The Incredible String Band
The Incredible String Band
The Incredible String Band
The Incredible String Band
The Incredible String Band
The Incredible String Band
The Incredible String Band
The Incredible String Band
The Incredible String Band
The Incredible String Band
[Intro]
Winter was cold and the clothing was thin
But the gentle shepherd calls the tune
Oh dear mother, what shall I do?
First please your eyes and then your ears, Jenny
Exchanging love tokens, say goodnight
Lay down, my dear sister
Won't you lay and take your rest?
Won't you lay your head upon your saviors breast?
And I love you, but Jesus loves you the best
And I bid you goodnight, goodnight, goodnight
Lord, I bid you goodnight
Goodnight, goodnight
One of these mornings bright and early and fine
Goodnight, goodnight
Not a cricket, not a spirit going to shout me on
Goodnight, goodnight
I go walking in the valley of the shadow of death
Goodnight, goodnight
And his rod and his staff shall comfort me
Goodnight, goodnight
Oh John, the wine he saw the sign
Goodnight, goodnight
Oh, John say, "I seen a number of signs"
Goodnight, goodnight
Tell A for the ark that wonderful boat
Goodnight, goodnight
You know they built it on the land getting water to float
Goodnight, goodnight
Oh, tell B for the beast at the ending of the wood
Goodnight, goodnight
You know it ate all the children when they wouldn't be good
Goodnight, goodnight
I remember quite well, I remember quite well
Goodnight, goodnight
And I was walking in Jerusalem just like John
Goodnight, goodnight, goodnight
Goodnight, goodnight, goodnight
Goodnight, goodnight, goodnight
[Verse 1]
Who would lose and who would bruise
Or who would live quite prettily?
And who would love what comes along
And fill the air with joyous song?
[Verse 2]
Who would go and who would come
Or who would simply linger?
And who would hide behind your chair
And steal your crystallized ginger?
[Bridge]
Nebulous nearnesses cry to me
At this timeless moment someone dear to me
Wants me near, makes me high, I can hear vibrations fly
Through mangoes, pomegranates and planes, all the same
When it reaches me and teaches me to sigh
[Verse 3]
Who would mouse and who would lion
Or who would be the tamer?
And who would hear directions clear
From the unnamable namer?
[Verse 4]
Who would skip and who would plod
Or who would lie quite stilly?
And who would ride backwards on a giraffe?
Stopping every so often to laugh
[Spoken]
Amoebas are very small
[Chorus]
Oh ah ee oo, there's absolutely no strife
Living the timeless life
I don't need a wife, living the timeless life
If I need a friend, I just give a wriggle
Split right down the middle
And when I look there's two of me, both as handsome as can be
Oh, here we go slithering
Here we go, slithering and squelching on
Oh, here we go slithering
Here we go, slithering and squelching on
Oh ah ee oo, there's absolutely no strife
Living the timeless life
[Post-Chorus]
Black hair, brown hair, feather and scale
Seed and stamen and all unnamed lives that live
Turn your quivering nerves in my direction
Turn your quivering nerves in my direction
Turn your quivering nerves in my direction
Feel the energy projection of my cells wishes you well
[Outro]
May the long-time sun shine upon you
All love surround you
And the pure light within you
Guide you all the way on
May the long-time sun shine upon you
All love surround you
And the pure light within you
Guide you all the way on
May the long-time sun shine upon you
All love surround you
And the pure light within you
Guide you all the way on
A Very Cellular Song was written by Mike Heron.
A Very Cellular Song was produced by Joe Boyd.
Mike Heron said of the song, “All it was, was a trip, and that was the music I was listening to, that and interspersed with Radio 4, bits of plays, people talking to each other, and I happened to be listening to the Pinder Family before I started.”
(Quoted in Making Time’s 1999 review of The Hangma...