The band was lead by singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Ian Bruce-Douglas and released three albums over the course of its career: "Ultimate Spinach" (1968), "Behold & See" (1968) and "Ultimate Spinach III" (1969).
Their debut album was the most successful of all the "Bosstown Sound" LPs released by MGM, reaching #35 on the Billboard 200 and selling over 100,000 copies. Myers and Lahteinen had left the group by the time of their second album, and Russell Levine (drums) and Carol Lee Britt (vocals) were added to the lineup. Winthrop departed shortly thereafter and was replaced by guitarist Jeff "Skunk" Baxter, later a member of Steely Dan and The Doobie Brothers. Bruce-Douglas quit the band in late 1968, and leadership of the group passed onto Hudson and Baxter, who re-formed Ultimate Spinach with a completely different lineup aside from the two of them. The new lineup released the third Ultimate Spinach album in 1969, and disbanded shortly after its release.
Mind Flowers
Ultimate Spinach Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Flowers ~
Pretty
Mind flowers
Take a trip
To the center
Of your mind
Letting only
Your conscience
Be your guide
Finding out
That life is
Where its edge
Where its edge
Sacrifice!
Of your ego!
Sacrifice,
Sacrifice..
Let it go!
Let it go!
Let it go!
Let it go!
Let it go!
Let it go!
Falling sounds explode
Across myriad conscience
Of tomorrow’s mind
You feel yourself
Rising slowly
And yet falling down
Upon shattered dreams
Crystal sights are
Shattered and distorted
By reality’s truth
Again..
You hear the crying
Of a thousand harpies
As tomorrow is gone
You are cleansed
You are cleansed
You are cleansed
You are cleansed
You will never hear
Distortion again
I am falling
I am falling
I am falling
Into the quicksand
of my troubled mind
my troubled mind
my troubled mind
my troubled mind
Peace,
Tranquillity,
Mind flowers ~
Pretty
Mind flowers ~
Mind flowers..
MIND FLOWERS!
The song "Mind Flowers" by Ultimate Spinach is a psychedelic rock classic. The song encourages listeners to take a journey into the depths of their own minds, to explore consciousness and find peace. The lyrics call for the sacrifice of the ego, advocating for a relinquishment of control over one's own thoughts and impulses in order to achieve a state of harmony and tranquility. The vivid and surreal imagery of the song is a testimony to its psychedelic nature.
The opening lines of the song convey a sense of wonder and beauty, describing the mind as a garden of "pretty mind flowers." The invitation to take a journey to the center of one's mind reflects the psychedelic sensibility of the era, as young people were exploring altered states of consciousness through various means. The song goes on to suggest that the mind can be a guide to life, and that true fulfillment lies at the edges of what we know.
The lyrics also include a darker side to the psychedelic experience, acknowledging the potential for distortion and the fragility of dreams. The line "Crystal sights are shattered and distorted by reality's truth" suggests that the journey to the center of one's mind can reveal uncomfortable truths about oneself and the world. Yet even amidst this chaos, the song offers a message of hope and renewal, encouraging us to let go of our troubles and embrace the peace and tranquility of "mind flowers."
Line by Line Meaning
Mind
The mind
Flowers ~
Beautiful and peaceful thoughts
Pretty
Beautiful
Mind flowers
Positive and tranquil thoughts
Take a trip
Take a journey
To the center
To the center of one's mind
Of your mind
Your own thoughts and consciousness
Letting only
Allowing
Your conscience
One's sense of right and wrong
Be your guide
Serving as one's guide
Finding out
Realizing
That life is
The meaning of life is
Where its edge
In the limits of one's experience
Sacrifice!
Giving up something important
Of your ego!
Of one's sense of self-importance
Sacrifice,
Giving up something important
Sacrifice..
Giving up something important
Let it go!
Release it
Falling sounds explode
Disturbing thoughts become overwhelming
Across myriad conscience
Among many people's thoughts
Of tomorrow’s mind
Of the future
You feel yourself
Sensing your own existence
Rising slowly
Ascending gradually
And yet falling down
Simultaneously decreasing
Upon shattered dreams
In regard to crushed aspirations
Crystal sights are
Clear visions
Shattered and distorted
Broken and unclear
By reality’s truth
By the truth of what truly exists
Again..
Once more
You hear the crying
You listen to the weeping
Of a thousand harpies
Of many distressful and tormenting entities
As tomorrow is gone
As the future ceases to exist
You are cleansed
You become free of impurities
You are cleansed
You become free of impurities
You are cleansed
You become free of impurities
You are cleansed
You become free of impurities
You will never hear
You will never experience
Distortion again
Anything that causes disharmony and disorder
I am falling
I am descending
Into the quicksand
Into a dangerous predicament
of my troubled mind
That worsens due to difficult thoughts
my troubled mind
That worsens due to difficult thoughts
my troubled mind
That worsens due to difficult thoughts
my troubled mind
That worsens due to difficult thoughts
Peace,
Calm and serenity
Tranquillity,
Peacefulness and calmness
Mind flowers ~
Thoughts of beauty and peace
Pretty
Attractive
Mind flowers ~
Positive and tranquil thoughts
Mind flowers..
Positive and tranquil thoughts
MIND FLOWERS!
Pesitive and peaceful thoughts that take over the mind
Contributed by Lillian O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.