The Incredible String Band
The Incredible String Band (sometimes abbreviated as ISB) was a psychedelic… Read Full Bio ↴The Incredible String Band (sometimes abbreviated as ISB) was a psychedelic folk band formed in Scotland in 1966. The band built a considerable following, especially within the British counterculture, before splitting up in 1974. The group's members are musical pioneers in psychedelic folk and, by integrating a wide variety of traditional music forms and instruments, in the development of world music. The group reformed in 1999 and continued to perform until 2006.

The Incredible String Band was formed in Edinburgh, Scotland, UK by folk musicians Robin Williamson, Mike Heron, and Clive Palmer (1943 - 2014). They recorded their eponymous debut album in 1966, a lighthearted affair which revealed only the merest hint of the psychedelic adventures to come. After that, the band broke up. Palmer decamped for the Trail to Afghanistan and Williamson visited Morocco from where he returned laden with exotic instruments like the famous gimbri, which was, much later, eaten by rats. In 1967 Heron and Williamson recorded 'The 5000 Spirits or the Layers of the Onion', an audaciously eclectic mix of bookish folk music, hippy love songs and Eastern modalities. They soon became the-name-to-drop-in-interviews for luminaries such as Paul McCartney and Bob Dylan, and in their annum mirabilis of 1968 they practically defined the hippy counterculture in the extraordinary albums 'The Hangman's Beautiful Daughter' and 'Wee Tam and the Big Huge'. By then the group consisted of Williamson, Heron, Rose Simpson and Licorice McKechnie - the same line up played at Woodstock in 1969 at the wrong time, having refused to play in the pouring rain the previous day (seen by manager Joe Boyd as a great missed opportunity).

In 1970 Robin Williamson attempted to fuse the music with his theatrical fantasies in a quixotic multi-media spectacular at London's Roundhouse called 'U'. It was "a surreal parable in dance and song" and highlighted the fact that they were never destined to make much money out of things. After that they lasted another four years. By 1974 tension between Williamson and Heron, who was pushing the band into prog-rock territory, had become unbearable and they split up.

Williamson soon formed "Robin Williamson and His Merry Band" which toured and released three albums of eclectic music with a Celtic emphasis. Within a few years, he went on to a solo career, moving increasingly into traditional Celtic styles. He also produced several recordings of humorous stories. Heron formed the rock group "Heron" and later released occasional solo albums. Responding to a comment by Joe Boyd in 1997 that they hadn't spoken since the breakup in 1974, the pair got back together for two concerts. This was followed by a full reunion of the original three members plus Williamson's wife Bina and Lawson Dando in 1999. By 2001 both Robin and Bina Williamson had left. Heron, Palmer and Lawson, and new member Fluff toured regularly around the United Kingdom and internationally until an end to the tour was announced in 2006.

The music of the ISB ranges from quite conventional folk songs to innovative “art song” and hybrid forms that were a precursor to World Music. In 1967-8 they were sometimes described as part of pop music's "avant-garde", which had emerged in the wake of the more adventurous work of The Beatles, with whom they were often compared. Although they lacked the Beatles' broad pop appeal, the ISB showed a similar interest in extending the boundaries of their music. Both Mike Heron and Robin Williamson would break apart a traditional song structure, inserting seemingly unrelated sections in a way that has been described as "always surprising, laughably inventive, lyrically prodigious". While at times this resulted in a lack of conventional unity, it also opened up the song musically and thematically to allow greater depth and exploration. This aspect of their music, combined with Williamson’s soaring melismatic vocal ornamentation (perhaps influenced by Islamic chanters heard during his visit to Morocco, as well as by the Scots-Irish traditional singing with which he had grown up) made for music that still sounds fresh forty years later.
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The Incredible String Band Lyrics


A Very Cellular Song Winter was cold and the clothing was thin But the gentle…
Adam and Eve once before the world began God was sitting in the sky he…
Air Breathing, all creatures are Brighter then than brightest s…
Alice Is a Long Time Gone White rabbit smile, white rabbit smile cry not so loud my…
All Writ Down I fully understood That you'd leave when your ship come by …
Antoine So still the green and golden plain in icy spring They…
At the Lighthouse Dance Waiting for the queen to come Waiting for her to…
Bad Sadie Lee I was born in Wild Wyoming I always fancied roaming Til I…
Banks Of Sweet Italy Banks Of Sweet Italy and must you go my flower my…
Big Ted Big Ted's dead , he was a great old pig He'd…
Black Jack Davey Late last night when the squire came home Inquiring for his…
Black Jack Davy Black Jack David is the name that I bear been…
Blues For The Muse I wake up in the early when I see my…



Born In Your Town Born in your town on this young morning oh certainly I…
Bridge Song Beautiful Girl: To the South a brightness It is not the mo…
Can't Keep Me Here I'm going way over the white skyline And I'll sing and…
Chinese White The bent twig of darkness Grows the petals of the morning It…
Circle Is Unbroken Seasons they change while cold blood is raining I have been…
Circus Girl circus girl, how could you love me you're so far…
Cold Days Of February As I beside some winter's fire Sat writing words strange and…
Come With Me I have a ship both sleek and fine I point her…
Cosmic Boy Breathing, all creatures are Brighter then than brightest …
Cousin Caterpillar My cousin has great changes coming One day he'll wake with…
Creation The messengers with sharpened heels Flew backwards into whos…
Cutting the Strings There now, they've all gone almost as if they never had…
Dandelion Blues You meet a girl, She moves soft eyes and pulls you…
Darling Belle papa would take me to the park to see the…
Dear Old Battlefield just another rusty brother seeing his old role replayed lo…
Douglas Traherne Harding When I was born I had no head My eye was…
Down Before Cathay Through red forests that lean against the hills I wandered…
Dreams Of No Return Dreams of no return Waking in the early dawn Dreams of no…
Ducks on a Pond Ducks on a pond, ducks on a pond Very pretty swimming…
Dumb Kate Dumb Kate she's no Indian no Mexican neither Come up from…
Dust Be Diamonds I fished for a plow, it was heavy as lead And…
Empty Pocket Blues My pockets empty baby Singin′ the blues for you My pockets e…
Everything's Fine Right Now Who's that knocking on my door? Can't see no-one right now.…
Evolution Rag we're the fish men or the sea apes look at our…
Explorer I can no longer hear you call 'cross the airwaves Fog…
Eyes of Fate Oh, who can see in the eyes of fate? All life…
Fair As You My fairest love I live and learn the songs that ring…
First Girl I Loved First girl I loved Time has come I will sing the…
Footsteps Of The Heron One day as I sat in a big noisy crowd There…
Frutch Now I met me a girl and her name was…
Gently Tender Gently tender falls the rain Washing clean the slate again B…
Glancing Love You used to lie out in some persian garden You strode…
God Dog Think about the world you love Now think of where it…
Good As Gone A strange thought just crossed my mind paid the rains…
Greatest Friend The greatest friend I have in life Has brought me here…
Half-Remarkable Question The Half-Remarkable Question Lyrics Who moved the black cas…
Hedgehog Song I'm not the kind to complain That I never had a…
Here Till Here Is There where will you go when days grow short and winds grow…
Hirem Pawnitof / Fairies Hornpipe It's of a famous highwayman a story I will tell His…
How Happy I Am Oh, Lord how happy I am, Oh, Lord how happy I…
I Know You I know you through and through Saw you kiss the flowers F…
Invocation you that create the diversity of the forms open to my…
Iron Stone A long wind a weaving mind Over all the land the…
Ithkos Sardis(Oud Tune) Lesbos-Dawn Lesbos-Evening Aegean Sea Dream…
Jane Jane can't tell me if her hands Are trembling with emotion O…
Job We're all still here, no one has gone away Waiting, acting…
Koeeaddi There The natural cards revolve ever changing, Seeded elsewhere, …
Koeeoaddi There - 2010 Remastered Version The natural cards revolve ever changing, Seeded elsewhere, p…
Letter Started rubbing my eyes When I heard the birds talk Hey mi…
Light in Time of Darkness / Glad to See You Oh light in time of darkness When your eyes on mine…
Little Cloud How sweet to be a cloud, floating in the blue. Lying…
Little Girl Everybody knows good times Everybody knows tears that fall Y…
Log Cabin Home in the Sky All around this wide country the winter it has now…
Lordly Nightshade Captured by Hitler with Oliver Twist in the tower Guards sa…
Lover Man Baby come tell me 'bout your tree-house And your candy-strip…
Mad Hatter The Mad Hatter's Song Lyrics Oh seekers of spring how could…
Mad Hatter's Song The Mad Hatter's Song Lyrics Oh seekers of spring how could…
Maker Of Islands I do my job and it's pleasing to me It's getting…
Maya The dust of the rivers does murmur and weep Hard and…
Maybe Someday Maybe someday she will come, come along, long Maybe someday …
Maybe Someday - 2010 Remastered Version Maybe someday she will come, come along long, Maybe someday …
Mercy I Cry City Since you got me here I see you're trying to steal…
Moon Hang Low Moon Hang Low let the moon hang low low down in…
My Blue Tears Parton Fly ye away from my window little bluebird Fly ye…
My Father Was A Lighthouse Keeper Lying on the beach with desire Rocking to the music of…
My Name Is Death I am the question that cannot be answered I am the…
Nightfall Nightfall, o river of night flow through me Washing the thou…
No Sleep Blues Cracks rack the windows, howls hold the floor Rains rot the…
October Song I'll sing you this October song, Oh, there is no song…
Old Buccaneer sissie wouldn't believe when I told her the old man…
Painted Chariot only a painted chariot but it took you so far…
Painting Box When the morning of your eyes comes waking through my…
Picture Deep in the hollow jail Sleeps Lord Randall The mixed voices…
Pictures in a Mirror Deep in the hollow jail Sleeps Lord Randall The mixed voic…
Puppet Song Now you may have observed if you walk into a…
Puppies Puppies Lyrics Even the birds when they sing It's not everyt…
Queen of Love A strong power calls from the left hand Across the waters…
Rainbow Golden seeds of autumn streak the purple sky miles of amber…
Red Hair stepping out of the grey day she came her red hair…
Restless Night restless Night walking nowhere in the foggy dew restless y…
Robot Blues Down in Robot City, you might think it's play play…
Sailor and the Dancer Sailor And The Dancer Lyrics Beneath some shaded planet Bef…
Saturday Maybe Factory chimney cough yellow smoke Trucks and trains go rumb…
Seagull Cold morning sun to show me where I spent the…
Smoke Shoveling Song Last winter blew so cold no lies, And my fire smoke…
Sunday Song In the church made of living trees entwined Green and dappl…
Swift As The Wind For my delight Swift as the wind flies His chariot and wings…
Talking Of The End talking of the end talking of the end let me hear you…
The Actor The actor leaves the stage with a rose in his…
The Circle Is Unbroken Seasons they change while cold blood is raining I have been…
The Eyes Of Fate Oh, who can see in the eyes of fate? All life…
The Eyes of Hate Oh, who can see in the eyes of fate? All life…
The Half Remarkable Question The Half-Remarkable Question Lyrics Who moved the black cast…
The Half-Remarkable Question The Half-Remarkable Question Lyrics Who moved the black cas…
The Hedgehog I'm not the kind to complain That I never had a…
The Hedgehog's Song I'm not the kind to complain That I never had a…
The Hedgehogs Song I'm not the kind to complain That I never had a…
The Iron Stone A long wind a weaving mind Over all the land the…
The Juggler's Song Gather round friends and I'll show you what I made, Somethi…
The Letter Started rubbing my eyes When I heard the birds talk Hey mist…
The Mad Hatter The Mad Hatter's Song Lyrics Oh seekers of spring how could…
The Minotaur Straight from the shoulder I think like a soldier I know wha…
The Mountain Of God The Mountain Of God Lyrics Behold the mountain of the Lord…
The Son Of Noah Many were the lifetimes of the Son of Noah's brother…
The Tree I had a tree In the dream hills where my childhood…
The Water Song Water water see the water flow Glancing dancing see the wate…
The Yellow Snake Someone you saw Stretched sleeping on the sand Five withe…
This Moment This Moment Lyrics This moment Is different From any Before…
Three Is A Green Crown Not with the lips of skin nor yet with the…
Time It was late in December, the sky turned to snow All…
Torquoise Blue On the white sand a footprint On her back the golden…
Tree I had a tree In the dream hills where my childhood…
Turquoise blue On the white sand a footprint On her back the golden…
Vishangro Moon of the berries is waning to clay Bavol the wind…
Waiting For You Waiting For You Lyrics I've been wearing faces in the strang…
Walking Along With You There are many things'll give you a good time I have…
Waltz Of The New Moon I hear that the emperor of china used to wear…
Way Back In The 1960's I was a young man back in the 1960s. Yes, you…
Way Back In the 1960s I was a young man back in the 1960s. Yes, you…
Weather the Storm stormy weather in the world since the day I was…
When The Music Starts To Play All my life and it's been a short one; I've met…
When The Music Starts To Play - 2010 Remastered Version All my life and it's been a short one I've met…
When You Find Out Who You Are When You Find Out Who You Are Lyrics It's of a…
White Bird White Bird Lyrics Who among you has not laid his head Beneat…
Witches Hat Certainly, the children have seen them, In quiet places wher…
Witches Hat - 2010 Remastered Version certainly the children have seen them in quiet places where …
Womankind I sing for love of womankind I have one in my…
Worlds They Rise And Fall worlds they rise and fall within her eyes she gives the…
Yellow Snake Someone you saw Stretched sleeping on the sand Five withere…
You Get Brighter You get brighter every day and every time I see…
You Know What You Could Be You Know What You Could Be Lyrics Read your book and…


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