Heron began by playing in R&B and pop bands in Edinburgh, including The Saracens. In late 1965 he successfully auditioned to join a new trio, The Incredible String Band, with Robin Williamson and Clive Palmer.
While with ISB, Heron released a solo recording, Smiling Men with Bad Reputations, released in 1971. This took eclecticism to a new extreme, blending rock, folk and world music into an atmospheric whole. Contributing musicians included Pete Townshend, Keith Moon, Duncan Browne and Ronnie Lane (as "Tommy & The Bijoux"!), John Cale, Richard Thompson, Dave Mattacks, Simon Nicol, Dave Pegg, Dudu Pukwana, Elton John, and Steve Winwood.
After the ISB broke up in 1974, Heron formed his own band, Mike Heron's Reputation, with three other members of the final "electric" ISB line-up - Graham Forbes, John Gilston, and Malcolm Le Maistre. Later known simply as Heron, the band recorded and toured until 1977.
In 1977/78, while still living in the Glen Row cottage near Innerleithen which had been the Incredible String Band's home and headquarters, Heron recorded songs which were eventually issued as The Glen Row Tapes. In 1979, he released a solo album on Casablanca Records, but then withdrew from performance for several years. In the 1990s he re-emerged with a new group, Mike Heron's Incredible Acoustic Band, and released the album Where The Mystics Swim.
In 1997 he reunited with Williamson for some concerts, and from 1999 to 2006 performed occasionally with a reformed version of the Incredible String Band.
He has also recorded a song with his daughter Georgia Seddon, based on a poem by John Burnside, for the Ballads of the Book album released in March 2007.
Website: www.mikeheron.co.uk
Flowers of the Forest
Mike Heron Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Rose Simpson: bass
Dave Mattacks: drums
Sweet love the words that made you cry
They came from one that don't have love like we do
Even if you'd give him all your sweet love
Probably turn his back and walk away,
That you just want to stretch out your hand
You know he's closed himself to all the grief and pain that he can't stand
And he's bound his heart with an iron band
Come dry your tears like the sun dries the rain
Deep is the river running through my life
Full shines the sun upon it
The girl I love swims there all day long
You know she is bright as the flowers of the forest
The tender tears in your smiling eyes
They meld me right to my soul
We have to part now for a while
But our lives will cross for ever
You'll bless every place you pass through
So much good in all you do.
I can't understand how anyone could hurt you so bad
So sad to see them hide from what they are
Me I know you like I know the song in my soul
It's gonna be all right
"Flowers of the Forest" is a melancholic song written by Scottish musician Mike Heron. The lyrics discuss the pain and confusion related to lost love. The opening lines address the recipient of the song, referencing the words that made her cry. These words came from someone who does not understand love like the singer does. The singer acknowledges that even if this person was given all the love, they would still reject it, instead of seeking a deeper connection.
The song continues to express the sadness of lost love, with the river being a metaphor for life and the sun shining on it as if to mock the pain. However, the singer seems to find solace in the girl he loves, who resembles the bright flowers in the forest. The tone then shifts to one of reassurance, with the singer promising that although they must part for a while, their lives will cross paths again. He praises her for the good she does and expresses confusion at how anyone could have hurt her. Finally, the song ends with the optimistic promise that everything will be alright.
Line by Line Meaning
Sweet love the words that made you cry
The sweet words that made you cry were not from someone who knows real love. Even if you gave your love to them, they would not understand it and would probably walk away looking for something else.
Probably turn his back and walk away,
The person who spoke those sweet words is incapable of fully receiving or appreciating your love and would likely turn their back on you and leave.
Lookin' for a trick and he wouldn't understand
The person who spoke those sweet words is not capable of understanding true love and would only be looking for some kind of shallow trick or game rather than a real connection with you.
That you just want to stretch out your hand
You simply want to reach out and connect with another person in a meaningful way.
You know he's closed himself to all the grief and pain that he can't stand
The person who spoke those sweet words has closed themselves off emotionally and is not willing to face any deeper emotions or pain.
And he's bound his heart with an iron band
The person who spoke those sweet words has put up walls around their heart so that they cannot be hurt or touched by any deeper emotions.
Come dry your tears like the sun dries the rain
Just as the sun dries up the rain, you can dry your tears and move on from the pain of this situation.
Deep is the river running through my life
There is a deep river that runs through Mike Heron's life, representing the deep emotions and experiences that he has encountered over time.
Full shines the sun upon it
The river is fully illuminated by the sun, representing the way that Mike Heron has come to terms with and accepted the experiences in his life.
The girl I love swims there all day long
The person that Mike Heron loves is a part of that deep river, representing the way that they are intertwined in his life and experiences.
You know she is bright as the flowers of the forest
The person Mike Heron loves is as bright and beautiful as the flowers of the forest, representing their unique and special qualities that are a part of the natural world and larger universe.
The tender tears in your smiling eyes
The tears you shed even when you are smiling represent your deep emotions and vulnerability in the face of the world's challenges and difficulties.
They meld me right to my soul
The emotions you express bring Mike Heron closer to understanding and becoming more in touch with his own soul and emotions.
We have to part now for a while
Mike Heron and the person he loves must part ways for a period of time, representing the natural ebb and flow of relationships and experiences.
But our lives will cross for ever
Even though they must part for a while, Mike Heron believes that their lives will always be cross and intertwined, representing the way that people become a part of each other's ongoing experiences and growth.
You'll bless every place you pass through
The person Mike Heron loves is a positive force and brings blessings wherever they go, representing the way that people can have an impact on the world around them.
So much good in all you do.
There is so much good and positive energy in the actions and behaviors of the person Mike Heron loves, representing the way that people can have an impact on others in the world.
I can't understand how anyone could hurt you so bad
Mike Heron cannot understand how anyone would be capable of causing harm or pain to the person he loves, representing the way that people can often be hurt or damaged by the actions of others.
So sad to see them hide from what they are
It is sad to see people hide from their true emotions or selves, representing the way that people can repress or ignore their own feelings and experiences in order to protect themselves.
Me I know you like I know the song in my soul
Mike Heron understands the person he loves deeply and intuitively, almost like he understands his own innermost self and experiences.
It's gonna be all right
Despite the challenges and difficulties of life and relationships, everything will ultimately be all right in the end.
Contributed by Layla A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@tomtribuzio69
This was the track that made me fall in love with Richard Thompson’s guitar playing, all those years ago. Wonderful!!!!!
@manuelalonso1513
Coincido en que RT es el mejor guitarrista de todos los tiempos, con la acústica y con la eléctrica, con la excepción de la guitarra flamenca, ahí reina Paco de Lucía.
@burmanon11
Oh yeah this the stuff he did on the first two nick drake albums and the john and bev ones
@TheRussianAngle
Gorgeous.
@Krabadaque
Bright as the flowers of the forest!
@Krabadaque
Wonderful song, but the picture is a bit morbid, I think!
@portasystemsound
Don’t you mean a bit tragic?
@nancymorgan5645
Beautiful’