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.
Helping hand
The Pentangle Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But that was very long ago
So much time has been wasted
And those days are turning to evening
???
Better forget it, the wine will flow
Many chances were given
Blaming misunderstanding
For the opportunities lost
But they are soon forgotten
Light up a candle but it's blowin' hard
Try to reason
Why the fears are failing
Learn the lesson
Loosing every gain
You people who understand
Please hold out a helping hand
To people who can't find their way
Won't you treat them like a brother
Maybe some day
There'll be some solution
Though it may well
Need a revolution
Then there will be no one to blame
???
It's easy to see that we
May learn to love one another
Spend some time with your loved ones
Let your troubles melt away
There's a time and a place for everything
So try to relax
And let your mind run free
Live every moment and be glad you laugh
The lyrics of The Pentangle's song Helping Hand describe the feeling of time slipping away without achieving one's goals. The first stanza of the song talks about how time seemed endless and how much of it has been wasted. The lines "So much time has been wasted, And those days are turning to evening" speak to the regret of unfulfilled dreams and missed opportunities. The chorus of the song asks for help and understanding from those who have already found their way in life. The lines "You people who understand, Please hold out a helping hand, To people who can't find their way, Won't you treat them like a brother" show a sense of community and camaraderie among those who are trying to find their way.
The second stanza talks about missed opportunities and how they are blamed on misunderstandings. However, the lines "But they are soon forgotten, Light up a candle but it's blowin' hard" suggest a sense of resilience and the ability to move on despite setbacks. The lines "Try to reason, Why the fears are failing, Learn the lesson, Loosing every gain" convey a sense of introspection and the willingness to learn from mistakes. In the last stanza of the song, the lyrics talk about finding solutions through revolution and the possibility of a better future where everyone can love and support each other.
Overall, the song Helping Hand speaks to the universal human experience of struggling to find one's place in the world and the need for support and understanding from others.
Line by Line Meaning
Once a day seemed so endless
Days were once thought to last forever but time has passed by so quickly now that it seems like a distant memory.
But that was very long ago
The time when things seemed endless was so long ago that the memory feels like a dream.
So much time has been wasted
A lot of time has gone by without any meaningful use due to neglect.
And those days are turning to evening
As time goes by, the days are slowly coming to an end like the dusk that heralds night.
???
The songwriter seems to have missed a line in the lyrics.
Better forget it, the wine will flow
It's better to forget the wasted time and instead drink wine in celebration of the present moment.
Many chances were given
Several opportunities were presented to the songwriter in the past.
Some were taken, some were not
The songwriter took some chances that were presented to them, but others were not taken advantage of.
Blaming misunderstanding
Misunderstanding was the cause of some missed opportunities.
For the opportunities lost
Those missed opportunities have now been lost forever.
But they are soon forgotten
The missed opportunities are now so far in the past that they have been forgotten.
Light up a candle but it's blowin' hard
The songwriter is trying to light a candle, but it's hard because the conditions are not favorable.
Try to reason
The songwriter is attempting to find logical explanations for past failures.
Why the fears are failing
The songwriter is trying to understand why their fears got in the way of their success.
Learn the lesson
The songwriter is educating themself by learning from past mistakes.
Loosing every gain
All the gains that the songwriter had made are lost due to personal inconsistencies.
You people who understand
The songwriter is addressing people who understand their personal struggles.
Please hold out a helping hand
The songwriter is asking for assistance from those who understand their situation.
To people who can't find their way
The songwriter is addressing people who are lost and seeking guidance.
Won't you treat them like a brother
The songwriter is asking people to treat others with kindness and empathy as they would a family member.
Maybe some day
The songwriter is hopeful that at some point in the future...
There'll be some solution
...there will be a solution to the problems that the songwriter is facing.
Though it may well
The solution may be difficult to find...
Need a revolution
...and may require a radical change in thinking or behavior to achieve it.
Then there will be no one to blame
Once a resolution is found, there will not be anyone left to blame for past mistakes or failures.
???
The songwriter seems to have missed another line in the lyrics.
It's easy to see that we
It is easy to see that all humans...
May learn to love one another
...have the capacity to love and care for each other, despite their differences or past mistakes.
Spend some time with your loved ones
The songwriter is encouraging listeners to spend time with their loved ones.
Let your troubles melt away
The songwriter suggests that spending time with loved ones can help one forget their worries and stress.
There's a time and a place for everything
The songwriter believes that everything has its proper time and place.
So try to relax
The songwriter is suggesting that listeners should try to relax and let go of their anxieties.
And let your mind run free
By relaxing and freeing one's mind, they can be open to new possibilities and experiences.
Live every moment and be glad you laugh
The songwriter is advocating for living every moment to the fullest and finding joy in laughter.
Contributed by Violet P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.