Incredible String Band: An Appreciation.

Subject: Incredible String Band: An Appreciation.
From: The Shambles
Date: 23 Jan 99 - 05:17 PM

I have been writing here about artists that I like or have influenced me in some way and I have been feeling a little guilty lately when I realised that for some reason, I have not mentioned the artists who were probably the single most important influence.

I refer to The Incredible String Band. Mike Heron and Robin Williamson were responsible for creating some of the most original and exciting music to come out of the 60s and 70s. Their fusion of instruments and styles from every part of the world were to influence many people and opened lots of doors for the artists that followed their ground-breaking lead.

Not everything they tried actually came off. One of the reasons for this I would suggest is they insisted in surrounding themselves with people (and partners) who didn't share their musical skills and their reach always exceeded their grasp. Although they both continue to perform and have recently played together again, it was that magic period when they seemed to spur each other to creative heights, that I remember most fondly..................... I would like to thank them.

There I feel better now. Is there anyone else out there that feels the same?

Subject: RE: Incredible String Band: An Appreciation.
From: RWilhelm
Date: 23 Jan 99 - 06:10 PM

I feel the same. It was extremely exciting for me to hear acoustic music that adventurous in the 60s. You're right that not everything worked but it was also because they were doing things that had never been done before. I think "10,000 Spirits" is still a masterpiece, I wore out one vinyl copy. I still occasionally sing and play "Gently Tender" or "First Girl I Loved."

I saw Robin Williamson solo about 10 years ago playing guitar, harp, and pipes doing mostly traditional songs and telling stories. It was mesmerising.

Subject: RE: Incredible String Band: An Appreciation.
From: MAG (inactive)
Date: 23 Jan 99 - 06:10 PM

I loved the band, and enjoy Robin in his new career as a harp-playing storyteller. His unusual height and aggressive playing style give him an amazing presence onstage.

I and others I know were put off by his dalliance with Ron Hubbard & Co. this hits a nerve with librarians, as books critical of hubbard and Scientology tend to get trashed in libraries.

Anybody know more about this?

Mary Ann

Subject: RE: Incredible String Band: An Appreciation.
From: Helen
Date: 23 Jan 99 - 06:56 PM

Hi all,

It's funny that I was just talking to someone last night about the ISB. He has just discovered Robin Williamson's storytelling and now wants to know more about his earlier stuff. I have the double album "U" which is possibly a compilation of a few years work. Anyone know?

My favourites include the song which starts: I know you, through and through, saw you kiss the flowers, for hours & hours.

I also remember hearing the Earthspan vinyl album and loving that one.

I agree that they were groundbreakers - and maybe, for me, that's why some of their also didn't work perfectly, because they were experimenting all the time. And some things work, some don't, but it's all interesting stuff.

I have a couple of Robin Williamson's vinyl records: Winter's Turning (I think that's the name of it) and another one based on the Mabinogion, a music/drama performance in Wales, I think. (My vinyls are packed away and a bit inaccessible).

So, count me in on the fan club - I've been an admirer of theirs since the early 70's.

Also I used to be a librarian but I don't know about librarians trashing L. Ron Hubbard or his books. Some library clients would verbally trash his stuff, but other clients wouldn't, and it isn't the place of librarians to censor clients' reading material (if it isn't downright pornographic or violent) No, please, don't start the censorship discussion here.

Helen

Subject: RE: Incredible String Band: An Appreciation.
From: The Shambles
Date: 23 Jan 99 - 07:11 PM

There is a site where you may be able to find the answers to your questions Be Glad For The Song Has No Ending

Subject: RE: Incredible String Band: An Appreciation.
From:
Date: 23 Jan 99 - 10:22 PM

Yes, I lived on their first three albumes. I liked the inocence of the first one but do feel The 500 layers Of The Onion will always hold the biggest place in my heart. Ah thoughs days when going for a walk with a girl was everything and no one wanted to know what a date was.Hard to discribe to anyone who didn't live thruogh it!It's amazing how meny musicions have a secret place for those records. Thanks for bringing them up. Remember THe Old Falks FRom Home by Taj Mahal ?Same time and inspired alot of peaple to find old Banjo's and national guitars.{Sorry I had to add that} Cheers...

Subject: RE: Incredible String Band: An Appreciation.
From:
Date: 23 Jan 99 - 11:25 PM

Yes, I lived on their first three albumes. I liked the inocence of the first one but do feel The 500 layers Of The Onion will always hold the biggest place in my heart. Ah thoughs days when going for a walk with a girl was everything and no one wanted to know what a date was.Hard to discribe to anyone who didn't live thruogh it!It's amazing how meny musicions have a secret place for those records. Thanks for bringing them up. Remember THe Old Falks FRom Home by Taj Mahal ?Same time and inspired alot of peaple to find old Banjo's and national guitars.{Sorry I had to add that} Cheers...

Subject: RE: Incredible String Band: An Appreciation.
From: Barbara
Date: 24 Jan 99 - 01:12 AM

Oh, I was an Incredible String Band fan from way back. The first album I have has a third guy, Clive? Clyde? someone on it(I could go walk inside and look). I love October Song, the Hedgehog Song, Painting Box, and I still hear pieces from The Hangman's Lovely Daughter (is that right?) Lines about Maya (dust be diamonds, water be wine, happy happy happy all the time time time), and a fine old pig, eat most anything, didn't care a fig, gone like snow on the mountain, goodbyeeee, or the lines about "who would mouse and who would lion and who would answer clearly, who would ... steal the crystallized ginger?" And what about the Minotaur? (his features are incredibull)
I bought a double compilation album, "the Best of.." and that must have been sometime in the '70s, and somehow we parted company after that. I haven't heard any of their more recent stuff.
Thanks, Shambles, for some fond memories.
Blessings,
Barbara

Subject: RE: Incredible String Band: An Appreciation.
From: Ritchie
Date: 24 Jan 99 - 05:11 AM

Nice one Shambles, I fondly remember listening to John Peel,on, I think it was, a sunday afternoon, with my old twin track reel to reel tape machine.At the time it was between 'Tyranosaurus Rex' and 'The Incredible String Band' for my affections.

Often ,when under the guise of tidying up the cellar, I get the trusty old tape m/c out and the mind floats back to those days. aargh yes it's better than a poke in the eye with a blunt stick... love and happiness Ritchie

Subject: RE: Incredible String Band: An Appreciation.
From: Bobby Bob, Ellan Vannin
Date: 24 Jan 99 - 08:56 AM

I succumbed to the temptation a fortnight ago to replace vinyl with CD when I found The 5,000 Spirits Or The Layers of the Onion (some inflation and deflation has been going on here in the thread) and The Hangman's Beautiful Daughter in the shop.

The song Maya was on the Wee Tam and the Big Huge double album, which I would also like to get hold of. I've got most of their other albums, up till "U", when I felt the acting side was taking precedence over the music. Without the visuals, the music didn't quite it, though some songs were still pretty good.

Funnily enough, I don't care for Robin Williamson as a solo artist (or with the Merry Band) in recordings, though I'm sure he's mesmerising in person. Perhaps it was the spark between Williamson and Heron that worked best. Clive (was he a Williamson too?) dropped out after that first album.

Robin's brother, the late Roy, was a member of The Corries for many, many years and of course contributed the song, Flower of Scotland.

I saw the ISB in concert back in the late 60s and was surprised at some of the people who turned out for it. Whether they look back with the same pleasure as I do, I'm not sure, but on the whole I doubt it. One singer/musician here who listened to their stuff thought they were awful.

Subject: RE: Incredible String Band: An Appreciation.
From: Earl
Date: 24 Jan 99 - 11:29 AM

Right, it was 5,000 spirits. I must have doubled it because I had two copies. The third member of the original band was Clive Palmer who.

Subject: RE: Incredible String Band: An Appreciation.
From: Earl
Date: 24 Jan 99 - 11:30 AM

That's Clive Palmer. Not Clive Palmer who.

Subject: RE: Incredible String Band: An Appreciation.
From: Bobby Bob, Ellan Vannin
Date: 24 Jan 99 - 06:39 PM

Yes, I'd forgotten Clive was a Palmer, so thank's for the prompt.

I received an interesting comment from my long-suffering father this evening. It's because of my father and his collection of very varied music and his willingness to listen to anything available that my own musical awareness seems to be fairly wide.

My father loved the opera, classical and jazz records I bought, and the pop and soul records. He loved The Dubliners' records - still does - and came with me to several of their concerts. He used to love scanning the radio dial and we often sat and listened to concerts of sitar music or other world music (as they call it now).

However (there was bound to be one of those), I mentioned earlier in the thread that I'd replaced my vinyl copies of The 5,000 Spirits and The Hangman's Beautiful Daughter. This evening, for auld lang syne, I played "Koeeaddi There" on my programme on Manx Radio (live streaming on Real Audio!!!).

When I was in the pub with my father this evening, he remarked on the track by the singer who was slightly out of tune all the way through - but he remembered it from my inflicting it on the family when our centre of entertainment was the old Dansette. Robin Williamson, of course, who I admit was actually no great shakes as a singer, and whom I prefer in company with Mike Heron, because by himself, I have to agree with my father!!

I probably put the cat amongst the pigeons when playing Country Joe & The Fish - their song, "Sweet Lorraine", turned up in a thread recently, and Phillippa from Scotland (I assume) was surprised that I was a fan of them. I'm not sure why. After listening to one of their rambling, contemplative pieces, I remarked to my parents that it was obviously about drugs. They were worried about how I would know!

They were generally very long-suffering about my taste in music, mainly because it was (and is) so eclectic. Actually, eclectic means choosing good things. I don't think I can really claim that. I'm quite willing to concede that some of the things I like have very few redeeming features.

But the thing my father hated beyond everything was "The Gift" by The Velvet Underground, despite John Cale's Welsh accent, and my father a keen student of the Welsh language.

This probably is a switch to the thread about "The World Turned Upside Down" by now. But thanks for raising the ISB, and it's so ironic when I've just got them on vinyl in the past two weeks.

Mish, lesh firrinys,

Bobby Bob

Subject: RE: Incredible String Band: An Appreciation.
From:
Date: 27 Jan 99 - 03:36 PM

Absolutely agree. I visited London in 1967, and my cousins were raving about the group. I heard the Incredible String Band in person in a basement joint in Soho, and I have liked their music ever since. Can't say that it always travelled - I brought the record back to Canada and my friend Dougal [the one with the stringy long blonde hair] was apt to call them the incredibly stringy band. but I still have two of their original LPs and haul them out once a year. The layers of the onion in particular hits me right here.

Subject: RE: Incredible String Band: An Appreciation.
From: Lonesome EJ
Date: 28 Jan 99 - 01:26 AM

I was one of a vast number of long-haired, bluejean clad Americans who invaded Europe in the summer of 1972,thanks to $149 round trip airfares on Icelandic airways. I first heard the music of the Incredible String Band in a sunlit courtyard in Holland. That sound will always be associated in my mind with the sunshine,smiles,hashish aromas and white wine of that afternoon...a sound that was at the same time haunting,innocent,funny and definitely exotic. I was also introduced to a band called Pentangle during my stay. Vivid memories of a beautiful young girl dancing by herself to "Basket of Light" by that group.

Subject: RE: Incredible String Band: An Appreciation.
From:
Date: 01 Jul 99 - 07:23 AM

please can you help me work out some of ISB's songs, please, please! I am really quite desperate you know! Alex ([e-mail])

Subject: RE: Incredible String Band: An Appreciation.
From: Neil Lowe
Date: 01 Jul 99 - 08:38 AM

I was not familiar with ISB but I had heard so many wonderful things such as have been expressed in the previous posts that I had to check them out for myself, so I bought "Hangman's Beautiful Daughter" without having heard it first. After all, so many people couldn't be wrong.

The effort struck me as an example of the dismal failure possible when psychedelia is imposed on a "free association" approach to musical structure, a "what not to do" instruction manual for chemically refreshed musicians tempted to commit to celluloid whatever pops into their head. In that is the only thing I could find of any socially redeeming value.

But then again, I am always willing to entertain the possibility that I totally missed the point. It wouldn't be the first time. Maybe I just don't get it. This coming from someone who thinks Neil Young doesn't belong in the "Neil Young Home For The Terminally Screwed," but ISB does.

If we were all the same forums like this would not be so interesting. My opinion, for the two cents it's worth.

Regards, Neil

Subject: RE: Incredible String Band: An Appreciation.
From: The Shambles
Date: 01 Jul 99 - 01:34 PM

Each to their own Neil, but I think to be fair, it should be mentioned that the record you refer to is 30 years old and being viewed a little out of it's context.

The main part of their appeal for me is that their reach always exceeded their grasp and the influence they had of those that were to follow.

Subject: RE: Incredible String Band: An Appreciation.
From: puzzled
Date: 01 Jul 99 - 06:08 PM

I was turned on to ISB when i first started college in 1967. The man who presented them to me will forever be a friend. I love their work still. And even perform the Cousin Catepillar song from time to time
I thank them for what they gave to me through their music
Two quotes from their songs that i say frequently "happy, happy, happy all the time, time, time"
and "Amoebas are very small"

Subject: RE: Incredible String Band: An Appreciation.
From: Helen
Date: 02 Jul 99 - 12:34 AM

Neil,

My best advice, before totally giving up on ISB, is to put the record on and play it over and over in the background while you are doing something else. After a few listens you might find yourself wanting to hear a particular song again and then you might listen to the record a few more times and start getting hooked on a few more songs.

It's a lot like listening to Joni Mitchell or Tim Buckley or Jeff Buckley or Tom Waits for the first time. My first reaction to all of these was "Oh my God, what is that awful racket?" and then all of their music grew on me to the point where I either appreciate it for its innovation (analytical viewpoint) or I absolutely love it (emotional/artistic reaction).

Actually I didn't even wait for Jeff Buckley's music to grow on me before I bought the CD because I thought, being Tim's son, I would grow to like it anyway.

ISB experimented with a lot of instruments and styles from around the world and were probably "instrumental" (excuse the rather obvious pun) in getting other musicians hooked on the range of music and the enormous possiblities of what is now referred to as World music, including the fusion of World music with mainstream rock/pop music etc etc.

Helen

Subject: RE: Incredible String Band: An Appreciation.
From: Neil Lowe
Date: 02 Jul 99 - 09:51 AM

Okay Helen, you convinced me. Like I said in my previous post, it wouldn't be the first time I was wrong about something. If I can still find it. I tried to give it away and couldn't. It's buried amongst other orphaned recordings. There was only one song that appealed to my ear out of the whole set and I don't quite remember the title, something like "Three Is A Perfect Crown" or "Green Is A Perfect Crown." And I am pretty musically diverse, I think. I have a lot of stuff that other people would not even consider music because I hear music and rhythm in everything from the washing machine to absolute silence (if you are lucky enough to experience absolute silence, you will discover it has a distinct tone).

Note to thread purists: I would've sent this person a personal e-mail response if she had had an address listed in the Mudcat e-mail list.

Regards, Neil

Subject: Lyr Add: EMPTY POCKET BLUES (Clive Palmer)
From: Roger in Baltimore
Date: 02 Jul 99 - 05:04 PM

Neil,

I have three ISB LP's including "U". I was disappointed by two of them stopped following them. My interest was initially perked by reviews and by two songs I heard. The first is still in my repertoire "Empty Pocket Blues" (not "that one" the other one by ISB). The other was the "Smoke Shovelling Song." I enjoyed the song, but it is too drug-focused for me to sing.

There was not much else I liked or understood. Perhaps you and I didn't do enough marijuana in the '60's and '70's.

Here's the song I still do.


1. My pocket's empty, baby,
Just singing the blues for you.
My pocket's empty, baby,
You know I loved you true.
And even my old kettle,
Is whistlin' the blues for you.

CHORUS: Back again, I'm still waitin',
Back again with you.

2. Nights are lonely, baby,
And I need you all, all the time,
And I'm lonely, baby,
And I need your lips on mine,
And even my old kettle,
Is whistlin' the blues for you. CHORUS

REPEAT FIRST VERSE AND CHORUS


It has a great little tune that is bluesy but not your standard 12-bar blues.

Big RiB

Subject: RE: Incredible String Band: An Appreciation.
From: Helen
Date: 02 Jul 99 - 07:03 PM

Hi again Neil,

I can't understand why you couldn't find my e-mail: I am listed in the Mudcat e-mail list from the Send a Personal Message page. I just checked to make sure.

Besides, I don't think that your message needed to be sent personally because it is part of this discussion (in my opinion). And I can't imagine that ISB enthusiasts would react too much to BS...correct me if I am wrong, guys.

Even when you do try out my method for listening to ISB you still may not like them but that's the way that I started to appreciate their music. It's a bit like thread creep, it just crept up on me slowly and suddenly (it seemed sudden) I was aware of how much I liked them.

They are a bit erratic when you listen to lots of their stuff - some is good, some brilliant, some clever, some boring, some just a downright waste of time (for me personally) but taken on the whole that is what happens when people experiment in a wildly creative way with music and lyrics.

Helen

Subject: RE: Incredible String Band: An Appreciation.
From: John Nolan
Date: 02 Jul 99 - 07:11 PM

I agree Roger - Empty Pocket Blues is classic, but it was written by banjo player Clive Palmer, who left the ISB after the first (and probably best) album, and before Mike Heron stumbled into the Church of Scientology which had set up a base in Edinburgh in the late '60s. Clive went on to form COB (Clive's Own Band)and issued an album called Moshe McStiff and the Tartan Lancers of the Sacred Heart, a record mostly remarkable for containing a song predicting the downfall of Ethiopian Emperor H.S. By the time they got to "U" the ISB were not just a huge disappointment but a gigantic embarassment on stage - e.g. Candleriggs in Glasgow. (Groans at memory)

Subject: RE: Incredible String Band: An Appreciation.
From: The Shambles
Date: 02 Jul 99 - 08:23 PM

Just as a matter of interest. Clive Palmer and Robin Williamson have been playing again together, recently.

I think there is more on this to be found on the link to the website, to be found earlier in this thread.

Subject: RE: Incredible String Band: An Appreciation.
From: The Shambles
Date: 02 Jul 99 - 08:57 PM

Or better still click here http://dspace.dial.pipex.com/town/square/ac455/fountain.html

Subject: RE: Incredible String Band: An Appreciation.
From: cathy
Date: 13 Jul 99 - 01:44 PM

wee Tam and Big Huge were found by me on a CD and they brought back wonderful memories of sitting under a blnket a at the old commune singing every note from memory. Stuck to our brains like oatmeal... rather our brains WERE oatmeal maybe. As I sing along, my younger friends just don't get it.

doot dah do-doot DaH do-doot DAH...

.

Subject: RE: Incredible String Band: An Appreciation.
From: WyoWoman
Date: 13 Jul 99 - 02:52 PM

Hey, LEJ -- I remember Pentangle, too. I don't remember any of their music, just as I don't remember actual ISB songs. But I lisetened to both of them a lot. I remember the one ISB line, "And he attained enlightenment by a blow to the head," which occasionally I interject when someone has taken a bump on the noggin. People just think I'm being deeply weird, but the occasional non-sequitur never hurt nuttin.

ww

Subject: RE: Incredible String Band: An Appreciation.
From: The Shambles
Date: 13 Jul 99 - 06:12 PM

Whilst listening to Wee Tam And The Big Huge, I was reading 'The Lord Of The Rings for the first time. I have read it many times since and when I read now I can still hear all those tunes in my head. The atmosphere created was just right somehow.

ww.

Were those lines from 'Hiram Pornitoff The Highwayman', from U?

Subject: RE: Incredible String Band: An Appreciation.
From: Neil Lowe
Date: 14 Jul 99 - 11:21 AM

Shambles: In response to your observation that I might have taken ISB's music out of context - most everything I listen to is thirty years old or sounds like it is at least thirty years old, so I would have been comparing ISB to most of the other stuff I listen to.

Regards, (S.I.T.S.)Neil (Stuck In The Sixties)

Subject: RE: Incredible String Band: An Appreciation.
From: Barbara
Date: 14 Jul 99 - 01:07 PM

I agree with those that say the music grows on you. I was working on an underground newspaper when I first ran into the ISB, and my first reaction was similar to Neil's, something like, "What are those awful singers -- can't even carry a tune-- nattering on about forever?"
However, some of the lyrics sort of perked down into the substrata of my mind and they seem to be irrevocably lodged there now -- if you look at Art's birthday thread, you will see I ended my post with "Happy happy happy all the time time time", which is the end of the couplet that starts "Dust be diamonds, water be wine..."
I think they appeal sort of like nursery rhymes do (nursery rhymes for 60's chronic adolescents?)
I'm not sure how many of you other musician types have your subconscious talk to you in song, but mine certainly does. I will find myself at a social gathering talking to a friend, and as I head to the buffet, I'll be humming. If I stop and pull the tune up into my conscious mind, I'll find I'm singing "You don't know, you don't know my mind, baby, baby...you may think that I'm laughin' but I'm just tryin' to keep from cryin'"
Huh, I say to myself. It hadn't occurred to me, but that was what I was feeling. The ISB is one of the main players in this concert. Lines like:
"Rulers like to lay down laws,
and rebels like to break them
The poor priests like to lie in chains
And God likes to forsake them
Or,"You know all the notes and you sing all the words,
but you never quite learned the song she sung
And I can tell by the sadness in your eyes
You never quite learned the song." Like many of the others, I listened to the first albums most, and they lost me later on with the cult stuff. And maybe it a function of the '60s and the subculture and the drugs. However, they sing to me still, in my own mind's voice.
Blessings,
Barbara

Subject: RE: Incredible String Band: An Appreciation.
From: AndyG
Date: 15 Jul 99 - 08:00 AM

I've left this thread alone until now just browsing it as it's recurred but Barbara's post makes me want to add my bit.

I'm firmly of the opinion that the ISB's words did sink deeply into the memories of the folk who saw them at the time and in their place. This seems to be confirmed by the various postings by "persons of a certain age" above :)

Still with me now certainly; An October doesn't go by without singing October Song; I never see a hedghog but the words of The Hedgehog's Song pop into my mind.
And at other times:
Everything's Fine Right Now, First Girl I Loved, Invocation, Log Cabin Home in the Sky, Maybe Someday, Painting Box, Way Back in the 1960's, When the Music Starts to Play, You Get Brighter.
These might be my favourite ISB songs. They're the ones I can remember at the moment anyway.

I believe that the songs stay with us because they have such gentle lyrics combined with a good level of humour.

AndyG

Subject: RE: Incredible String Band: An Appreciation.
From: John Nolan
Date: 24 Jul 99 - 10:56 AM

Shambles - many thanks. Following your link above led to http://www.thebeesknees.com which is Pig's Whisker Music in Chesterfield, England. I ordered "At The Pure Fountain" (April 1999)by Robin and Clive - it arrived in New Hampshire about a week later, and has all traditional tracks like Tramps and Hawkers, Rise When the Rooster Crows and Wae's Me for Prince Chairlie. The best ISB recording in 30 years! Highly recommended.

Subject: RE: Incredible String Band: An Appreciation.
From: Pete Curry
Date: 24 Jul 99 - 08:57 PM

Most of their "mythico-shmithico" stuff was wasted on me but their straight-ahead "First Girl I Loved" is a classic and remains one of my all-time favorite songs.

Subject: RE: Incredible String Band: An Appreciation.
From: The Shambles
Date: 12 Feb 00 - 09:50 AM

They are re-forming for The UK Cropedy (Fairport) Festival in August!

More details here. Be Glad etc

Subject: RE: Incredible String Band: An Appreciation.
From: GUEST,Jorn Barger
Date: 12 Feb 00 - 07:14 PM

I have a page with links to almost everything ISB-related on the Net:

ISB resources

Subject: RE: Incredible String Band: An Appreciation.
From:
Date: 13 Feb 00 - 10:56 AM

can recomend "smiling men with bad reputations"by mike heron does anyone know what happened to the ladies who sang with them? one became a mayoress in wales-the other?

Subject: RE: Incredible String Band: An Appreciation.
From: Guy Wolff
Date: 13 Feb 00 - 11:53 PM

What wonderfull music to grow up to. I did love there first three records the most. I still sing "Oh lord how happy I am" though I dont drink wiskey anymore. "The first Girl I loved" still hits me hard. They gave us all a sence of intuitive, open music that was about much more then the drug culture.A friend of mine who is a wonderfull fiddle player often remenices with me about the inspiratin these guys brought to our early musical awakening.. Lots of thanks to I.S.B.and thanks Shambles for bringing up the memories!!!.I saw them in Cambridge Mass. with a beautiful blond to week I got back to Boston from Wales, in the sring of 1971. What a time!!! Peace and Love , Guy

Subject: RE: Incredible String Band: An Appreciation.
From: Brendy
Date: 14 Feb 00 - 12:37 AM

"You get brighter every day, and every time I see you"
It's been a long time.

But how come ANON up there don't have a guest in front of his name. Quite a neat little trick!!

Subject: RE: Incredible String Band: An Appreciation.
From: Wolfgang
Date: 16 Feb 00 - 10:08 AM

Brendy, ANON posted last century when Mudcat had no GUESTs yet.

Wolfgang

Subject: RE: Incredible String Band: An Appreciation.
From: Peg
Date: 16 Feb 00 - 10:30 AM

Neil; that song you are trying to recall is "Three is a Green Crown." I actually sing occasionally with a band called Green Crown! and when we perform that song it is in a very psychedelic, slow, sensual arrangment which does not sound all that much like the original... The members of the group live far and wide and usually converge in the summers to perform the pagan festival circuit...the band's founder is a huge ISB fan...

peg

Subject: RE: Incredible String Band: An Appreciation.
From: voyager
Date: 16 Feb 00 - 07:46 PM

Subject: RE: Incredible String Band: An Appreciation.
From: voyager
Date: 16 Feb 00 - 07:51 PM

Lay down my dear sister Won't you lay and take your rest Won't you lay you head Upon your savior's breast.

'Cause I love you But Jesus loves you the best And I wish you goodnight, goodnight, goodnight

One of these mornings bright and early and fine Goodnight, Goodnight Not a cricket nor a spirit gonna shout me down Goodnight, Goodnight

And I'll go walking thru the shadow of the valley of death Goodnight, Goodnight And I'll go walking thru Jerusalem just like John Goodnight, Goodnight

My rod and my staff shall comfort me Goodnight, Goodnight John the wise, he's so divine

et cetra

A PERSONAL FAVORITE, FOR MANY YEARS SUNG AS A LULLABY TO MY KIDS IF I COULD ONLY REMEMBER THE SEQUENCE OF LYRICS (sigh!)

voyager FSGW Ghetto East Silver Spring, MD.

Subject: RE: Incredible String Band: An Appreciation.
From: The Shambles
Date: 23 Nov 00 - 01:22 PM

Incredible String Band Lyrics

Subject: RE: Incredible String Band: An Appreciation.
From: Lanfranc
Date: 23 Nov 00 - 01:57 PM

Thanx, shambles. I was wondering why Empty Pocket Blues didn't appear, but, as it was written by Clive Palmer not Heron or Williamson, that could be why.

Scope here for a few more revivals.

Subject: RE: Incredible String Band: An Appreciation.
From: john c
Date: 23 Nov 00 - 03:02 PM

Appreciate, appreciate, appreciate!!!!>
Nothing - but absolutely nothing - has even come close to capturing the originality, inventivness and, the only word for it, magic of the first five Increds albums.
They certainly arent easy-listening - and the only way really to get into them is to give them a fair chance and listen to them a few times with an exceptionally open mind.
But then, slowly but surely, if you´re lucky, very small amoebas, cousin catarpillars, witches hats, minotaurs, not to mention assorted puppies and hedgehogs, will start following you around too. Believe me - its worth it!!
See ya,
John

Subject: RE: Incredible String Band: An Appreciation.
From: Wolfgang
Date: 24 Nov 00 - 07:19 AM

great link indeed. I have waited for a long time that someone would start that work.

Wolfgang

Subject: RE: Incredible String Band: An Appreciation.
From: Peter Kasin
Date: 24 Nov 00 - 08:31 AM

My older sister put The Hedgehog Song on the turntable to help soothe me through a high school unrequited love, back in 1970. I played it over and over that week. In 1975, I played the album for a friend who thought it was awful, and then said, "listen to this - it's much better" - and put on Steeleye Span's "Below The Salt" LP. After that, there was no looking back at the ISB for me. An unfair comparison, I know, but back then I tended to think of the ISB as a largely pseudo-kinda-medieval group, and naturally, listening to Steeleye Span for me was a major step up, and a revelation.

-chanteyranger

Subject: RE: Incredible String Band: An Appreciation.
From: GUEST,Michael the tenor with the Chancers
Date: 28 Oct 03 - 01:30 PM

Thanks for the posts about ISB. To this day, when I approach a river or a stream, I sing to myself:"Water, water, heaven's daughter. Teach me the lesson of flowing."[e-mail]
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Subject: RE: Incredible String Band: An Appreciation.
From: The Shambles
Date: 29 Oct 03 - 01:48 AM

A few years ago - I was driving along singing the merry ditty 'My Name Is Death' to find that I had Barnes Cemetary on both sides of me............The dead centre of London.

Since then it has always been a cemetary song.