A summary of all known 'off album' rare tracks recorded or sung live and whether they are available officially or unofficially
This page will document all the known non-standard Album tracks, from singles , studio outtakes, BBC Sessions, Live tracks, interesting variations, bootlegs or even ones with no known recordings. I will highlight ones which are readily, and not so readily available. There are over 100, but maybe one day they all will become available in the same place.
I have now included a section that reviews all the non studio albums that have been released (and mentioned in the notes below) that will include the rare tracks that are available to hear from official sources. Click here to see a summary of Essential Collections and Live albums. This will also tell you where to buy all the collections noted below where the rare tracks are included
Various 50'/60's Rock n Roll classics performed by the band, usually, but not always part of an encore around the years 1972-74. They would often make a quick change after the main show and come back on dressed up in 'Rockers' outfits. Most of these these tracks only exist, if at all, as part of various bootlegs, usually from the tours of America.
'All Dressed up and Nowhere to go' ('73). Piano+Maddy + Band Backing Vocals. Available from when Steeleye supported Procul Harum.
'Hello Mary Lou' ('73). Session recording available.
'Rag Doll' ('73). Released as a Single.
'Long Tall Sally' ('73).
'Da Doo Ron Ron' ('73)
'Sing Something Simple' ('73)
'Too Know Him is to Love Him' (appeared on Now We are Six but included here to show all known Rockers Encore tracks)
As listed above, they also played
'You Won't See me' and 'When Will I be Loved' but I am not sure if they were part of a 'Rockers encore' where they got changed as in the image above.
'General Taylor' (1971) Studio Outtake from Please to see the King. Appeared on 'Individually and Collectively LP in 1972. Also on the 'lark in the Morning' CD collection. More recently on the 2006 Castle Re Issue of Ten Map Mop, along with a BBC Session version. A Mark III line up version from a '72 session appears on a Bootleg.
'Singing the Travels' (June 1972). Studio outtake from Below the Salt Sessions. Now available on the 'Good Times of Old England' Box Set
'Bonny Moorhen' (1973). From Parcel Of Rogues studio sessions. 1st appeared on 'Original Masters' LP. Also on the 'Parcel of Steeleye' collection. Was excluded from album because there were "too many" Scottish songs.
'The Games People Play' (year?). Not available. Per Peter: " I remember once in the studio, Tim Hart, Rick and myself decided one late night to record 'The Games People Play'. It's out of this world, out of time, out of tune and very funny."
'Z Cars Theme'. Not really an outtake but the band were commissioned to record the theme music to the series. The tune was from a song called Johnny Todd.
Devils Dream (1975) Tune recorded during the 'Hat' album sessions, partnered with Sum Waves reflecting the live set at the time.
Now available on the 'Good Times of Old England' Box Set
'SuperWomble'. (23rd July 1975). Full story on 1975 page. Steeleye actually recorded a version of this song in the studio (while recording 'Hat') in order for Mike Batt to get it on Top of the Pops the next day - all TotP tracks had to be recorded the day before (Union rules). The band then mimed to this track the next day on TotP.
'Golden Vanity' (1995, Trad Arr) A Bob Johnson sung song that is a studio outtake from the 'Time' Album recording sessions. 1st appeared on two 'Park Records' sampler CD's in the 90's and more recently on the 2015 'Catch Up - The Essential Steeleye Span' CD
'Staring Robin'. (2000). A Tim Harries original song about an "Elizabethan Psycho". Full details on the time line for 2000. Recorded for the 'Bedlam Born' album but has never been released or surfaced so not yet available. Played on the 2000 tour and I recorded a poor quality bootleg and put it on Youtube.
More details available on the Timeline pages where relevant.
'Rave On' (1971). Single. Appears on a number of collections in slightly different variations. See 'Singles' page.
'The Holly and The Ivy' (1972). Appears on various collections including a version with spoken Xmas greetings from the band which is on 'A Rare Collection'.
'Rag Doll' (1972). Appears on the US LP 'Live at Last' and various collections since including 'A Rare Collection 1972-1996' and an 'alternate take' on the 'Good Times of Old England' Box Set
'Boars Head Carol' (1977). Single only. Appears on the usual collections including 'A Rare Collection 1972-1996'
'Montrose (edited)' 1978 'B' side to 'Hunting the Wren'. edited down to just under 4m from 15m! Found on 'A Rare Collection..'
'Somewhere In London' (1985) A single only release at the time but appears now on CD Reissue of Back in Line Album. The 'B' side had a slightly different version of 'Lanercost' which included an instrumental ending. Available on 'A Rare Collection'
'Hard Times of Old England' (2008) Studio recorded unreleased single, shortened 'Rock N Roll' version that appeared live at the time. See 2008 timeline for details.
'Somewhere along the Road'. (2015). A Rick Kemp composition sung by Maddy for years. This is a studio recording and they played it live. Appeared on 'Catch Up' Album.
'I have a Wish' (1982). Available on 'Gone to Australia' and a 'A Rare Collection 1972-1996'
'I live not where I love' (Trad Arr, 1982). Frequently sung by Maddy and also available from a live 2006 concert, also played in 1993 tour. Found on 'A Rare Collection..'
'Autumn to Spring Medley' (1984). Available on 'Rare Collection'. Brings to together Harvest Home/ Marigold from Sails of Silver but adds 'The Spring Will Bring us Together' which is not available anywhere else. Found on 'A Rare Collection..'
'The Masons Apron' (1984) (available on 'Gone to Australia') . Frequently played jig that often followed 'Hat' or other encores. Also appears on the 1994 25th Anniversary Video.
'In the Bleak Midwinter' (1985) . Sang on Pebble Mill at One, probably mimed. Appears on 'Winter' album but included here as a very different line up.
'Pheonix' A song played at City Hall, St Albans in October 1985. No other details known. Rick Kemp did write a song of this name released on one of his solo albums a few years later.
'She Moves Through the Fair'. Played on the UK Autumn tour as a classic Maddy and Peter Vocals/Violin duet.
'All I have to do is Dream' (1987) . Mark Williamson sang this as an encore during the 1987 US Tour.
'Blues Jam' (1987) As part of the same tour the band did a 'Jam' of Blues themed tunes as part of the encore. Bootlegs exist of the Cambridge gig which is how these are known.
'Eb English' (1993) & 'Picnic' (1993) These two Peter Knight original tunes (from his solo album 'An Ancient Cause' a year earlier) Played on the 1993 and 1994 Steeleye tours available as a bootleg from '93 and on the '25th Anniversary' Video in 1994.
'Sorry the day I was Married' (Trad Arr, 1993). A Maddy/Tim track that made an appearance with Steeleye in 1993 for the first time when Tim Hart toured with the Band as the Support act. Also featured on 2018 tour.
'Lowlands of Holland' (1994). From the 1994 25th Anniversary Video. Sang by Gay, played at a much slower pace with just Keyboard and Violin hence why included.
'Room For Company' (1997, Trad Arr) Maddy singing just to Liam's drum accompaniment and followed by the tune Hunsden House.
'Brigg Fair' (1997, Trad Arr). 'My Singing Bird' (1997 sung by Gay and a slower Irish song of unkown origin. These three all played on the 1996/7 tours but do not appear on any official released live albums. Brigg Fair not heard on any bootlegs yet either but the other two are.
'Stuttering Lovers' (1999) A Gay Woods song, "A bit of nonsense" as she described it, first appeared in the 30th Anniversary tour but never made it to the next album. Bootleg recordings do exist. Peter was asked about why this song did not appear on Bedlam Born and he said that Gay just didn't bring it forward to rehearsals.
'Through Moorfields' (2001, Trad Arr). Folk on The Pier, Cromer. Sung and arranged by Tim Harries. Never recorded as he left straight after. Great song!
'Streets of Derry' (2001, Trad Arr). Folk on the Pier, Cromer. Sung by Taz Alexander with just keyboard accompaniment.
Studio Tracks from 'Present' CD (2002):
When the 'classic' line up re-united they recorded the 'Present' album which had a couple of interesting tracks/variations worthy of note.
'Let Her Go Down' ('Present' and 'Folk Rock Pioneers in Concert') When the Peter Knight track was recorded in 1980 on 'Sails of Silver' the middle verse was altered to enable Maddy Prior to sing a verse as it was thought at the time it was single material. This version goes back to the as intended version and makes much more lyrical sense of the song.
'Lyke Wake Dirge' Recorded for the first time by the band. Appeared in concert in the mid 70's.
'Hard Times of Old England'. Much slowed down version.
Live tracks available on Official Live Releases:
'Liam's Drum Solo' (2004. Folk Rock Pioneers in Concert)
'Who's the Fool Now' (Trad Arr). 2006. Appears on 'Live at a Distance'
'The Neck Belly Reel' 2008. Appears on 'Live at a Distance'. Peter Knight fiddle tune.
'I live not where I love' (Trad Arr). 2006. Appears on 'Live at a distance'. Another live only recording of this frequently sung Maddy favourite.
Angels of Lincoln'. 2022. Maddy sings this song written by John Conolly (who wrote Fiddlers Green)
'Cold and Haily Night' 2022. Sang By Maddy, a different interpretation of 'Cold, Haily, Windy Night' with similar lyrics but a different melody/arrangement.
Low Flying / Genocide. 2023. Two Rick Kemp compositions, the first from the Maddy/Rick 'Happy Families'