Bedlam Born
Bedlam Born is the 16th studio album by British folk rock band Steeleye Span. It is the second of two albums made by a line-up consisting of Gay Woods, Bob Johnson, Peter Knight and Tim Harries, and only the second album on which Maddy Prior did not make an appearance. The title refers not to a bedlam, but to Christ's birth in Bethlehem (which is occasionally corrupted to 'Bedlam'). "There is a child in Bedlam born" is a line from "Stephen". Tracks and reception Their previous album, Horkstow Grange was not well received by fans, many of whom complained that the album was too light on rock and too heavy on folk. For Bedlam Born the band emphasized the rock elements, producing tracks such as "Well Done Liar", "John of Ditchford", and "We Poor Laboring Men" that have a strong rock guitar line, driving bass, and comparatively heavy drumming, provided by the band's regular guest drummer Dave Mattacks. While Woods was the primary lead singer on Horkstow Grange, on this album she sings lead on only five songs, mostly quieter pieces that allowed her to demonstrate her high range. Two of these pieces, "Arbour" and "The White Cliffs of Dover"