly = Well Hurdie = Buttock Now for the full lyrics: Cam ye o'er frae France? Cam ye doon by Lunnon? Saw ye Geordie Whelps And his bonnie woman? Oh, weren't ye at the place Called the Kittle Housie? Saw ye Geordie's grace A-ridin' on a goosie? Geordie, he's a man, There is little doot o't, And he's done a' he can, All can dae wi'oot it, Doon there cam' a blade, Linkin' like ma lordie, He wad drive a trade At the loom o' Geordie. Though the claith were bad, Blythly may we niffer Gin we git oor wab, It makes little differ, We hae tint oor plaid, Bonnet, belt and swordie Ha's and mailin's braid, But we hae oor Geordie. Jocky's gone to France, And Montgomery's lady There will learn to dance; Madam, are ye ready? They'll be back belyve, Belted brisk and lordly, Brawly, may they thrive To dance a jig wi' Geordie! Hey for Sandy Don, Hey for Cockalorum, Hey for Bobbin' John, And his Hielan' quorum! Mony a sword and lance Swings at Hielan hurdie; How they'll skip and dance O'er the bum o' Geordie!
I had not heard of Steeleye Span, nor any of their music, until the (very) early 1980s. Wow! Love at first listen! (Commoner's Crown), that an older, hipper friend (with a good paying, grown-up job) had bought "just to try" from a second hand record store. From then on, I collected every original Steeleye Span I could afford (Hello and thanks for "Hark! The Village Wait" and so many more!) 'Tis awesome to see how lead singer, Ms. Maddy Prior, grew from lovely, lovely young lady to amazingly yet more beautiful woman! Mixing not so much metaphors here but bands (Silly Wizard) so as to make a musical reference in declaring that (for me, at least) Maddy Prior is the Queen of all Argyll. Some prefer Pentangle and/or other and/or newer bands covering songs by our good friends, Traditional and Anonymous, but please give me Steeleye Span and/or Silly Wizard any day. (Facetious) Gosh! If only Maddy and her friends could beam out pure joy and happiness in their musicianship and performance! (Yes, 100% kidding.) PS. Just in case any Silver Surfers need a link: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-Fv0zauTaUj0.html
Seen them twice now in Perth Western Australia ... about 30 years apart ... hope it's not another 30 years to their next visit .. I probably won't be around for that.
Cette Maddy ! Belle et talentueuse, alternant voix de tête et vois de poitrine. Même si la voix est mal mixée sur cette vidéo, on peut tout de même faire cette constatation : sans Maddy, pas de Stellleye Span.
"Irish stole nothing from the Scots" The other poster is probably referring to the mid 19th century song The Rocky Road To Dublin. The tune is very similar to this except it is in a different time signature. This scottish song is way older than Rocky Road
Cam ye o'er frae France? Cam ye down by Lunnon? Saw ye Geordie Whelps and his bonny woman? Were ye at the place ca'd the Kittle Housie? Saw ye Geordie's grace riding on a goosie? Geordie he's a man there is little doubt o't; He's done a' he can, wha can do without it? Down there came a blade linkin' like my lordie; He wad drive a trade at the loom o' Geordie. Though the claith were bad, blythly may we niffer; Gin we get a wab, it makes little differ. We hae tint our plaid, bannet, belt and swordie, Ha's and mailins braid -- but we hae a Geordie! Jocky's gane to France and Montgomery's lady; There they'll learn to dance: Madam, are ye ready? They'll be back belyve belted, brisk and lordly; Brawly may they thrive to dance a jig wi' Geordie! Hey for Sandy Don! Hey for Cockolorum! Hey for Bobbing John and his Highland Quorum! Mony a sword and lance swings at Highland hurdie; How they'll skip and dance o'er the bum o' Geordie!
+tpvalley Good point - You would have thought if they were going to go to the trouble of all the 'authentic' dialect they would have done a little bit of research first (or watched QI ;)).
