The Incredible String Band got me through being incarcerated for three years in a mental institution for drug abuse beginning March 3, 1971, three weeks after my 15th birthday. I am forever grateful to Robin in particular. I was fortunate to meet and become very good friends with Likky when I moved to LA in the early 80s. I still listen to this band every day. Nothing has influenced me more than The Incredible String Band. And, I played the guitar in the photo above. Robin gave it to Likky, which she cherished as though it were pure gold, which is was.
***** I haven't seen Likky in a long time, I don't know if she's still alive but I think she is. I can tell you one thing I do know, these rumors that she disappeared into the Arizona desert are completely ridiculous. Likky was extremely petite and delicate and though she was a very courageous person, about the last thing she would do is wander off into the cactus, snakes, coyotes and poisonous spiders in 120 degree heat. She was very unhappy, married to a jerk, still in love with Robin (I think) and selling cheap tin music boxes door to door in office buildings in LA. She and I played some music together and she would have parties where she'd play ISB songs and stuff (on Robin's painted guitar) but she was not making her living in music. She got divorced and just split. That's all I know. I'm sure she's alive, probably married with a completely new life, leaving all the shit in the past. That's my guess.
+David Evans Thanks for the information on Likky. Many of us think of her often and hope she's well. The guitar does look like a Gibson Hummingbird but I'm fairly sure it was a Levin.
Both astonishing. I owe my introduction to these amazing musicians and poets to my friend Dave Hadfield, RIP. I never imagined all those years ago that I would never hear anything to surpass ISB, especially this song@@rolandlavengro7088
This brings back such a wonderful feeling of a remarkable time - in my life and in the world - what a time it was. I had the great privilege and good fortune to play with them on stage at a gig in Birmingham Town Hall in 1969 - for one track only, I played maracas . It was my 16th birthday. What a night.
@@p.atrickclarke The first things that spring to my mind when thinking about the spiritual influence of the ISB are the early albums The Hangman's Beautiful Daughter and Wee Tam/The Big Huge (double album). Tracks like A Very Cellular Song and The Half Remarkable Question still mystify and enchant me, fifty years after I first heard them.
ive always loved this amazing , magical robin williamson song, [on changing horses lp], love robin, mike, likky, rose, always , [wee tam and the big huge , fave all time album,
I DISCOVERED THIS CRAZY BEAUTIFUL BAND COZ OF A TIP-OFF FROM 'NEIL', THE HIPPIE, FROM THE UK CRAZY TV COMEDY SERIES 'THE YOUNG ONES'.... SO BRIEF A TIP OFF.. BUT I LATCHED ONTO IT AND I DISCOVERED THEM AND IT HAS ENRICHED MY LIFE FOREVER...
Robin Williamson was the genius behind the ISB. But Mike Heron was also an incredible tunesmith. The ISB were the soundtrack to my childhood, seeing them live too in 1970 at the Plumpton Racecourse festival.
The messengers with sharpened heels Flew backwards into whose galloping arms And the impassioned Phoenix Drawls a sad goodnight to fiction's tomb Then come to me secretly And with your silken feather And with your silken feather Open your rooms, open your rooms Never, in fact, as he gazed amazed At two lost eyebrows lisping into the unexpected And the archetypal postman delivering your seed letters Whose eyes are black eggs really Upon a long shore, upon a long shore Open your door, open your door “Ask anyone”, he muttered, as he spat a small Brilliant blue insect, whirring into the gauze I would advise stilts for the quagmires And camels for the snowy hills and any survivors Their debts I will certainly pay There's always a way, there's always a way I smiled with that gallantly concealed forceful nervousness That has proved that oysters cry And that I have come to know and accept as myself And plucking a barbed feather from the morose universe I called him deathless, and he left before he could reply Open your eyes, open your eyes Our first father, Abraham, whose bosom Was the unique soul of the humans Was certainly as bewildered as we are If not infinitely more so, and with an ancient Ceremonial gesture of dismissal, he pointed forward Verily, verily Verily, verily Verily, verily Verily, verily The first day was golden And she colored the Sun And she named it Hyperion And she made it a day of light and healing The second was silver And she colored the Moon And she named it Phoebe And she made a day of enchantment and the living waters And the third was many-colored And she colored the Earth And she made a day of joy With the scarlet strength of seed In the fourth black and white were mingled into quicksilver And she colored Mercury And she made a day of wisdom And the signs that are placed in the firmament The fifth was bright blue And she envisaged Jupiter And she made a day of awe and circles, circles And she sent it to guide the blood of the universe The sixth was burning with icy, green flames that glowed white And of her beauty she made Venus And she made a day of love Whereby all beings are united The seventh was rich purple of the mollusks And she colored Chronos And she made a day of idleness and repose Whereon all beings cease from struggle Verily, verily Verily, verily Verily, verily Verily, verily I am the pebble in your very own eye I am the sword and your enemy dies I am the storm and the hurricane wind I am the thorn of an unkind friend I am desire what color my eyes? I am Loki, wizard of lies Catch me, find me, see me if you can I am the guilt of an honest man I am the pebble in your very own eye I am the sword and your enemy dies I am the storm and the hurricane wind I am the thorn of an unkind friend I am desire what color my eyes? I am Loki, wizard of lies Catch me, find me, see me if you can I am the guilt of an honest man Then seven times we raised our arms And with cat-stretch Sent our foot spells Yawning into the multitudes In need we called upon the mother of all living Three times for succor, but with ambitious spears They made us change, they crouched behind Their mirrors and fought on I will not allow them praise That broke the harmonious globe in splintered fragments And yet, they moved perforce with a perfect pattern And complemented harmony with discord, and light with darkness It was then That we stepped out of our world machine Between the palm and the fingers Peeling like gloves And for each eye that shed one tear We made of that tear an ocean And in the five directions We loosed our several craft Wild sea, I say today Please, be a sweet cow for me Amethyst galleon, out on the rolling sea Gentle as lightning, easily Take me to the root of the world tree Amethyst galleon, out on the rolling sea Your face is consumed in a bruised sky's glance By the brazen wall with your sword and lance Where [Incomprehensible] Where dappled maidens, endless danced 'Round the root of the world tree Wild sea, I say today Please, be a sweet cow for me Amethyst galleon, out on the rolling sea [Incomprehensible] Wild sea, my love is salty for me Every ripple in her body is a wave in me Amethyst galleon, out on the rolling sea Hold tight, sleep tight
Does anyone know what the incomprehensible line in the amethyst galleon section is (just before "where dapples maidens")? I've been trying to work it out for nearly 50 years.
1969 USB Changing Horses and The Grateful Dead ' s Live Dead were released, colored the tissues of my brain. Both albums are so freaking high! nothing at all like either one. This song in particular, along with White Bird, are insanely amazing. Lyrics, harmony, arrangements inspirational. 45,+ years later, still listening and loving. Coincidentally Hanging horses ends with a "Good night sleep tight..", Live Dead ends with "And we bid you goodnight". Crazy. Anecdotally. ..While I was a Sgt. in the NYPD I would often end my Roll Call by pointing to the exit saying "and with an ancient ceremonial gesture of dismissal, he pointed forward". One day a new transfer was at roll call and after I said that I heard " verily verily". Blown away!
+James Littlefield Littlefield Great to know that a NYPD officer was in spirit a hippie freak. It restores my faith in .... everything !!! Long life and good health, man.
Those were 2 of the first albums I ever bought, and I still listen to them today. Thanks for mentioning the endings, I love it! Coincidence? I think not... The jail in Dallas was a bad bad place to be in the mid-70's for someone as high as I was that day. Upon being confronted by the wolves, not knowing how to fight or keep my, ah, virginity, I sang this song in it's entirety. Their eyes got wider and wider and said This motherfucker is CRAZY! It worked! Yay!
Here is the lyrics 🎷... The first day was golden And she coloured the sun And she named it Hyperion And she made it a day of light and healing The second was silver And she coloured the moon And she named it Phoebe And she made a day of enchantment and the living waters And the third was many-coloured And she coloured the earth And she made a day of joy With the scarlet strength of seed. In the fourth black and white were mingled into quicksilver And she coloured Mercury And she made a day of wisdom And the signs that are placed in the firmament The fifth was bright blue And she envisaged Jupiter And she made a day of awe and circles, circles And she sent it to guide the blood of the universe The sixth was burning with icy, green flames that glowed white And of her beauty she made Venus And she made a day of love Whereby all beings are united The seventh was rich purple of the mollusks And she coloured Chronos And she made a day of idleness and repose Whereon all beings cease from struggle.
Mine is "A Very Cellular Song" but I found an error in the Genius.com transcription, which is the one I listen to (a couple of times a day). At the 4th or 5th verse, it says, "John the wine, ..." which, according to the original lyrics should read, "John, the wise ...". which makes more sense. I tried but couldn't edit that version. Can anybody help me out with this? Thanks if you can.
"The First Girl I Loved" is my favourite. As a 16 year old virgin when it was released in 1967, I found the line "I never slept with her, but we must have made love a thousand times" particularly engaging... and a feat to emulate. Sadly, I never achieved my ambition.
