#Steeleye Span #Maddy Prior #Tim Hart #Martin Carthy #folk rock #British folk #British folk rock #traditional folk #electric folk #British roots rock #a capella
Steeleye
Span are a British folk rock band formed in 1969 in England by Fairport
Convention bass player Ashley Hutchings and established London folk
club duo Tim Hart and Maddy Prior. The band were part of the 1970s
British folk revival. Steeleye Span have seen many personnel changes;
Maddy Prior being the only remaining original member of the band. Their
musical repertoire consists of mostly traditional songs with one or two
instrumental tracks of jigs and/or reels added; the traditional songs
often include some of the Child Ballads. In their later albums there has
been an increased tendency to include music written by the band
members, but they have never moved completely away from traditional
music, which draws upon pan-British traditions. From: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steeleye_Span
One of the best children’s tales involves an impressive song and dance number performed by a group of chimney sweeps. Dick Van Dyke and Julie Andrews did a pretty good job showing how dirty the chimney sweep job is, but I can’t guarantee an in-tune song and dance number. You may ask me to leave before the job is finished if I break out into song and dance. The rooftop acrobatics were a bit on the dangerous side as well. As unusual as this topic is, today I’m going to point out several of the myths surrounding chimney sweeps in Mary Poppins, and I’ll discuss some of the actual lore behind my profession. Many chimney sweep myths have been passed down through the ages. Some cultures believe the chimney sweep is a sign of good luck. Several legends go so far as to say they are the ultimate bringer of good luck. Old European folklore says that if a bride receives a kiss on the cheek from a chimney sweep on her wedding day she will have a very blessed and happy marriage. There’s also the story of the chimney sweep who fell from the rooftop of an apartment building and was dangling from the guttering by one foot. A lovely woman opened her window and pulled him inside her home to safety. They married and lived happily ever after. Most people believe that these chimney sweep myths originated during the reign of King George of England. He was riding astride a horse when a dog startled the animal, which threw King George to the ground. A chimney sweep stepped up, took hold of the horse’s reigns, and calmed him. The king then declared that chimney sweeps should be regarded as lucky. From: https://loucurley.com/chimney-sweep-song-dance-quite-like-mary-poppins/
Sweep, chimney sweep, is the common cry I keep
If you can but rightly understand me
With my brush, broom and my rake, with my brush, broom and my rake
See what cleanly work I make
With my hoe, with my hoe, with my hoe and my hoe
And it's sweep, chimney sweep for me
Girls came up to my door I looked black as any Moor
I am constant and true as the day
With a bunch of ribbons gay, with a bunch of ribbons gay
Hanging down by my right knee
And there's no one, and there's no one
And there's no one and no one
And there's no one can call me on high
Arise girls, arise, wipe the sleep from off your eyes
Go and fetch to me some beer that I might swallow
I can climb up to the top, I can climb up to the top
Without a ladder or a rope
And it's there you, and it's there you, and it's there you and there you
And it's there you will hear me “Hullo”
Now here I do stand with my hoe all in my hand
Like some soldier that's on the sentery
I will work for a better sort
And I'll kindly thank them for it
I will work, I will work, I will work and I'll work
And I'll work for none but gentery
