1. The Herd is a hip-ho… Read Full Bio ↴There is more than one band called The Herd.
1. The Herd is a hip-hop group from suburban Sydney.
2. The Herd were an English pop group, formed in the Beckenham area in 1965 and featuring Peter Frampton.
1. The Herd is a hip-hop group from suburban Sydney. They have released four full-length albums since 2001's self-titled debut. Unusually for a hip-hop outfit, The Herd's full band format permits dynamic live shows.
The Herd's members include MCs Ozi Batla, Urthboy and Berzerkatron, Unkle Ho (beats), Traksewt (piano accordion, clarinet and beats), Sulo (beats and guitar), Toe-fu (guitar), Rok Poshtya (bass) and singer Jane Tyrrell. Their songs often feature politically-oriented lyrics.
Their first single to attract Triple J airplay was the superficially humorous 'Scallops' in 2001. Later tracks included '77%' which featured the line "77% of Aussies are racist", referring to the number of Australians announced in a survey that agreed with the Australian federal government's response to the MV Tampa incident, and 'Burn Down the Parliament', which was to be interpreted metaphorically, but unfortunately was released the same week as the January 2003 Canberra bushfires.
77% scored well on the Triple J Hottest 100 of 2003, coming in at number 46.
The Herd released their third album "The Sun Never Sets" in 2005, featuring the single 'We Can't Hear You'. Their subjects ranged from their well-known anti-war stance and anti-corporatism to more personal topics like divorce and slow death of the Australian outback/country.
In October 2005, The Herd featured on Triple J's 'Like a Version' (acoustic covers) segment. They performed their own version of the famous Australian song 'A Walk in the Light Green' by Redgum (better known as 'I Was Only 19'). The song was so well received by fans that it entered regular Triple J rotation, and was voted eighteenth in the 2005 Triple J Hottest 100 countdown.
2. The Herd were an English pop group, formed in the Beckenham area in 1965.
The record label Parlophone dropped them after several unsuccessful singles, and they subsequently signed to Fontana Here songwriters Ken Howard and Alan Blaikley, who had been largely responsible for a string of hits by Dave, Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich, orchestrated for them a unique blend of pop and flower power. After a UK singles chart near-miss with "I Can Fly" (1967), the haunting "From The Underworld" reached number six, with help from copious plays on pirate radio later that year. This was followed by "Paradise Lost", which made it up to number fifteen in 1968.
Their greatest success came with "I Don't Want Our Loving to Die", a number-five hit (also in 1968).
With his boyish photogenic looks, guitarist Peter Frampton was dubbed 'The Face of '68' by teen magazine "Rave". Steele then left the group, to be replaced by Henry Spinetti. Dissatisfied with mere teen idol status, and disappointed with the failure of their next single "Sunshine Cottage", Frampton left to form Humble Pie with Steve Marriott.
The remaining Bown and Spinetti made another flop single "The Game", then formed the short-lived Judas Jump with Mike Smith and Allen Jones, saxophonists from Amen Corner, and Welsh vocalist Adrian Williams. Taylor, who became a disc jockey, and Steele, reunited briefly for a one-off single "You Got Me Hangin' From Your Lovin' Tree" in 1971, to almost universal lack of interest..
According to sleeve notes on their 1967 album Paradise Lost, drummer Andrew Steele was the first man in Britain to successfully boomerang a banana. Gary Taylor's distinctive bass voice can also be heard on Fox's S-S-S-Single Bed single from 1976.
By the late 1970s, Andy Bown had become a member of the legendary UK rockers, Status Quo.
LG
The Herd Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And I hear laughter from the long grasses
Babes in baskets and drinking from casks
Now cigarette throats crackle and rasp
Asking questions about my family and folken
A real conversation with no jingles or tokens
The circle is broken it's split wide open
Lips that are split become angry and spit
Yo backflipping pollies create a shit pit
Now swags dragged away forms filled in with ink
With bolt cutters drawn they're snapping the link
The most social of cultures judged anti-social
For living with families out in the open
Whereas we live in boxes preoccupied foxes
Yet nobody stops when an old lady crosses
Hey
The game's begun
The dice rolled
Now move along
I said hey
The game's begun
The dice is rolled
Now who has won
As i look into the eyes of these old fellas
As they look up into mine these storytellers
For the richness of culture I get jealous
As we hold up the cup and we drink from the chalice
Legs spread cross-legged again in the park
Hard fed stories inspirational spark
Dragonflies (??) signaling dark
Over my shoulder yes a night patrol car
Mob's moving song's soothing path choosing
Perimeter perusing has become a way of prooving
Displacement adjacent to the concrete jungle
But once whispered currawong to warraguls
I can't help but be a little bit ropeable
Hey
The game's begun
The dice rolled
Now move along
I said hey
The game's begun
The dice is rolled
Now who has won
I take flight with my bike and go cruise through the night
When confronted by shadows in an absence of light
My palms are getting sweaty I'm already forgetting
The netting of the bedding when the sun before setting
The shadows unravel telling stories of travel
And long (joyless?) walks across car-parks of gravel
Oval smiles pasted dials worthwhile tales for conversational styles
While all the while our canines hear/hit fences
An imaginary defense against walking a while
I dabble then I dibble when I'm stuck in the middle
Could you buy a vowel to help me solve this riddle
Piddles and skiddles and size mc jiggles (???)
Selectively alert now plays the fiddle
Hey
The game's begun
The dice rolled
Now move along
I said hey
The game's begun
The dice is rolled
Now who has won x 2
The lyrics of “LG” by The Herd are rich with imagery and meaning. In particular, the song seems to be a critique of modern society and its disconnection from nature and community. The opening lines describe a moment of reflection, as the singer observes the passing of time while people drink and laugh in the grass. The contrast between the “babes in baskets” and the “cigarette throats” is striking, and suggests a tension between innocence and corruption.
As the song continues, the theme of community becomes more pronounced. The singer longs for “a real conversation with no jingles or tokens”, a moment of connection that seems increasingly rare in a world dominated by technology and marketing. The “circle” of human connection has been “split wide open”, replaced by a fragmented society where people are divided by class, race, and ideology. The lyrics also touch on issues of displacement and cultural erasure, as the singer expresses jealousy for the “richness of culture” that older generations seem to possess.
Finally, the song’s chorus speaks to the idea of life as a game, with the “dice rolled” and the winners unknown. This can be interpreted as a larger commentary on the randomness of fate, or a reflection on the way that society often rewards the wrong people while ignoring those who truly deserve recognition.
Line by Line Meaning
A moment passes as life flows through glasses
Time flies while we drink and enjoy life
And I hear laughter from the long grasses
I hear the joyous sound of children playing
Babes in baskets and drinking from casks
Children are happy and enjoying the moment
Now cigarette throats crackle and rasp
The joy has faded as people start smoking and coughing
Asking questions about my family and folken
People engaging in real conversations and showing interest in each other's lives
A real conversation with no jingles or tokens
This is not a shallow, meaningless conversation
The circle is broken it's split wide open
Something has changed and the group is no longer united
Now a spliff is lit and the perimeter is floating
People are smoking weed and feeling disconnected from their surroundings
Lips that are split become angry and spit
The once joyous people are now upset and argumentative
Yo backflipping pollies create a shit pit
Politicians are making things worse for everyone
Now swags dragged away forms filled in with ink
Homeless people are being forced to leave and fill out paperwork
With bolt cutters drawn they're snapping the link
Authorities are using force to remove homeless people
The most social of cultures judged anti-social
Indigenous cultures are unfairly judged for their way of life
For living with families out in the open
Indigenous families often live in communal areas
Whereas we live in boxes preoccupied foxes
Non-Indigenous people live in isolated homes and are obsessed with material possessions
Yet nobody stops when an old lady crosses
People are too busy and don't notice the needs of others
Hey
Interjection to get attention
The game's begun
The situation has changed and it's time to take action
The dice rolled
Things are happening and out of our control
Now move along
We need to continue with the situation and not give up
I said hey
Interjection to get attention
The game's begun
The situation has changed and it's time to take action
The dice is rolled
Things are happening and out of our control
Now who has won
The final outcome is still uncertain
As i look into the eyes of these old fellas
I'm having a conversation with elderly Indigenous people
As they look up into mine these storytellers
They are sharing stories of their culture and way of life
For the richness of culture I get jealous
I envy the depth and beauty of Indigenous culture
As we hold up the cup and we drink from the chalice
We share a drink together, acknowledging each other's culture
Legs spread cross-legged again in the park
Sitting in a circle with legs crossed
Hard fed stories inspirational spark
Listening to stories that inspire us
Dragonflies (??) signaling dark
The atmosphere is changing and becoming ominous
Over my shoulder yes a night patrol car
A police car drives by, keeping an eye on things
Mob's moving song's soothing path choosing
A group of people are walking and singing together, finding comfort in the moment
Perimeter perusing has become a way of prooving
People are constantly surveying their surroundings as a way to feel safe
Displacement adjacent to the concrete jungle
People are forced to leave their homes and live in urban areas
But once whispered currawong to warraguls
A reference to Indigenous birds, indicating a connection to nature
I can't help but be a little bit ropeable
I feel frustrated and angry about the state of things
I take flight with my bike and go cruise through the night
I ride my bike and enjoy the freedom of the night
When confronted by shadows in an absence of light
I feel scared when I encounter dark shadows
My palms are getting sweaty I'm already forgetting
I am becoming anxious and panicked
The netting of the bedding when the sun before setting
A reference to a simple pleasure that is now forgotten
The shadows unravel telling stories of travel
The shadows seem to come alive and tell stories
And long (joyless?) walks across car-parks of gravel
A mundane experience that is devoid of joy
Oval smiles pasted dials worthwhile tales for conversational styles
People sharing stories and engaging in meaningful conversations
While all the while our canines hear/hit fences
Dogs bark and scratch at fences, feeling trapped
An imaginary defense against walking a while
People are hesitant to explore the unknown
I dabble then I dibble when I'm stuck in the middle
I am unsure of what to do and feel indecisive
Could you buy a vowel to help me solve this riddle
I need help and feel like I am playing a game
Piddles and skiddles and size mc jiggles (???),
Nonsensical words that don't have a clear meaning
Selectively alert now plays the fiddle
I am now focused and ready to take on the challenge
Contributed by Audrey I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.