incredible string band, “chinese white”
from: the 5000 spirits or the layers of the onion, 1967
“The bent twig of darkness
Grows the petals of the morning
It shows to them the birds singing
Just behind the dawning
Come dip into the cloud cream lapping
I can’t keep my hand on the plough
Because it’s dying
But I will lay me down with my arms
Round a rainbow
And I will lay me down to dream
Oh, will your magic
Christmas tree be shining
Gently all around?
Climbing up these figures
The sun is tugging at my shoulder
And every step I take
I think, my feet are getting older
I see the crystal dreams unfolding
I can’t keep my eyes on the book
Because it’s mouldering
But I will lay me down with my arms
Round a rainbow
And I will lay me down to dream
Oh, will your magic
Christmas tree be shining
Gently all around?.”
I find this boldly, poetic vocal performance executed in such a relaxed, inspiring manner. Maybe its the precision of lead singer Mike Heron, gracious harmonies blended with Robin Williamson or the arresting fiddle play. The sound is very present and intimate. You could certainly wake up most mornings and play this concise number thus putting wind in your sails. What follows is musician Peter Case’s reaction to the sessions producing this song and a brief history of the duo’s role in introducing international instrumentation to the British folk scene in the late 60’s.
“One of the guitarists, Robin Williamson also vanished—took his advance money and, with his girlfriend Licorice, set off for Morocco. He came back months later playing an instrument he’d found there called the Gimbri, a fiddle with a mystically insinuating whine and they used it all over the next records, as well as the sitar and tablas from India, the Arabian oud, the Irish pennywhistle, thumb pianos from Nigeria, and good old funky guitars played in tunings, with banjos and harmonicas grounding and rounding out the sound. Robin, who described himself as feeling at the time more like a “Celtic Barge” than a bard, as they packed this boatload of weird sound makers around the world on tour, was a virtuoso Irish pennywhistler, and a top-drawer a cappella balladeer in the traditional Scottish fashion. He had perfect pitch and a unworldly voice, capable of soaring leaping or spinning on a driven nail. He spoke more than a few languages fluently, and told stories that’d make a bear hold his breath. His partner Mike was a psychedelicized Beat Combo refugee, and together they were magical because they were fearless, and had a great appreciation of chance events. They were courting ancient wisdom, unravelling the mysteries of music, and shooting high dice with pop music and epic poetry.”
