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.

Iceberg
Rare Bird Lyrics

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He stood on icy beach before me
His face was beaten by the wind
Before the early morning sunrise
A man who thought he’d never sinned

He turned and slowly came towards me
Stumbling and faltering as he came
By his side a ragged little husky

On his face the loser's look of shame

He said, You, you misunderstand
The hope I had for this land

And you, you cannot conceive
Of all, of all I believe

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of the Rare Bird's song "Iceberg" narrate the story of a man who visits an icy beach before sunrise. This man's face is battered by the wind and portrays a look of shame which makes it clear that he has done something wrong that has lead to his being in such a desolate place. The man is accompanied by a little husky dog and as he approaches the singer of the song, he appears to be stumbling and falling as he walks. He reveals to the singer that he had hopes for the land but they seemed to have been unfounded, which has left him feeling lost and disoriented.

The lyrics of the song Iceberg seem to be a critique of those who go into risky ventures with high hopes, only to be faced with disappointment later. It shows that a lack of preparation and forethought can lead to failure and ruin. The line "A man who thought he’d never sinned" points towards the idea that the man had overestimated his abilities and was humbled by the harsh winter climate. Additionally, the lyrics demonstrate that the husky dog is a symbol of loyalty and companionship even in the midst of failure.

Line by Line Meaning

He stood on icy beach before me
I saw him standing on a cold and snowy beach, facing me.

His face was beaten by the wind
He had the evidence of the storm carved onto his face.

Before the early morning sunrise
This happened before the sun came up, on a dark winter morning.

A man who thought he’d never sinned
He saw himself as a perfect man, untainted by imperfections.

He turned and slowly came towards me
He made a slow unsteady movement towards me.

Stumbling and faltering as he came
He was unsteady on his feet, and struggling to keep his balance.

By his side a ragged little husky
He had a small, shaggy dog with him, which followed closely.

On his face the loser's look of shame
This man appeared like he had given up hope and carried a burden of guilt.

He said, You, you misunderstand
He wanted me to know that I had not fully comprehended his point of view.

The hope I had for this land
He believed in the potential of this land, full of aspiration and possibility.

And you, you cannot conceive
He felt as if I couldn't imagine or understand his beliefs.