Be Glad for the Song Has No Ending / Liquid Acrob

I have found the text for songs contained in the film `Be Glad for the Song Has No Ending.' A two-CD set from The Incredible String Band contains the music from the film on Disc One and `Liquid Acrobat As Regards the Air' on Disc Two. There are no words listed as the text for the song `See All the People,' recorded March 1968, Royal Festival Hall. When I was watching the film, I thought the song would be called "Ha," because I had no idea what song it was until one of the guys started to sing "Ha" and the other joined in and they certainly didn't think of anything to say after that.When I was listening to the film, I could make out the meaning of some of the phrases, but the complicated sentence structure of some verses escaped me. Looking at the text now, songs make sense in a way that flipflops around the basic ideas I picked up before. The second song, `All Writ Down,' by Mike Heron, is about some memory:I fully understoodThat you'd leave when your ship came byAnd I fully understoodYou had a purpose more highThan to give a little schoolboyTo give a little schoolboy his first loveBut oh did I cry, and did I cryFor I thought that those days would just fade and dieBut every cell in my body had it all writ downEvery smile and every frownAnd oh those good-time girls, oh those good-time girlsThat book ft sometimes makes me gladThat book ft sometimes makes me sadBut oh - it don't read badI cursed you to your face when you turned to goBut I see now that you did just rightAnd I bow to you lowFor you gave a little schoolboyYou gave a little schoolboy his first love...According to CD liner notes by Alan Robinson dated February 2004, the song `Veshengro' by Robin Williamson mentions "Jali Uddin Rumi, a Sufi poet and mystic who founded the whirling dervish order in Konya, Turkey" in the line "I wore the coat of patches with Jalal beneath the stars."The text of `Waiting for You' is long, with the line "Waiting for the world to begin" in three places and some attempts at humor.I'm a turnip head, I'm a lately wedAnd I'm waiting for youMore tea vicar? (Hold that tiger)...I'm waiting for God to take a holiday.I bought these CDs in 2006 and mainly listened to Disc Two when I wanted to hear `Cosmic Boy,' which Likky sings while Mike Heron plays piano. "You look so high, and I shall dance for you, the sweetest dance that I can do" is the way it sounds. The other songs are more complicated. The `Evolution Rag' has a narrative in "the illusionist the circus man" style which makes "Evolution up the slopes of the sea" "While a million years pass by And we get on our way" as much explanation as we get.

Not their best, a transitional couple of albums nicely packaged on one disc. Still for lovers of the ISB, worth listening to.

The Incredible String Band(2 LPs in 2 CD set)- Be Glad For The Song Has No Ending- Liquid Acrobat As Regard The Air I'm not a fan of The Incredible String Band. I bought this set specifically for one song, "Come With Me", which was a song that they had performed at Woodstock '69 (the live version of which has never been released). I was more interested in completing my collection of Woodstock related songs than I was in owning I.S.B. albums, as I just cannot stand the awful singing in these albums.

as described and timely

If you love ISB you'll love these albums.

no problems

The first five albums are, and will remain, the heart of the ISBs's legacy. But if that music meant something to you, you really want this too. The songs on Be Glad are very much from the band's heyday, and are not to be missed. "Come With Me" and "Vishangro", both by Robin, are really excellent and among his best. The long instrumental piece, on the flip side of the vinyl LP, is nice in its way, but the value here is for the songs.Liquid Acrobat was the last really good album from the ISB, while the whole band was intact. They were deep into the Scientology at this point, and it shows, but there's a lot of fine music here, too. Mike really shines on this album, offering a beautiful version of "The Tree" along with several more really great songs, including "Cosmic Boy" with Likkie on vocals. Robin is more uneven here, but there are some good songs, too, including "Here Till Here Is There" and the album-closing "Darling Belle". They have gone for the "rock band" sound on a lot of these songs, but unlike the later albums, it largely works here. This is still the ISB. Skip Robin's embarrassing Scientology references, and get this for the other songs. Much beauty and poetry and magic are here, as on the classic albums. An essential part of an ISB collection.

This era has been shamefully overlooked. Wonderful bands such as 'Quintessence', 'Amazing Blondel' and ISB rarely get mentioned now and there is much to commend an hour spend with any of these as an antidote to modern life. It's like an aural 'river cottage'.Many believe the best work of the Incredible String Band was behind them by the time this was released, and in the case of 'Be Glad' (from this 2-cd compilation) they may be right. However, 'Liquid acrobat' is an absolute stunner. It contains several fine songs with the bookending tunes being the finest. It is their second most underrated album (Earthspan being there finest disregarded work).Buy this and a bottle of wine (or rough cider), turn the lights down and forget about your pension deficit for an hour. This music comes from a better time.

Bringing back lovely memories

BRILLIANT

Liquid Acrobat, I love. Be Glad is a bit more questionable? I love the ISB, so can forgive them almost anything. I'm pleased to have it.

Good.