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.
Waiting for You
The Incredible String Band Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I've been wearing faces in the strangest places
Just to make a dream come true
The dawn is sweet but it's incomplete and l'm waiting for you
The breeze is blowing and my hair is growing
Forgotten everything my mother knew
The day is young and spring is sprung and I'm waiting for you
Must you bring that horse in here Miss Jones
Yes they all come from out of the sky you know
I'm waiting for the dove that never came home
I'm waiting for the painter when his colours were gone
I'm waiting for the soldiers at the war, I'm waiting for a royal decision
I'm waiting for the sun to snore
I'm waiting for a rumble from Jericho, waiting for the world to begin
I'm a bareback rider, I'm an outsider and love to dance the boogaloo
I'm a turnip head, I'm a lately wed and I'm waiting for you
More tea vicar? (Hold that tiger)
Yes, the hydrangeas do look divine this time of the year
I'm wailing for the angels to put on their smiles
I'm waiting for the judges to come to trial
I'm waiting for the aeroplane, I'm waiting for the graves to open
I'm waiting to be sold in chains
I'm waiting for a signal from the trapdoor queen
Waiting for the world to begin
I'm a snake charmer, I'm a guava farmer
I'm a goose to me don't ever say boo
Let the universe roll, I'm a simple soul and I'm waiting for you
Oh it sounds so sweet when you play it me like that..
(that tiger really doesn't want to be held)
I'm waiting for the signs to point a different way
I'm waiting for God to take a holiday
I'm waiting for night in the mine
I'm waiting for the hills to grow steeper
I'm waiting for the man they call Shine
I'm waiting for Willie the Weeper to wake,
Waiting for the world to begin
I'm off to market with an old straw basket singing dodeodeodo
Green cloth to wear in the spring, in the April breezes how it will blow
I'm going to introduce to you now the
Personalities who compose the Jim Spiggatt Occult Quart.
Over there on my left we have Miss Cynthia de Monfort-Jones on her silvery toned
Mandoline, and just a little further over the left we have that famed Oriental bass player
Miss Fenola Bumgarner (first time in captivity folks!)
On the pounding batterie and coterie we
Have that well known bricklayer's labourer from Pilton,
Mr Jack McMarker- and perhaps we just have time to devastate your synaesthesia
With one more searing chorus from Black Jack Davy on the steam organ. That's all.
In The Incredible String Band's song "Waiting For You," the singer expresses their longing for someone or something to arrive. With each passing line, the singer lists a series of things they are waiting for, ranging from specific individuals like soldiers or artists to abstract concepts like the world beginning or God taking a holiday. The repetition of the line "I'm waiting for you" in the chorus suggests that ultimately the singer is waiting for someone specific, but the identity of this person is never revealed.
The lyrics of "Waiting For You" are highly poetic and surreal, evoking a dreamlike atmosphere where anything is possible. The use of fantastical imagery such as a horse in the house or angels putting on smiles adds to this feeling of unreality. The repetition of the phrase "I'm waiting" also creates a sense of anticipation and tension that builds throughout the song. Overall, the song can be interpreted as a meditation on the nature of waiting and the different ways in which it can be experienced.
Line by Line Meaning
I've been wearing faces in the strangest places Just to make a dream come true
I've been pretending to be someone else and acting in strange ways to achieve my desires.
The dawn is sweet but it's incomplete and l'm waiting for you
The morning is beautiful, but it's not complete without you here by my side.
The breeze is blowing and my hair is growing Forgotten everything my mother knew The day is young and spring is sprung and I'm waiting for you
I'm enjoying the fresh air and feeling carefree, forgetting all the lessons taught by my mother. Spring has arrived and I'm eagerly anticipating your arrival.
Must you bring that horse in here Miss Jones (although your snowshoes do look terrific) Yes they all come from out of the sky you know I'm waiting for the dove that never came home
Why did you bring a horse inside? Even though your snowshoes are impressive, they don't belong inside. I'm still waiting for the return of the dove that never came home.
I'm waiting for the painter when his colours were gone I'm waiting for the soldiers at the war, I'm waiting for a royal decision I'm waiting for the sun to snore
I'm waiting for the painter to return even though he's out of inspiration. I'm waiting for the soldiers to return from war and for a royal decision. I'm even waiting for the unimaginable, like the sun to snore.
I'm waiting for a rumble from Jericho, waiting for the world to begin I'm a bareback rider, I'm an outsider and love to dance the boogaloo I'm a turnip head, I'm a lately wed and I'm waiting for you
I'm waiting for the sound of trumpets from Jericho signaling the start of the world. I'm a free spirit and enjoy dancing. I'm a bit naive and recently married, waiting eagerly for you.
More tea vicar? (Hold that tiger) Yes, the hydrangeas do look divine this time of the year I'm wailing for the angels to put on their smiles I'm waiting for the judges to come to trial I'm waiting for the aeroplane, I'm waiting for the graves to open I'm waiting to be sold in chains I'm waiting for a signal from the trapdoor queen Waiting for the world to begin
May I offer you more tea? Hold the tiger, please. The flowers are beautiful this time of year. I'm hoping that the angels will be happy and that justice will be served. I'm waiting for a plane and even the graves to open up. I'm afraid of being enslaved and waiting for a sign from the queen of deceit. I'm waiting for the start of the world.
I'm a snake charmer, I'm a guava farmer I'm a goose to me don't ever say boo Let the universe roll, I'm a simple soul and I'm waiting for you
I'm a person who charms snakes and farms guavas. Don't scare me like a goose. I'm content with simple things in life and I'm waiting for you to join me.
Oh it sounds so sweet when you play it me like that.. (that tiger really doesn't want to be held) I'm waiting for the signs to point a different way I'm waiting for God to take a holiday I'm waiting for night in the mine I'm waiting for the hills to grow steeper I'm waiting for the man they call Shine I'm waiting for Willie the Weeper to wake, Waiting for the world to begin
Your music sounds so sweet. (That tiger is not happy being held.) I'm hoping that the signs will show me a different path. I'm waiting for even God to take a break. I'm expecting a dark night working in the mine. The hills are too calm for me, I'm waiting for them to get more challenging. I'm waiting for Shine and Willie the Weeper. I'm waiting for the beginning of the world.
I'm off to market with an old straw basket singing dodeodeodo Green cloth to wear in the spring, in the April breezes how it will blow I'm going to introduce to you now the Personalities who compose the Jim Spiggatt Occult Quart. Over there on my left we have Miss Cynthia de Monfort-Jones on her silvery toned Mandoline, and just a little further over the left we have that famed Oriental bass player Miss Fenola Bumgarner (first time in captivity folks!) On the pounding batterie and coterie we Have that well known bricklayer's labourer from Pilton, Mr Jack McMarker- and perhaps we just have time to devastate your synaesthesia With one more searing chorus from Black Jack Davy on the steam organ. That's all.
I'm heading off to the market with an old basket, singing a tune. I'm eager to wear a green cloth in the spring breeze. I'd like to introduce you to the members of Jim Spiggatt Occult Quartet. Over there is Cynthia playing the mandolin, and Fenola is playing the bass for the first time. Jack is pounding on the drums and we might have time for one more chorus before we wrap up.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Downtown Music Publishing, Songtrust Ave, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ANDREW CRAIG MORRIS, STUART CRICHTON, GARY CLARK
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@lennon_9dream133
Waiting For You, Christina Licorice Mckechnie, love
@ChrisSmith-xh9wb
"Be glad" was one of many albums I gave away before I went travelling in the seventies. It repeatedly came back to me in dreams for years afterwards, and I always woke with deep sadness and regret. Listening to this again I am sad no longer! (although still regret all the albums I no longer have).
@Ghoopty
Great song, great band, great photos 👍
@randolphsbagful
This song was my Road to Damascus moment.
@bobgreen623
Utterly wonderful
@stanedwards576
love the incredible string band, love this song , love the way robin sings this ,im waiting ,
@nipsimee
My synaesthesia is well and truly devastated one more time. Thanks for the blast..
@alankennedy1742
Completely, fully, absolutely
@raudiobrown
Remastered I suppose. Sounds much, much clearer than my Island vinyl ever did, even when it was new. Great to hear!
@tobydarling
Thanks for putting this one up, it sounds great.