The Incredible String Band was formed in Edinburgh, Scotland, UK by folk musicians Robin Williamson, Mike Heron, and Clive Palmer (1943 - 2014). They recorded their eponymous debut album in 1966, a lighthearted affair which revealed only the merest hint of the psychedelic adventures to come. After that, the band broke up. Palmer decamped for the Trail to Afghanistan and Williamson visited Morocco from where he returned laden with exotic instruments like the famous gimbri, which was, much later, eaten by rats. In 1967 Heron and Williamson recorded 'The 5000 Spirits or the Layers of the Onion', an audaciously eclectic mix of bookish folk music, hippy love songs and Eastern modalities. They soon became the-name-to-drop-in-interviews for luminaries such as Paul McCartney and Bob Dylan, and in their annum mirabilis of 1968 they practically defined the hippy counterculture in the extraordinary albums 'The Hangman's Beautiful Daughter' and 'Wee Tam and the Big Huge'. By then the group consisted of Williamson, Heron, Rose Simpson and Licorice McKechnie - the same line up played at Woodstock in 1969 at the wrong time, having refused to play in the pouring rain the previous day (seen by manager Joe Boyd as a great missed opportunity).
In 1970 Robin Williamson attempted to fuse the music with his theatrical fantasies in a quixotic multi-media spectacular at London's Roundhouse called 'U'. It was "a surreal parable in dance and song" and highlighted the fact that they were never destined to make much money out of things. After that they lasted another four years. By 1974 tension between Williamson and Heron, who was pushing the band into prog-rock territory, had become unbearable and they split up.
Williamson soon formed "Robin Williamson and His Merry Band" which toured and released three albums of eclectic music with a Celtic emphasis. Within a few years, he went on to a solo career, moving increasingly into traditional Celtic styles. He also produced several recordings of humorous stories. Heron formed the rock group "Heron" and later released occasional solo albums. Responding to a comment by Joe Boyd in 1997 that they hadn't spoken since the breakup in 1974, the pair got back together for two concerts. This was followed by a full reunion of the original three members plus Williamson's wife Bina and Lawson Dando in 1999. By 2001 both Robin and Bina Williamson had left. Heron, Palmer and Lawson, and new member Fluff toured regularly around the United Kingdom and internationally until an end to the tour was announced in 2006.
The music of the ISB ranges from quite conventional folk songs to innovative “art song” and hybrid forms that were a precursor to World Music. In 1967-8 they were sometimes described as part of pop music's "avant-garde", which had emerged in the wake of the more adventurous work of The Beatles, with whom they were often compared. 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.
Lover Man
The Incredible String Band Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And your candy-striped pet mouse
And your car that has feet
Hey, come tell me 'bout your eyebrows that meet
And my baby, won't you tell me 'bout your chilblains?
And your right eyeball's growing pains
And your purple tractor that sings
But if you want to tell me some more
Think you can
Oh baby, tell me 'bout your lover man
You know I'm talking 'bout him
He's one that's strutting around
Each time I get out of town
You know the one that I mean
He's one that's stealing my scene away
Baby, I'm talking 'bout him
Oh baby, won't you tell me 'bout your black rose?
And the garden where your love grows
Among the cabbages and beans
Hey, come tell me why your primroses are green
But if you want to tell me some more
Think you can
Oh baby, tell me 'bout your lover man
You know I'm talking 'bout him
He's one that's strutting around
Each time I get out of town
You know the one that I mean
He's one that's stealing my scene away
Baby, I'm talking 'bout him
He's one that's stealing my cream away
Baby, I'm talking 'bout him
Talking 'bout your lover man, talking 'bout him
The lyrics to The Incredible String Band's song "Lover Man" are a playful and whimsical conversation between two lovers, with the singer asking their partner to share details about their life, from their tree-house and candy-striped pet mouse to their chilblains and growing pains. The singer encourages their partner to share more and then suddenly shifts the focus to "lover man," someone who is "strutting around" and stealing the singer's scene and cream.
At first glance, the song seems like a lighthearted and nonsensical series of requests and observations. However, some interpret the song as a commentary on jealousy and possessiveness in relationships. The singer seems to be jealous of "lover man" and the attention their partner gives him, despite the singer's attempts to distract their partner with silly questions about their eyebrows and purple tractor. The singer's focus on "lover man" suggests a fear of losing their partner, and their reference to "stealing my cream away" has an air of desperation and ownership.
Overall, "Lover Man" is a unique and quirky addition to The Incredible String Band's eclectic discography, with its catchy melody and playful lyrics.
Line by Line Meaning
Baby, come tell me 'bout your tree-house
Tell me about your childhood home and all the happy memories associated with it.
And your candy-striped pet mouse
Tell me about your cute and playful pet mouse.
And your car that has feet
Tell me about your imagination and the fun you have with it.
Hey, come tell me 'bout your eyebrows that meet
Tell me about your unique physical features and how they make you special.
And my baby, won't you tell me 'bout your chilblains?
Tell me about the things that ail you physically or emotionally.
And your right eyeball's growing pains
Tell me about your bodily problems and how you cope with them.
And your purple tractor that sings
Tell me about your wondrous imagination and the things you make up in your head.
Hey, come tell me all of those things
Share all the fascinating parts of yourself with me.
But if you want to tell me some more
If there is more you want to share with me,
Think you can
Please feel free to do so.
Oh baby, tell me 'bout your lover man
Can you tell me about the person who holds a special place in your heart?
You know I'm talking 'bout him
You know exactly who I mean.
He's one that's strutting around
He's confident in himself and his abilities.
Each time I get out of town
Every time I leave, he starts to show off.
You know the one that I mean
I'm referring to the one who seems to take over whenever I'm gone.
He's one that's stealing my scene away
He's taking away the spotlight that once belonged to me.
Baby, I'm talking 'bout him
I can't stop thinking about him.
Oh baby, won't you tell me 'bout your black rose?
Can you share with me the things that are important to you, even if they may seem obscure or unconventional?
And the garden where your love grows
Tell me about a place where you feel safe and loved.
Among the cabbages and beans
Even if it seems an ordinary place, I want to know what makes it so special to you.
Hey, come tell me why your primroses are green
Can you explain to me the little nuances and idiosyncrasies that make you unique?
He's one that's stealing my cream away
He's taking away my confidence and my sense of worth.
Baby, I'm talking 'bout him
I can't stop thinking about how he's impacting my life.
Talking 'bout your lover man, talking 'bout him
I need to share my feelings with you about this person who has changed my life so much.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: MIKE HERON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
puddypuss
I wish the al stewart version was on here too
stan edwards
LOVE THE INCREDIBLE STRING BAND ;SINCE WAY BACK IN THE 1960S / MIKE HERON SONG / THIS IS THE BEST VERSION/ THANKS FOR POSTING ; NICE VIDEO
Leo Friberg
Nice video to a great song!
John Benn
WOW WOW WOW !!!!!!!
From a mad keen 75yo Aussie fan.