The Incredible String Band
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The Incredible String Band

The Incredible String Band formed in Scotland in 1965 with Robin Williamson, Clive Palmer, and Mike Heron. Their music mixed traditional folk with Eastern...

album120 lyric pages photo_library2 photos groups20 listeners here now Editor's note live
person Curated by Ethan Walker LyroVerse team
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Editor's note

The Incredible String Band's folk experiments

A Scottish group that blended traditional music with Eastern sounds and spiritual lyrics.

For a good frame of their sound, try 'Painting Box' from 1967 or 'A Very Cellular Song.' Both show what they were doing with folk that nobody else was.

They made music that didn't fit categories, mixing bagpipes with electric guitars and touching on spirituality and nature. 'A Very Cellular Song' shows their eclectic approach, with its shifting arrangements and vivid imagery. Their 1967 track 'Painting Box' became one of their most recognizable songs, capturing a sense of wonder that defined their early work.

The band formed in Scotland in 1965 with Robin Williamson, Clive Palmer, and Mike Heron. Palmer left in 1969 while Williamson and Heron stayed constant, with musicians like Licorice McKechnie and Rose Simpson joining. They released albums including 'The 5000 Spirits or the Layers of the Onion' and 'U' before fading from prominence in the 1970s.

edit_note Ethan Walker · LyroVerse team · Apr 20
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LyroVerse editor's notes are short interpretation guides, not final verdicts. If something needs a correction, visit About or Contact.

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The Incredible String Band formed in Scotland in 1965 with Robin Williamson, Clive Palmer, and Mike Heron. Their music mixed traditional folk with Eastern sounds and experimental arrangements, creating something that didn't fit neatly into categories. They used instruments ranging from bagpipes to electric guitars, and their lyrics often touched on spirituality and nature.

Their 1967 song 'Painting Box' became one of their most recognizable tracks, with its vivid imagery and sense of wonder. Other songs like 'First Girl I Loved' and 'A Very Cellular Song' showed their eclectic approach. The band's lineup changed over time, with Williamson and Heron staying constant while Palmer left in 1969, and other musicians like Licorice McKechnie and Rose Simpson joining.

They released albums including 'The Incredible String Band,' 'The 5000 Spirits or the Layers of the Onion,' and 'U.' Their sound influenced later artists, though they gradually faded from prominence in the 1970s. Williamson and Heron pursued solo work, and the band had a brief reunion in the 1990s before ending in 2006.

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Where should I start with The Incredible String Band on LyroVerse?

The Start here section opens with A Very Cellular Song, Fair As You, and Mercy I Cry City so you can move through the artist's stronger lyric pages first.

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LyroVerse currently has 120 visible lyric pages for The Incredible String Band.

Does The Incredible String Band have photos on LyroVerse?

Yes. There are 2 photos available, and the preview gallery on this page links to the full photos section.

Does LyroVerse have an editor's note for The Incredible String Band?

Yes. The editor's note on this page is a short LyroVerse team guide, not a final verdict on the artist.

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