The band consisted of two of the superstars of British folk guitar, Bert Jansch (3rd November 1943 - 5th October 2011) and John Renbourn (8 August 1944 - 26 March 2015) both of whom also sang, singer Jacqui McShee, bassist Danny Thompson and drummer Terry Cox. The original line-up lasted until the early 70s. They then split acrimoniously, but reformed by mutual consent around 15 years later. The original lineup worked together briefly but Renbourn left to pursue studies and other projects, leading to a succession of lineup changes and erratic output, which continued through the 80s and 90s with Jansch and McShee the only constant members. When Jansch eventually left, McShee continued to lead a distantly-related group under the name Jacqui McShee's Pentangle.
The core of the band's identity was the eclectic virtuosity of Jansch and Renbourn, who added elements of Middle Eastern music, blues, jazz and Classical to their style. At various times, they also experimented with electric guitar and sitar.
Dragonfly
The Pentangle Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Live your life in a day
Flow by flow passing by
Love you bring flowers in May
Justle of a sigh
In the silver rain
Born to love and die
And then live again
Dance sweet dragonfly
Weeping willow you share
All the secrets he knows
Never seeming to care
As he comes oh he goes
Justle of a sigh
In the silver rain
Born to love and die
And then live again
Asked no reason why
Dance sweet dragonfly
Rainbow wings flying high
Dance and weave through the air
Catch the sun as he rise[s]
All in a long summer's day
Justle of a sigh
In the silver rain
Born to love and die
And then live again
Asked no reason why
Dance sweet dragonfly
The song "Dragonfly" by The Pentangle is a poetic and symbolic tribute to the brief but beautiful existence of a dragonfly. The lyrics speak about the dragonfly's ephemeral journey from birth to death and reincarnation while also drawing parallels with human life. The opening line "Dancing sweet dragonfly, live your life in a day" sets the tone for the rest of the song, where the dragonfly is portrayed as a graceful and carefree creature.
The repetition of the phrase "Justle of a sigh, in the silver rain, born to love and die, and then live again" creates a cyclical pattern that emphasizes the idea of reincarnation. The dragonfly is said to be "born to love and die" which highlights the inevitability of death but also suggests that there is a purpose to its existence. The dragonfly is also portrayed as a source of joy and happiness, "Love you bring flowers in May," and it also reveals secrets, "Weeping willow you share all the secrets he knows."
The song ends with the dragonfly "Dancing sweet" and "catch[ing] the sun as he rises" before the cycle begins anew. The lyrics of "Dragonfly" urge the listener to embrace life's impermanence and appreciate the beauty of the present moment.
Line by Line Meaning
Dancing sweet dragonfly
The singer is addressing a dragonfly, admiring its graceful movements.
Live your life in a day
The singer is praising the dragonfly's ability to live and experience life to the fullest within a short span of time.
Flow by flow passing by
The singer is acknowledging the dragonfly's fleeting existence and how quickly time passes.
Love you bring flowers in May
The artist sees the dragonfly's presence as a positive influence on the natural world, bringing about the beauty of spring.
Justle of a sigh
The artist is describing the sound of a soft, gentle breeze passing by.
In the silver rain
The singer is setting the scene of a rainy day with a soft, silvery light.
Born to love and die
The singer acknowledges the cycle of life and death that all creatures, including the dragonfly, must go through.
And then live again
The artist sees the dragonfly's reincarnation as a new opportunity to live life again.
Asked no reason why
The artist highlights the simple existence of the dragonfly, living without questioning the purpose of life.
Dance sweet dragonfly
The artist invites the dragonfly to keep dancing and living life to the fullest.
Weeping willow you share
The singer is addressing a weeping willow, who knows the secrets of the natural world that the dragonfly embodies.
All the secrets he knows
The artist acknowledges the dragonfly's connection to the natural world and its knowledge of the secrets of life and death.
Never seeming to care
The singer recognizes the dragonfly's carefree existence without worries or concerns.
As he comes oh he goes
The singer notes the dragonfly's brief presence before it swiftly moves on to its next adventure.
Rainbow wings flying high
The singer describes the vibrant and colorful wings of the dragonfly as it flies through the air.
Dance and weave through the air
The artist encourages the dragonfly to keep dancing and moving through the air gracefully.
Catch the sun as he rises
The artist admires the dragonfly's ability to catch the first rays of sunlight as the day begins.
All in a long summer's day
The singer describes the dragonfly's adventures and experiences throughout a single day during the warmth of summer.
Writer(s): MCSHEE, COX, PIGGOTT, THOMPSON, JANSCH
Contributed by Mateo F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@Game71000
LYRICS:
Dancing sweet dragonfly
Live your life in a day
Flow by flow passing by
Love you bring flowers in May
Justle of a sigh
In the silver rain
Born to love and die
And then live again
Asked no reason why
Dance sweet dragonfly
Weeping willow you share
All the secrets he knows
Never seeming to care
As he comes oh he goes
Justle of a sigh
In the silver rain
Born to love and die
And then live again
Asked no reason why
Dance sweet dragonfly
Rainbow wings flying high
Dance and weave through the air
Catch the sun as he rise[s]
All in a long summer's day
Justle of a sigh
In the silver rain
Born to love and die
And then live again
Asked no reason why
Dance sweet dragonfly
@Boinga
So incredibly good.
@irishelk3
Really really truly great band need to be talked about more one of the real greats
@georgekouracos5417
their music is timeless and beautiful..wonderful vocals…the music today can't compare with pentangle….they were unique...
@cerneuffington2656
All in a long summer's day ♥
@martajohnson1815
Kind of fun to hear Jacqui McShee in a low register. She was so versatile!
@BruceinFalkirk
This is a great song
@hypno59
Beautiful !!!!
@Game71000
LYRICS:
Dancing sweet dragonfly
Live your life in a day
Flow by flow passing by
Love you bring flowers in May
Justle of a sigh
In the silver rain
Born to love and die
And then live again
Asked no reason why
Dance sweet dragonfly
Weeping willow you share
All the secrets he knows
Never seeming to care
As he comes oh he goes
Justle of a sigh
In the silver rain
Born to love and die
And then live again
Asked no reason why
Dance sweet dragonfly
Rainbow wings flying high
Dance and weave through the air
Catch the sun as he rise[s]
All in a long summer's day
Justle of a sigh
In the silver rain
Born to love and die
And then live again
Asked no reason why
Dance sweet dragonfly
@Warthog6400
This is really brilliant!
@donaldhughes5374
Wonderful track from Pentangle - their music stands the test of time - sheer brilliance