Sails of Silver

1. Sails of Silver

(3.27 Written by Tim Hart)

Single: Nov 1980: Sails of Silver (b: Senior Service)

2. My Love

(2.53 Written by Tim Hart using a traditional tune)

Peter Knight when responding to a Question on his old site, said of the song that it was Tim's words put to an old tune. Someone later responded that it was possibly a tune called 'Kelvin Grove' in a book called 'The National Songbook' but I have not managed to verify this. The tune is definitely the one used on the traditional song 'The Shearings not for you' (Here, is a 1970 recording) so the more likely home of the tune, unless Kelvin Grove is an older version.

LIVE/RELEASES:
[1980] UK Comeback Tour
[1981] UK Autumn Tour

3. Barnet Fair

(4.34 Lyrics written by Rick Kemp. The credits suggest 'traditional' for the tune but this has not been confirmed and if traditional, it has not been identified)

Rick: 'Here I tried to re-create the atmosphere in a town anticipating the arrival of a travelling fair, in the days before hydraulics made the fairground experience bigger, racier, and much more expensive.'
Per Rick this was turned into a more Rock n Roll arrangement by Gus.

4. Senior Service

(3.31 Written by Maddy Prior and Rick Kemp)

5. Gone to America

(4.21 Written by Peter Knight but the melody might be traditional, not confirmed)

Bob: "Incredible, some of the low notes that she [Maddy] hits, there's a power in her voice, she was actually pregnant, she was very, very pregnant when she sang that and I remember her sitting down singing this. I was amazed at how much power she got out"
When played live has lengthy guitar solos, unusual for Bob in particular. Accompanied by Peter on Keyboards.

6. Where Are They Now

(4.11 Written by Rick Kemp but melody might be traditional, not confirmed)

Rick: 'Seems as if my chums Peace and Environment are on the defensive again. Written overnight and recorded by Steeleye the next morning'

7. Let Her Go Down

(3.36 Written by Peter Knight)
Written by Peter during the time when he was not in Steeleye (1977-79) and owned a commercial fishing boat with a friend off the coast of Hastings. The song has been covered by The Hollies. Although Peter has said it is not about a specific incident, knowing Peter it is more than likely a metaphor for other experiences not relating to a ship...
Peter: "This song reflects the dangers of the sea and how quickly the weather can change without warning".

Peter also explained in a bit more detail on his website once: " There are various meanings to this song if 'meaning' is the right word. 'Feelings' would be closer. I left Steeleye at one point and bought a small fishing boat and fished off the coast of Hastings. Although we would always check the weather forecast before going to sea, there were times when we were caught in unexpected bad weather. At these times the consequences can be uncomfortable or lives can be lost, and decisions have to be made quickly. This song came from that time and is about human nature. It may be that the captain was a coward. Perhaps his decision to tell the crew to abandon ship was wrong. Maybe all hands could have saved her. The captain had his reasons. What they were I don't know."

When recorded it was considered a potential single and as a result the final verse was re-written to allow Maddy to sing a verse. It also meant the lyrics didn't quite make sense and when questioned about it on his website (around 1999) Peter explained about the re written verse and for the first time said what they had intended to be (below).

Peter said that 'the Captain could have save the ship but didn't...Sometimes the crew know best'

'I wondered if my shipmates
Had been lost in that rolling sea
So I called their names out one by one
But there was no one else around but me
And as that ship went down in the fading light
I knew we could have saved her
The captain lied when the captain cried
“There's none of us here can save her”  

Studio Re-recording - 'Present' CD (2002)
Re recorded with the original as intended verse. After this date the song was always sung live with these lyrics. See 2nd video below for this newer version.

8. Longbone

(3.58 Written by Bob Johnson. Interpreted the lyrics from Norse mythology ballad and wrote the melody)

Apparently Gus didn’t like as it was too 'Status Quo', Bob thought it was a good Jig rhythm. Gus then turned into a West County Country funk (as described by Peter and Bob!)