Rare Bird were a progressive rock band that came together in the 1960s. The… Read Full Bio ↴Rare Bird were a progressive rock band that came together in the 1960s. They were formed in England, but had more success in other European countries than they did at home.

The band's initial line up was as below, although there would be line up changes for the band by the time they came to work on their 3rd album, the first two members listed were a constant throughout the life time of the band.

* Steve Gould (vocals/saxophone/bass)
* Dave Kaffinetti (keyboards)
* Graham Field (organ)
* Mark Ashton (drums)

The band split up in the mid 1970s.

Hammerhead
Rare Bird Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

The horses rear, the banners wave
The skies foresee the fearless rage of war
Their heads held high the knights await
For the sun to shed its light upon the moor

Wipe the sleep from out your eyes
The sun begins to climb the sky today
Ten thousand men will fight

For king and god and all that's right today

The Hammerhead has thrust his sword
The strife is o'er, the battle won again
And now his bloody work is done
The women rush to greet their lord and men

Wipe the sleep from out your eyes
The sun begins to climb the skies today

Ten thousand men have fought
For Hammerhead that noble lord today

Overall Meaning

The song "Hammerhead" by Rare Bird is a narrative of an epic battle. The lyrics describe the knights, horses, banners, and the fearless rage of war. The knights are described as waiting for the sun to shed its light upon the moor. The lyrics are symbolic of the impending hope and courage the knights have before the epic battle. The lyrics reflect the hope that the knights are trying to find amidst the fear and uncertainty of the war.

As the battle progresses, the lyrics depict a violent and bloody battle, with the Hammerhead leading his armies to victory. The Hammerhead is described as thrusting his sword, and the strife is said to be over, confirming that the battle has been won yet again. The women of the land are seen to rush to greet their Lord and men after the battle, symbolizing the need for support and validation after the terrifying war. In the end, the defeat of the enemy was the only goal, and the Hammerhead and his armies fought to defend what they felt was right.

Overall, the song "Hammerhead" is an allegory of the courage that is needed to fight a war. The lyrics balance descriptions of the violence and the uncertainty of the battle with the courage and hope of the knights. The Hammerhead is portrayed as a heroic figure who leads his armies to victory and is celebrated by the people.

Line by Line Meaning

The horses rear, the banners wave
The horses raise their hind legs high, the flags wave in the air

The skies foresee the fearless rage of war
The sky anticipates the brave and fierce fighting of war

Their heads held high the knights await
The knights stand proud, confidently waiting for the battle to unfold

For the sun to shed its light upon the moor
They wait for sunrise, to fight in the open field

Wipe the sleep from out your eyes
Wake up and pay attention

The sun begins to climb the sky today
The day has begun

Ten thousand men will fight
A massive group of soldiers will engage in combat

For king and god and all that's right today
They are fighting for what they believe is just and righteous

The Hammerhead has thrust his sword
Hammerhead, the leader, has attacked with his weapon

The strife is o'er, the battle won again
The battle is now over, the winner is Hammerhead's side once again

And now his bloody work is done
Hammerhead has completed his duty and the fight is finished