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.
Sweet Child
The Pentangle Lyrics
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You 've been driving my blues away
Now it is my turn
Come fly beneath my wings
Sweet child it may not be for long
Well I may be a drinking hard
Like a fish that swims
And I could be riding high
And if the rain does fall
Sweet child that would not let you drown
Well, I would not care to see what's within in your eyes
I would not care to know
Where your heart does lie
I've tried to trust my heart
But my eyes are pale on me
Sweet child come to me now
Let me take your hand
Well I do not know you well yet I've tried so hard
Through four and twenty years
Sweet child, I still don't understand
Well, I've heard there are great men
Who could save our souls
With kind and gentle hearts
And love is their goal
I really want to know
Sweet child, who could shoot them down
And I would rather tear him down
With the sin in his life
Who sheds his tears upon every mortal soul
And I wonder does he yearn
Sweet child, forget to comfort him
And I once did see a child, she did sit and cry
Where has the pretty flower in the darkness gone?
In the summer you shall see
Sweet child, I guess it won't be long
Won't you lay yourself down and rest
Let your mind relax
And won't you cuddle into the night
I will guide your path
Well, I may not be here long
'Cause I got a feeling to be gone
The Pentangle's "Sweet Child" is a beautifully melancholic song that talks about life and death, trust and love, and the complexities of the human mind. The opening lines, "You've been working so hard all day won't you take your rest / You 've been driving my blues away / Now it is my turn / Come fly beneath my wings," speak of a person comforting and nurturing another individual who has been working hard and is in need of rest. The lyrics suggest that their roles have reversed, and now it is the turn of the individual who was previously being cared for to offer the same love and support to the other.
The second verse continues with the idea that life is full of ups and downs, and one should be prepared for all its challenges, "Sweet child it may not be for long / Well, I may be drinking hard / Like a fish that swims / And I could be riding high / Like the floating cloud." However, this prepares the listener for the inevitable, even as it may not be something one wishes to confront. Despite its inevitability, the song conveys a sense of security, "And if the rain does fall / Sweet child that would not let you drown."
The third verse is about the complexities of human emotions and how they can often lead to confusion and frustration. The singer confesses, ‘I've tried to trust my heart / But my eyes are pale on me / Sweet child come to me now / Let me take your hand,’ highlighting the human condition of feeling overwhelmed with emotions and needing someone to hold on to. The song concludes with, "Well, I may not be here long / 'Cause I got a feeling to be gone," leaving the listener with a sense of acceptance and a hint of sorrow.
Line by Line Meaning
You've been working so hard all day won't you take your rest
You have labored tirelessly throughout the day, and now it's time to take a break and relax.
You 've been driving my blues away
You've helped me chase away my sadness and depression.
Now it is my turn
It's my turn to help you relax and forget your worries.
Come fly beneath my wings
Let me offer you protection, guidance, and support when you feel lost.
Sweet child it may not be for long
I may not be able to offer you comfort and protection for an extended period.
Well I may be a drinking hard
There's a chance that I may indulge myself in heavy drinking.
Like a fish that swims
Drinking heavily is part of my nature, just like how swimming comes naturally to a fish.
And I could be riding high
There's also a chance that I could be happy and fulfilled.
Like the floating cloud
Similar to how a cloud glides through the sky aimlessly, I might also be aimlessly floating by.
And if the rain does fall
If the going gets tough, and you face difficulties or struggles,
Sweet child that would not let you drown
I will help you stay afloat and not let you sink into despair or hopelessness.
Well, I would not care to see what's within in your eyes
I might not be ready to confront and understand the deepest emotions buried within you.
I would not care to know
It's possible that I wouldn't want to dig too deep and discover what truly makes you tick.
Where your heart does lie
I wouldn't want to learn where your true emotions and passions lie.
I've tried to trust my heart
I have attempted to put my faith and trust in my intuition and emotions in the past.
But my eyes are pale on me
However, my rational, logical self often gets in my way and hinders my ability to trust my instincts.
Sweet child come to me now
Regardless, it would be best if you came to me for comfort and guidance.
Let me take your hand
Please allow me to offer you my support and guidance.
Well I do not know you well yet I've tried so hard
Although I may not know you well yet, I've worked tirelessly to build our relationship.
Through four and twenty years
I've put in a lot of effort over the years to connect with you better.
Sweet child, I still don't understand
However, there's a lot I still don't quite comprehend about you.
Well, I've heard there are great men
I've heard about exceptional people who make a significant impact in the world.
Who could save our souls
These people might have the ability to rescue and protect us from harm or danger.
With kind and gentle hearts
Possibly their compassion and empathy is what enables them to touch people's hearts.
And love is their goal
Love could be the ultimate objective they strive for in their work.
I really want to know
I'm curious and eager to learn more about these people.
Sweet child, who could shoot them down
Nevertheless, there may be others who would try to belittle or discredit their achievements.
And I would rather tear him down
If someone tries to undermine the accomplishments of these great men, I would prefer to knock them down instead.
With the sin in his life
If someone has flaws or weaknesses in their life, I would use that against them.
Who sheds his tears upon every mortal soul
I would target someone who openly expresses their vulnerabilities to others.
And I wonder does he yearn
Generally, I'm curious if such a person seeks something deeper and more meaningful in their life.
Sweet child, forget to comfort him
I probably wouldn't even bother trying to offer them any sympathy or kindness.
And I once did see a child, she did sit and cry
I have witnessed a child who appeared to be sad and was crying.
Where has the pretty flower in the darkness gone?
I couldn't help but wonder what could have caused that child so much pain and despair.
In the summer you shall see
I have faith and optimism that things will get better in the future.
Sweet child, I guess it won't be long
My intuition tells me that good things could be coming your way soon.
Won't you lay yourself down and rest
Please take some time to relax and rejuvenate yourself.
Let your mind relax
Allow your thoughts to subside and settle down.
And won't you cuddle into the night
Cling to the sense of security and safety during the darkness.
I will guide your path
I will help you find your way and support you through your struggles.
Well, I may not be here long
However, I recognize that I might not be able to stay by your side forever.
'Cause I got a feeling to be gone
I sense that my departure may be imminent.
Contributed by Austin K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
John LaStrada
Didn't appreciate them back in the day -- may be too English traditional for my American ears. But my ears have matured. This is a superb band. The musicianship is excellent.
Stuart Allan
Welcome aboard 👍
Miraflores
Saw the Pentangle in the late sixties at the Troubadour on the Strip...it was magical then and it is just as magical now. Jacqui and Burt Jansch sang so beautifully together. My sister and I would drive around L.A. in her car singing Pentangle tunes together and picking up hitchhikers back in the day when it was safe...beautiful memories, other times.
Andrew Reed
sounds a good time, there s a troubabour in earls court london,a folk club too. i saw pentangle a lot,and renbourne and mcshee too,and unfortunately, after of his passing, sadly,no more.
Julien Samama
Superbe chanson qui me ramène loin quand j'étais petit et que mes parents écoutaient Pentangle sur le tourne disques familial. As some other fellows previously said "rest in peace, my Dear friend John Renbourn"....
Debra Snarr
Thank you so much for posting this. I've been looking for it online forever. One of my favorites back in the day. =)
Blue Planet for Sale
Lovely melody, lyrics and perfect tempo. Oldwolfcottage is sending a big hello.
Thom Van Dusen
Such a favourite old tune from my youth...
Tiffany Davidson
My favorite Pentangle tune. Thank you so much for uploading it! I'd only been able to find the one with the cartoon playing for years until now.
Steve Hashimoto
That's definitely Bert, @OneEarthOneLove