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.
RAINBOW
The Incredible String Band Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
miles of amber raindrops stretch between our hands
just then, just then
my heart lept high
beautiful colours danced
in my eye
walked to the window
looked up at the sky
As I lit an evening candle
feeling you were there with me
all around me, saw your love come shining brightly
You're a rainbow
And me I'll come shining though
Rain's gone, and the sky is blue
I'm a Rainbow too
No-one can say how long I've loved you
Rainbow shine
no-one can say cos nobody knows
Rainbow rainbow rainbow time
Morning light of springing snowdrop
golden sun - at midday hour
twilight violet
midnight stars come shining silver
you're a rainbow
and you take my breath away
you make me stop and say
I'm a rainbow too
If you see a soft light falling
And you feel I'm there with you
All those colours
They do not come from the candle, Oh no
you're a rainbow
Born are the words
On the silent wings of love
So dear to me, sweet song of love
Coloured are the words with the rainbow of truth
So dear to me
As long as I live I will sing that song so dear
So dear to me
And merging with mine the voice of all that you are will shine
so dear to me
sweet song of love
And me I'll come shining through
Rain's gone and the sky is blue
I'm a rainbow too
No-one can say how long I've loved you
rainbow shine
No-one can say, cos nobody knows
Rainbow rainbow time
Me, I'm not missing you
I'm right there kissing you
I'm a rainbow too
I can tell by your eyes
You've been singing that old sweet song
Let your love roll on
Everybody here I think will agree
That they can sing that song
As good as can be
You know I'd hate to go
I'd hate to go
Before I see everybody here
Shine like a rainbow
I have seen you there
The lyrics to "Rainbow" by The Incredible String Band describe a moment of beauty and love shared between two people. The first verse sets the scene with vivid imagery of autumnal colors streaking across the sky and amber raindrops connecting the lovers' hands. The singer's heart leaps with beauty and color as they gaze at the sky. The second verse speaks of the warm glow of an evening candle, and the feeling of being surrounded by the shining love of their partner, who is likened to a rainbow. The chorus repeats the idea that the singer is also a rainbow, and that their love shines brightly, bringing color and beauty into the world.
The third verse describes the passing of time through the changing light of day and night, with each shift in color representing the rainbow that is their love. The fourth verse returns to the theme of the singer's love being a rainbow, with the lyrics emphasizing the way that their love brings light and color into the world. They sing that "coloured are the words with the rainbow of truth", suggesting that their love is a source of honesty and clarity. The final verse is an affirmation of the singer's love and their desire for all people to experience the same joy and beauty that they share with their partner. The emphasis here is on the idea that everyone has the potential to shine like a rainbow and spread love and color into the world.
Overall, "Rainbow" is a song about the power of love to bring beauty, light, and color into the world. The lyrics are full of vivid imagery and metaphor, and the melody is hauntingly beautiful. The song has become a beloved classic and remains popular among fans of the band and of psychedelic and folk music from the 60s and 70s.
Line by Line Meaning
Golden seeds of autumn streak the purple sky
The sky is filled with a beautiful mix of purple and gold as the autumn season approaches.
Miles of amber raindrops stretch between our hands
The singer and their loved one share a deep connection, symbolized by a stretch of raindrops that glow like warm amber.
Just then, just then, my heart lept high
The singer's heart is filled with joy and excitement in this very moment.
Beautiful colours danced in my eye
Their eyes are seeing a magnificent display of colors, possibly referring to the blending of colors in the sky or in nature.
Walked to the window, looked up at the sky
The artist is taking in the beauty of the natural world from their window.
As I lit an evening candle, feeling you were there with me
The singer feels comforted by the thought of their loved one being with them, and they light a candle to enhance the ambiance.
All around me, saw your love come shining brightly
The singer feels surrounded by their loved one's love, which shines like a radiant light around them.
You're a rainbow
The loved one is a symbol of a rainbow - something that is beautiful and brings joy.
And me I'll come shining though, Rain's gone, and the sky is blue, I'm a Rainbow too
The artist declares that they too will shine just as brightly as their loved one and be a source of joy and beauty. The reference to the blue sky and absence of rain suggests a time of happiness and change.
No-one can say how long I've loved you, Rainbow shine, No-one can say cos nobody knows, Rainbow rainbow rainbow time
The artist muses on the unquantifiable nature of love and how it is like a rainbow - beautiful and fleeting. Love cannot be measured or accurately described by others, it is unique to each person.
Morning light of springing snowdrop, golden sun - at midday hour, twilight violet, midnight stars come shining silver, you're a rainbow
The singer is using imagery to describe the beauty of each time of day and how their loved one encompasses the beauty of all of them.
And you take my breath away, you make me stop and say, I'm a rainbow too
The loved one is so captivating that they leave the artist breathless, but they also awaken a sense of wonder and beauty in the artist.
If you see a soft light falling, And you feel I'm there with you, All those colours, They do not come from the candle, Oh no, you're a rainbow
The singer is telling their loved one that the beauty they see around them is not just because of the candle, but because of the loved one's presence in their life. They are the true source of joy and beauty.
Born are the words, On the silent wings of love, So dear to me, sweet song of love
Love inspires the singer to write and express themselves. These words are born out of the deep affection the singer has for their loved one.
Coloured are the words with the rainbow of truth, So dear to me, As long as I live I will sing that song so dear, So dear to me
The singer's words are full of truth and are colored with a rainbow - something that is beautiful and brings joy. They express how important their love is and how it will always be a part of them.
And merging with mine the voice of all that you are will shine, so dear to me, sweet song of love
The artist feels that their loved one is a part of them and that their voice merges with their own. They reaffirm their love by calling it a sweet song of love.
Me, I'm not missing you, I'm right there kissing you, I'm a rainbow too
The artist feels so connected to their loved one that they don't feel like they are missing them, they feel like they are kissing them. The strong bond they share makes them feel like they are a part of the loved one, and thus a rainbow as well.
I can tell by your eyes, You've been singing that old sweet song, Let your love roll on, Everybody here I think will agree, That they can sing that song, As good as can be
The singer can see in their loved one's eyes that they feel the same way and they all want their love to continue. They encourage everyone to continue singing their sweet song of love.
You know I'd hate to go, I'd hate to go, Before I see everybody here, Shine like a rainbow
The singer doesn't want to leave until they see everyone else shine like a rainbow. They want everyone to experience the joy and beauty that comes with love.
I have seen you there
The artist has seen their loved one in their mind's eye and they feel a deep connection that transcends physical distance.
Contributed by Molly B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.