The Weaver and the Factory Maid - Steeleye Span (Live, 1989)

This Steeleye Span song combines Robert Cinnamond's fragment of Roud 3085 ( • The Weaver ) with the text of a version of Roud 17771 collected and recorded by A.L. Lloyd. The song was released on the 1973 album "Parcel of Rogues". This performance was part of their 20th anniversary concert in 1989 at the Beck Theatre in London.
Maddy Prior: vocals
Bob Johnson: vocals, electric guitar
Peter Knight: vocals, violin
Tim Harries: bass, keyboards, vocals
Liam Genockey: drums, percussion
"The earliest weavers' songs are from the time when handloom weavers went from village to village, setting up in farmhouse and cottage kitchens. Amorous chances were plenty. The invention of the powerloom and the establishment of textile factories brought a great change in the handloom weavers' lives. This song, lyrical and wry, curiously illuminates this moment in history when the handworkers were finding themselves obliged to follow the girls into the factories and weave by steam, and when country song was changing to town song"
- A. L. Lloyd
"There was a great bitterness felt between the hand-loom weavers and those who worked on the steam looms introduced during the industrial revolution. This feeling polarised in the Luddites (named after their mythical leader Ned Ludd) who were unemployed hand-loom weavers bent on destroying the steam looms which had put them out of work."
- Original album sleeve notes from Parcel of Rogues
Oh, when I was a tailor, I carried my bodkin and shears
When I was a weaver, I carried my roods and my gear
My temples also, my small clothes and reed in my hand
And wherever I go, here's the jolly bold weaver again
I'm a hand weaver to my trade
I fell in love with a factory maid
And if I could but her favour win
I'd stand beside her and weave by steam
My father to me scornful said
"How could you fancy a factory maid?"
When you could have girls fine and gay
Dressed like unto the Queen of May
As for your fine girls I don't care
If I could but enjoy my dear
I'd stand in the factory all the day
And she and I'd keep our shuttles in play
I went to my love's bedroom door
Where often times I had been before
But I could not speak nor yet get in
The pleasant bed that my love lies in
How can you say it's a pleasant bed
When nowt lies there but a factory maid?
And a factory lass although she be
Blest is the man that enjoys she
O pleasant thoughts come to me mind
As I turn down the sheets so fine
And I seen her two breasts standing so
Like two white hills all covered with snow
The loom goes click and the loom goes clack
The shuttle flies forward and then flies back
The weaver's so bent that he's like to crack
Such a wearisome trade is the weaver
The yarn is made into cloth at last
The ends of the weft they are made quite fast
The weaver's labors are now all past
Such a wearisome trade is the weaver
Where are the girls, I will tell you plain
The girls have gone to weave by steam
And if you'd find them you must rise at dawn
And trudge to the mill in the early morn
Oh, when I was a tailor, I carried my bodkin and shears
When I was a weaver, I carried my roods and my gear
My temples also, my small clothes and reed in my hand
And wherever I go, here's the jolly bold weaver again

[@thefolkrevivalproject2song533]

For this song, Steeleye Span song combined two traditional folk songs, one for the introduction/ending and another for the middle. The middle section is taken from a text of a version of Roud 17771 collected and recorded by A.L. Lloyd. The introduction/ending is a harmonised version of Roud 3085 as sung by the traditional Irish singer Robert Cinnamond. You can hear him singing it here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/hHjcgnyZhJaNnLM I featured this song, including the Robert Cinnamond version, in the first part of my Phonograph to Folk Revival series on my main channel kzbin.info/www/bejne/qIKvZ4FpmK56eq8

[@FartySlartBast]

Thanks so much for posting, just perfect

[@patricias5122]

Thank you for that explanation ....

[@gregc2467]

Maddy has the purest voice,she could cut glass with it.

[@patricias5122]

Absolutely pitch perfect .... and the way she "bends" her vowels is just so good! The way she trails the sound on "shears" and "hand"

[@smatty1]

No one spins tales of the plight of the commoner throughout human history like Steeleye Span! Never gets old and never fails to bring tears to my eyes-connecting me to the whole of humanity! Bravo 👏!

[@darrengoodenough8064]

Wow what a amazing voice

[@darrengodden9781]

Wow, real music, real musicians, lyrics that tell a story told by the amazing Maddy Prior

[@robinholmescnx]

Maddie's voice has just got better and better as she's got older. The band also gets better and better. Of all the music I like, Steeleye Span makes me the happiest.

[@patricias5122]

I agree! She cannot quite hit the high notes as she does in this video .... but despite that her voice now has a rich timbre and warmth. She's just extraordinary.

[@tilesetter1953]

She's so lovely with that amazing voice to boot! Great harmonies.

[@Bazonthebass]

A pretty and talented lady indeed.

[@patricias5122]

If I could sing as beautifully as Maddy Pryor, how happy I would be! I would sing the whole day long.

[@whahhoo3354]

Sounds great and love her voice 2024

[@scienceevolves4417]

Peter Knight's fiddle and Liam's syncopated drumming are absolutely brilliant in this one, along with Maddy's fitting harmonies😊

[@eileencullen8682]

❤

[@eileencullen8682]

The drummer and the fiddle are extraordinary. Liam and Peter and everybody else Bravo!

[@leperheart]

perfection

[@whitetigress7448]

"The girls have gone to weave by steam . . . " Fascinating. Marvelous. I love it. xxxooo

[@janerichards897]

Uplifting music - makes me feel very happy 😊

[@ChrisDutch]

When they first appeared on the scene it was such an amazing subset to the FM free form radio era listening to them and Fairport Convention, The Strawbs and others. Their music still sounds so great today in these times of corporate rock and recycled R & B.

[@patricias5122]

Yes, in Seattle there was KZAM where I first heard this amazing group

[@alanthomson1227]

And Pentangle , Trees and Comus.

[@donnarawlinsfrench220]

A great song, wonderfully rendered by Maddy & Co. What a voice!

[@patricias5122]

It's so beautiful and somehow, she's never in the least bit predictable....she sings the same sing a little differently every single time. I hope she lives on and on and on and on and on....

[@narrowboat-nonsense]

It don't get much better than this.👌

[@lindapadley5806]

You can't mistake Maddie for anybody else! Somewhere in my singles I have All around my hat and Gaudait. Have always liked the mixture of traditional with rock. Now in my late 60's and just picked up on Scottish bands doing similar, not Steeleye span but still enjoying the mix.

[@romblon711]

Oh My!!!! What a great song !!!

[@FartySlartBast]

Hooly fark, was just diggin the original on "Parcel of Rogues", n this comes up! Everyone's in Bed unfortunately no-one to share the joy with now so can only wait listen on rpt n rpt.....8 hrs n counting down, gonna be a barrage..just too head bangingly good, this will not get lost, straight to the pool room X

[@jackdaw7781]

Fantastic. That is all.

[@BlackWhirlies]

Stunning playing. Liam Genocky is awesome.

[@philtred21]

Wonderful!

[@maejohl]

Great version of this!

[@beccastell6439]

Haven't heard this for years!

[@UrsaMajorPrime]

Fantastic arrangement for this tune - love it!

[@christinecraig7473]

The best!

[@vanu49]

The arrangement of the song is truly a masterpiece..!! Thanks for the post.

[@nikolaosmosxakis3395]

very very well.......................................................................................................

[@jillelliott8175]

Absolute gawjus indictment of industrial revolution and triumph of love regardless of class.

[@CyberDwarf1949]

Please share for the benefit of our blighted world ❤️

[@brianstevens7789]

I was listening to this on a cd driving home from chippy last night.

[@haplessdilettante]

A song for the advent of the industrial revolution.

[@chriscocks3670]

Just sublime

[@lindapadley5806]

Maddies voice is brilliant! Long live regional accents! Traditional music. I'm from top end of Nottinghamshire but sound more like South Yorkshire. Lets not all end up sounding like BBC!

[@lindapadley5806]

Keep repeating myself, love Maddies voice. But watch her hands! To me it looks like she is using shuttles on the looms. Fitting in with song.

[@steveellis9004]

Parcel of Rogues...

[@duvalian]

Bloody marvellous… What was she doing with her arms and hands ? She looks like she’s weaving spells !

[@bluegarage100]

What a great song. I do find her hand and arm movements distracting though.

[@themoonandstars8868]

I believe she was mimicking a weaver.

[@NagoyaHouseHead]

And she and I'd keep our shuttles in play

[@samueldakin]

Brill

[@michaelcraig9449]

Is this still Maddie in this band at this time?

[@derningtona]

I saw Maddy in Stratford upon Avon a couple of weeks ago.

[@vitabricksnailslime8273]

Wasn't that the drummer who worked with Gerry Rafferty?

[@derningtona]

Yes. Liam Genockey

[@richardstone3473]

I am a retired nurse. Why . Listen to the song. My skills have been diminished by IT. Nurses and doctors have been de-skilled and patients dehumanised by PC keyboards.

[@wodens-hitman1552]

To all our American friends... No its not Irish, its English 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

[@thefolkrevivalproject2song533]

Actually at least half of the song is Irish. Steeleye Span based the introduction/end section on this recording of the traditional Irish singer Robert Cinnamond kzbin.info/www/bejne/mILWeJttr62Bock

[@wodens-hitman1552]

@@thefolkrevivalproject2song533 rubbish. Its pure North East English. Not a grain of Irish is in this song. Its pure 19 th century English

[@thefolkrevivalproject2song533]

@@wodens-hitman1552 I provided a link to the Irish recording from 1955 that Steeleye Span based large parts of this song on. According to Roud, Robert Cinnamond's version is the only traditional source of the song www.vwml.org/search?q=rn3085&is=1

[@Dragonblaster1]

I would rate Maddy with Julie Andrews, Judith Durham and Kate Bush as one of the greatest female singers in my lifetime, and that’s a small club, as Iit is with male singers.

[@nisqually7]

Tbh I am not keen on the sound of Maddy's voice, but she's clearly talented as is the band. I am on a Steeleye Span kick. Digging the fusion of modern and old.

[@tomoday4450]

Sounds like Judy Collins

[@sandramorey2529]

Judy Collins has some wonderful traditional songs on her earliest albums. Golden Apples of the Sun for one.

[@MrCarterbrandon]

@@sandramorey2529 Are you sure that's not The Song of Wandering Aengus, a poem by WB Yeats?

[@cubbykovu8955]

Erm the bass appears to be out of tune

[@peterbrennan750]

Or your ears..?