984 ( Steeleye Span - All Around My Hat )

984 ( Steeleye Span - All Around My Hat )

A new month starts today; it only seems like a month ago I was doing the same.
Anyway, I felt like picking something from Steeleye Span on this morning; I decided on one of their more famous tracks, which they took to no.5 on the U.K. charts.
As always, in this one they are adding strong back-beats and bass lines to traditional folk songs from the British Isles. The musical arrangements along with Maddy Prior's vocals and, of course, the vocals harmonies are incredible.
This one originates from the early 1800s and was originally about a man who morns his fiancee being sent to Australia as punishment for the crime of theft. He wears sprigs of willow in his hat for a "Twelfth Month and a Day" as a sign he is in mourning. In other versions the man is mourning after returning from sea only to find his fiancee, who he thought was faithful, married to another. Whatever the case the song always is about lovers being separated and one mourning the loss.

Here is the studio version on YouTube.
Here is a music video on YouTube.
Here is a live performance from a few years ago on YouTube.


My song pick a year ago today: .38 Special - Fade To Blue
My song pick two years ago today: Jethro Tull - Beltane

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