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.
air
Incredible String Band Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Brighter then than brightest star
You are by far
You come right inside of me
Close as you can be
You kiss my blood
And my blood kiss me
The lyrics to the Incredible String Band's song "Air" are a vivid representation of the interconnectedness of all living beings. The first two lines of the song talk about how all creatures are breathing, and that they are brighter than the brightest star. This could be seen as a metaphor for the enormity of the life force and energy that exists within every creature. The energy that exists within us is so powerful that it can rival the biggest natural phenomenon in the universe.
The lyrics go on to explain how this energy can be so potent that it can physically penetrate our innermost being. The lines "You are by far, You come right inside of me" explain how the energy source is so close to us that it feels like it is within us. The next few lines describe how this energy flows through us and connects us to the world around us. The energy is so intimate that it feels like a kiss to our blood, and our blood kisses back.
Overall, the song is a beautiful exploration of the concept of interconnectedness and how all living beings are bound together by a common energy source. It's a reminder to appreciate the beauty and energy of the world around us and to remember that we are all in this together.
Line by Line Meaning
Breathing, all creatures are
The act of breathing is common to all living creatures.
Brighter than the brightest star
Breathing makes all creatures shine brighter than the brightest star.
You are by far
The act of breathing is the most important thing.
You come right inside of me
Breathing is an inherent and intimate part of the self.
Close as you can be
The closeness of breath is as close as two things can possibly be.
You kiss my blood
Each breath brings life to the body, infusing it with oxygen and nutrients.
And my blood kiss me
The body is in turn grateful for the life-giving breaths it receives.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: MIKE HERON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@martifingers
So I absorbed (no pun intended!) this in 1968 when it first came out. I loved the band but this I took to be one of their simpler songs musically and lyrically. But it was all part of their raising of the mundane and the common place to the level of what you might called revelation. Not quite religious in a conventional way but still with (although I hate the word really) a spiritual purpose.
And it's accurate too: from Wikipedia:
"Alveoli are tiny balloon shaped structures and are the smallest passageway in the respiratory system. The alveoli are only one cell thick, allowing the relatively easy passage of oxygen and carbon dioxide (CO2) between the alveoli and blood vessels called capillaries.
One cubic millimeter of lung tissue contains around 170 alveoli. While the total number can vary from one person to the next, there are literally millions within the human lungs spanning a surface area of roughly 70 square meters." And amoebas are indeed very small...
Now 50+ years on I am recovering from a heart condition that deprived me of breath so oddly it means even more now. And I still love the band having met and talked to both Mike and Robin over the years.
And watch out soon for a book from Rose Simpson on her experiences with the band. I have a strong feeling it will be well worth reading....
@reglewis393
My best friend of over 50 years loved this record and sang it for his children. He was laid to rest today, a victim of Covid 19. This was played at his funeral where few had heard it before but everyone loved it. Goodbye Laurence R.I.P.
@polfabra3413
Jeez... sorry for your loss man
@PIPEHEAD
I don't consider MH to be on the same level as RW by any means, but this song is presumably the only one ever written in praise of something which most people find quite useful !!!!!!!! In 72 or 3 my pal's ma, passing through, said " Oh that's a bit rude, isn't it ? " - few had heard it ........................
@izzgal7
Raised my children on The Incredible Sting Band. This is one favorite of mine among so many.
@SpeegBJ
Oh yes...so so good to read you raised your children (as I did) on ISB.
@user-xh5wj4tw8k
Adam Curtis sent me here
@helensmith9597
Me too so long since I heard it
@SpeegBJ
In the U.S. and have loved this tune since its beginning. Yes, one of the most beautiful songs ever made. I sang it to myself constantly while my mother was on a respirator before passing away....and to my children when they were babies as a lullaby.
@jeffreydwightryanriley8308
Had the privilege of having my mom in my home with she passed. Things that remind you of the universe makes it easy to be patient until you see her again. ❤️
@CJ-vj7pm
brought here by the Adam Curtis documentary series "Can't Get You Out of My Head", nobody else?