Steeleye Span - Seven Hundred Elves (1974)

[@idavo]

Get me a Time Lord with a Tardis and take me back to the days of Steeleye. Seen them a few times.... Maddy Prior has a voice and a half! and the arrangements are fantastic. I am from South Cumbria, we have woods, and i enjoy telling my nieces and nephews whilr driving through, to check windows, as elves are not a nice sort!

[@dominiquedv]

Marvellous Maddy Prior : What a beautiful voice!

[@timhorton691964]

This is a great version, and Maddy Prior is just fantastic.

[@jamestlenahan]

My goodness---a long time ago. I remember it still...

[@phillywilly01]

I grew up listening (and singing) to Steeleye, me and my sister sitting there with my dad's treasured Vinyl collection. Maddy Priors voice and the lyrics...FAB. Seven hundred elves is my favourite song

[@stephenpickells2003]

There were a band of travelling minstrels, several blokes and a maiden fair with raven hair. They couldn't afford a carriage or even a donkey so they just walked around with instruments in their hands. One time they saw Brian Jones sitting cross legged on a tree stump, playing an electric mandolin to a bunch of plaster gnomes including Roy Wood, Marc Bolan and David Bowie. They were hungry so Brian swapped his mandolin for a bag of magic jelly beans that a minstrel was holding. The minstrels walked on into the English twilight. By and by they came to the walls of a great castle where a Viscount was said to live. They were quite hungry themselves, and started seeing elves! The kindly Viscount invited them to perform at his dinner party in exchange for food and a possible record deal. They were led into a great hall with roasting pigs and lots of people sitting around, chewing gristle. The minstrel gallery was stacked with Marshall amps so they plugged in the mandolin and also an electric dulcimer which they had picked up along the way. But something strange happened whenever Maddy sang (for that was the name of the maiden fair with the raven hair), you could hear a kind of a legato sound from some kind of keyboard. Nobody had brought any keyboard instruments because they're too heavy to carry on foot. Eventually they saw Ian Stewart playing a reed organ behind a Marshall stack. He offered to be their roadie because he had a truck outside. They grabbed all the amps (which had belonged to the Rolling Stones before they went into exile). Somebody suggested they call themselves the Electric Elves but most people thought it was too corny. Then they remembered they hadn't eaten but Ian had some jelly beans in the truck.

[@SocietyPages]

I love Maddy Prior. I love Steeleye Span.

[@promerops]

Wonderful, beautiful British eccentricity.

[@anthonydavies8459]

Amazing band , amazing song . Remember seeing this on TV in the 70s . Just as good today .

[@gardensofthegods]

I'd love to go back to 1974 when people seem to so much more civilized

[@merkabalight3164]

Met this band in the early 70s but knew their music from the beginning and brought them to my university. I’m not British per se but my heritage is Scot-English. Their music, with all the musicians that have come and gone, including Tim Hart, resonates with me and connects with me from the distant past. Steeleye Span’s music is evocative and somehow makes me bigger than I normally am.

[@trennonking5667]

Well said. Their music, always lifts my spirit to a higher plane. As cheesy as that sounds, there’s something really special about their delivery.

[@andrewpetrie3397]

Most beautiful music ever.

[@cartimand]

Great song - very evocative of merrie England and well performed by a rather foxy young Ms prior!

[@arfurlife]

just a wonderful wonderful talent band. They re amazing live. I just love em til it hurts.

[@Mandolin1944]

Those were the days! Tasteful!

[@elsyepetrie]

My love for this band is something.

[@PaulHartXYZ]

The Span at their peak. Such a rare clip from 1974. I think Ian Anderson was producing them by then.

[@rodblaine999]

i now really regret not listening to this type of music when i was a teenager back in the 70's.

[@gardensofthegods]

Like Cleopatra said , tis always better late than never .

[@mikestubbs1708]

Lovely to hear this again! a terrific version! Well done folks!

[@victorhex6380]

I have heard this song a hundred times, but the skill that it took to make it is not apparent until we see the interaction of the band, very well done.

[@amnril]

Saw Steeleye span three years ago, Maddy’s voice was still still crystal clear.

[@lindadote]

Beautiful band, was into these guys way back. Thanks for posting.

[@danielpestana6257]

It's old, but gold!

[@russellreising4294]

thanks so much for posting this one!! Great live performance.

[@MySerpentine]

Long live the elves of old.

[@modelleg]

What do you expect, after felling the oak, felling the birch, felling the bloody beech and poplars? Elves are truly pissed!.

[@karltriebel4262]

Happens every time I play Dwarf Fortress 🤨

[@borgduck]

I had this video in my head, today, as I went to partake of some ale in the self named "Elisabeth" wood. As I sat on a tree recently destroyed by the Winter storms, a juvenile Deer calmly walked by, looked at me, & just calmly walked away. No sign of any Elves, fortunately.

[@redcardinalist]

borgduck I think you'll find that the deer was an elf, in animal form :)

[@borgduck]

redcardinalist Now I want to back there!

[@redcardinalist]

borgduck Well you might not, tricky things elves and faeries generally. Remember, they're not human in any way whatsoever. Best avoided all round. If you do, remember the cardinal rules:- 1. Don't accept any offer to dance the night away in the faeries realm 2. Don't eat or drink anything of faerie origin 3. never look back ;)

[@borgduck]

redcardinalist 1. After a keg of ale I wouldn't be able to stop myself 2. See number one. If it's 100% & gets me tipsy.. 3. *Too late!* :(

[@anthrop7998]

American here-- love this stuff! :)! I wish we had more knowledge of bands like this here in the USA. Glad to have discovered them (basically today) :0

[@akasataw]

love

[@52Paddy1991]

Having been recommended the music of Steeleye Span for quite some time now (I'm a big Fairport Convention fan), this is the first piece of music I've listened to from them. Great performance.

[@goodun6081]

Wonderful live performance!

[@aadrockt1957]

great song

[@Gitarpunk]

I saw this Vinyl album at a record store I had gone into while high as hell yesterday, Today I searched the album name and was able to find this video. This band is awesome!

[@klauswhitedreamer]

beautiful ...

[@trevdowson263]

i saw this line up of span in redcar cotham bowl in 1983, if i had one wish in life it would be to to go back to that night to relive it. the best band i ever saw live and a fantastic set, they were really on form. great crowd of people watching who all seemed to know the songs and loved a dance with maddy. do you remember? clare, manny, si, johnny, gord. love to you all

[@12laube12]

I graduated high school in 1974. So this video has some meaning to me. The lady singing has a beautiful voice plus it's a great song. I love this gal's outfit too--just makes for a gorgeous video.

[@Bekki369]

Love this. Thanks for postin. Would love to see more of this show...

[@briane5706]

Tim Hart sadly left us far too soon. He began with Maddy Prior in small clubs in the folk scene, and progressed from traditional acoustic instruments the the electric folk rock style, adding musicians along the way. This is the classic lineup and IMHO, the best.

[@Bekki369]

Agreed! It is wonderful to see and hear him doing those lovely harmonies with Maddy. Been listening to them for all these decades and never get tired of them.

[@RushHourSoul]

Yes, fetch a Time Lord and a Tardis, some good ale and whatever the band was smoking...because I want to be transported back to that ancient, drafty, firelit castle and watch this live. My inner medieval/hippie/stoner self just had a massive geekgasm!

[@Lambieschmoo]

Lovely

[@Hotelechomike]

I saw the original two BBC TV series with Steeleye Span in the eraly 70s..... In 18 days we'll be at the last night of their Winter 2009 tour. Looking forward to that :)

[@NotOrdinaryInGames]

That's a lot of elves!

[@stylophobia]

Excellent-Health and Safety would throw a fit nowadays about that big fire right on the dancefloor...

[@kathen58]

saw them last fall in chicago and for my money, maddy sounded just fine!

[@SpirAn1971]

Best video I've seen in ages.

[@cerimccoy]

"In every nook he made a cross and all about the room And off flew many a frightened elf back to his forest gloom Some flew to the east, some flew to the west, some flew to the north away And some flew down the deep ravine and there forever stay"

[@tcoudi]

i found this band only recently ,thanks to jethro tull and i felt instantly in love with mady´s voice.

[@sarahcowan9661]

Jethro tull ,wow, Mady's Prior ,you must be very young 😉

[@soundman2002x]

what a nice clean video from 74 wow

[@paulpayton8238]

love it paul payton England x x

[@Drwhofanindatardis]

I've heard them play this song live too!

[@karmicrevolutionary]

absolutely spell-binding!!

[@GladmanNow]

Those elves still know how to stir things up...

[@bettiemayhem9311]

Maddy Prior has a voice of rapture!

[@stylophobia]

Apparently this was part of a whole BBC series where Steeleye played at historic houses...wish they`d re-show the whole lot, if the tapes are still extant !

[@ToujoursLAmour]

I want the guitarist's exact setup. Such a mean tone!

[@Johnkevinlowry]

I love this song - we play it

[@MatthewMcVeagh]

Love the tune and how they've arranged it, and love the lyrics and subject of the song... when I first heard this I sympathised with the farmer, being attacked by the 'foul and grim' elves... then when I listened more closely and read the lyrics I realised they only attacked him cos he chopped down their wood... they were defending their living space! What do you expect? The story may have been told from the point of view of the farmer but it's an environmentalist song without knowing it!

[@oneoldcrowbone]

Punk and prog and folk exist as certainly as sand and glass and foliage. I'm here for tha Steeelyspan. Jolly smashing growing op in thet era.

[@cuzinkevin]

Great stuff

[@smatty1]

Hell yes!

[@Hopfolk]

Tune, and somme of the lyrics are from the standard "John Barleycorn"

[@gringopig]

That guitar break starting at 2:50 was inadvisable. OW!

[@WAWELDRAGON]

Maddy looks nice here a nd the sound is just like the record

[@pjotr60dvd]

@TurtleDude1959 Can't choose between Maddy and Sandy, very different voices, I am really fond of both. Sandy's death is a great loss...

[@rogerferns5511]

i luv maddy...

[@Xithinar]

Anyone got the version of Edwin from this show?

[@limesquared]

Ohhhhhhhhh............: )

[@MartinK303]

Seven Hundred Elves come out the wood? they have annuled our agreement!! Unpack the swords, we're going to war!

[@redcardinalist]

MartinK303 Seven Hundred Old Age Elves going by the audience. Who says time doesn't pass in the Faerie realm ;)

[@shaynegryn]

@snugglehound To set the low bar so bands didn't have to try so hard to compete?

[@cozzy7492]

I like how elves have changed over time from something to be feared to something that helps Santa make toys

[@FunnyLittleChap]

@dickhalloran Yes, it was a great party which the years haven't served to cloud over in my memory.

[@elsyepetrie]

I swear my rabbit was dancing..

[@welshman131049]

Does anyone know if this great concert is available on DVD ?

[@Songheld14]

mnemonyxx - only one question: Have you got more of that? It´s so great to see them from the 1970s! :-)

[@Beelzebubbbbles]

I wasn't dissing prog. I couldn't, I'm a huge fan of King Crimson, Tull, and much of the stuff released between '68 and '77. All I was doing was pointing out that punk, at least in the UK, was in some ways a response to that, for want of a better word, elite scene. Prog was time, equipment, money intensive - Punk was D.I.Y. And that was something it shared with folk and trad - you could play music anywhere, anytime. I love prog.

[@hooroojackson]

Lord Dellile threw some party that night

[@julie223783]

cool..

[@clangersspace2679]

If this is a different episode to the only one that got shared here, it would be one of life's great mysteries and tragedies that you didn't share the rest. Poor old Bob, he may indeed have been stoned, but he had eye problems, which may be all that's going on there. It's a huge crime BBC don't even repeat these 2 series, or put 'em on ye olde DVD.....

[@gregc2467]

[Chorus] Seven hundred elves from out the wood Foul and grim they were Down to the farmer's house they went His meat and drink to share There was a farmer in the west and there he chose his ground He thought to spend the winter there and brought his hawk and hound He brought with him both hound and cock alone he begged to stay And all the deer that roamed the wood had cause to rue the day 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 He hewed him baulks and he hewed him beams with eager toil and haste Then up and spake the woodland elves: "Who's come our wood to waste?" [Chorus] Up and spake the biggest elf and grimly rolled his eyes: "We'll march upon the farmer's house and hold on him assize He's knocking down both wood and bower, he shows us great distain We'll make him rue the day he was born and taste of shame and pain." [Chorus] All the elves from out the wood began to dance and spring And marched towards the farmer's house their lengthy tails to swing The farmer from his window looked and quickly crossed his breast "Oh woe is me," the farmer cried, "The elves will be my guests." In every nook he made a cross and all about the room And off flew many a frightened elf back to his forest gloom Some flew to the east, some flew to the west, some flew to the north away And some flew down the deep ravine and there forever stay [Chorus]

[@clangersspace2679]

Mein Gott, how the hell did she remember all these words, and many other lyrics too?

[@xtenkfarpl]

Generations from now, Punk will just be another variety of "folk", which happened to flourish for a while in the late 20th century. A few songs from each genre may survive.

[@GreenManalishiUSA]

Respectfully differ. Generations from now, most of what is called folk music will be forgotten by all but a handful of traditionalists and archivists, a minority within a minority. But teenagers around the world will still be bopping up and down to I Wanna Be Sedated. Punk is the original folk.

[@reidspeed77]

00.24 the lord is proper zooming......he should be ,those elves have got his number....🧚‍♂️....

[@2rslvl126]

The Lord, if that is him sitting there chewing gum, looks absolutely underwhelmed.

[@chrishill6276]

Nathan Kitteh yeah damned snot. Gov gen of oz. pommy shithead

[@gardensofthegods]

Can you not tell the guy is chewing his dinner like everybody else... he probably felt embarrassed that the camera was on him while chewing .

[@elsyepetrie]

Wonderrful as always eh? guy's?

[@Beelzebubbbbles]

I can't see that happening, and I'll explain why. Folk music, and traditional music, of every country tends to have real, clearly identifiable roots. I'll speak of Irish folk, as it's the folk/trad I know best. Right across the country, in every small village, in every town and city, you will hear today tunes that have been passed down generation to generation, century on century. Themes are reworked in later tunes, and new instruments added as they arrive. But the tune is the tune. That's folk

[@elsyepetrie]

yes they are fine. Always will be. They are Sasquatches. Whoa is me the farmer cried, the Elves will be my guest. So cool.

[@elsyepetrie]

You would be surprised.

[@planetrockford]

@SnugglySara I wonder if she has broadband?

[@LowenKM]

I like Sandy Denny, but she & Maddy Prior each did pretty different material. While Prior's earthy accent & siren contralto were perfect on electrified stuff like "700 Elves" or "Black Jack Davey", Denny's sweet & soulful soprano was ideal for dark songs like "Blackwaterside" & "Who Knows Where the Time Goes." Would swapping singers on any of those songs have worked as well? And naturally the "dying early" part (well over 30 years ago) always adds to that mystique, even with much less material.

[@ksjoyjespeace]

excellent Bass guitar !! Rick Kemp ?

[@planetrockford]

Lord DeLyle didn't look fussed.

[@borgduck]

I agree, Steely Dan rock!

[@quartzhyalos1068]

Elves? I crush them, devour them! That's what his eyes say.

[@clarkewi]

Was Nigel Pegrem the speaker?

[@JelMain]

Another voice in the same tinbre was Mike Oldfiield's sister Sally

[@tabhorian]

@atfatw Sez you. What sort of scale of perfection are you using to determine that? I use the 'regular nice person with strong inner light shining through to express real beauty' scale. I suppose if you are going to you the 'Only sweet young things are beautiful' scale, then you might try broadening it a lot to something less objectifying and materialistic. In that way you might find beauty in yourself too, which is decidedly lacking in your response.

[@jumpfart666]

:)

[@SixStringSteve]

where haver you BEEN? lol

[@KeithDec25]

Steeleye Span has become a favorite of mine Wish I knew about them sooner Anyway was there a translation shift? Were these irate goblins as opposed to elves? Usually in folklore elves are mischievous not malicious...But who knows I would not want my neighborhood chopped down and altered either...

[@1999throwback]

To quote Terry Pratchett: "Elves are wonderful. They provoke wonder. Elves are marvellous. They cause marvels. Elves are fantastic. They create fantasies. Elves are glamorous. They project glamour. Elves are enchanting. They weave enchantment. Elves are terrific. They beget terror. The thing about words is that meanings can twist just like a snake, and if you want to find snakes look for them behind words that have changed their meaning. No one ever said elves are nice. Elves are bad."

[@KeithDec25]

Tok3n You may be correct and I thank you for Pratchett's verse...In line 6 there is a big jump from "terrific" to "terror" because that is not what I was taught/read about...For example, THE SHOEMAKER AND THE ELVES...The term "elfin" does not evoke terror like "goblin" or as Shakespeare said "goblin damned"...There was an article on Hollywood actresses about Audrey Hepburn, Leslie Caron, etc who were described as elfin... Leprechauns, gnomes, goblins and trolls were the bad ones... However as I stated I would not want my neighborhood destroyed by a thoughtless human thing that wants to despoil the forest for fun and/or profit...

[@1999throwback]

To be honest I just saw the opportunity to quote a bit of Pratchett. The word and concept of and Elf has been around for thousands of years. They used to be considered far more malevolent, however over time - through retelling in folklore and then in fairy stories and the like - our perception changed and softened. This happens with lots of things like this. Look at the changing meaning/concept of fairies. Terry Pratchett loved the history of folklore and researched it meticulously for the discworld books. Just one of the reason that they are so awesome and how he was able to make all the fictional races he wrote about so culturally rich and real.

[@KeithDec25]

Tok3n "Everything comes to he who waits"...It has been, at least 2 years, but thank you for answering my query and I will check Pratchett out...

[@JuniperBoy]

Erlkönig. Not a nice guy.

[@jumpfart666]

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@LedSledJoe]

I'd like to mention that this could be more connotative than a farmer simply defending himself from elves. The farmer uses christianity as a means to cleanse the realm of ancient, pagan and tribalistic beliefs that still lingered and predominated thought up until the modern era.

[@billsdubious]

Fortunately they never quite succeeded in “cleansing the realm” of its older traditions. Gawd.