Incredible String Band - Darling Belle

I don't mean to infringe on copyrights of artists, especially not respected ones like the Incredible String band, but I felt I should publish this track because of the strange tale attached to its origins. A tale that can be traced back to Rotterdam, my hometown. 'Darling Belle' is the final track of the Incredible String Band's album 'Liquid Acrobat As Regards The Air' (1971). It was written by Robin Williamson, who said about this song: "I wrote 'Darling Belle' very quickly; or rather, wrote it down very quickly. I was lying in a hotel room in Rotterdam just before I fell asleep, and I began to hear these voices outside my head, and they were telling the story of Belle and James. Two voices, a man and a woman, and of what they said I jotted down fragments and the following morning I wrote parts of the song; about four months later I wrote the rest. It only lasted a few moments.

[@johnkemp9835]

I used to love playing Darling Belle for people on LSD for the first time. None of them had ever heard of the ISB...

[@naomimurphy2546]

Beautiful track. Nice experience

[@Tom-zs5mx]

She stares, she stares, into the embers & remembers.

[@Joseph-lx5js]

... into the embers, and remembers.

[@tsafiaran]

robin and licky s duet on "meet me on daylight" blows my mind every time again for nearly 50 years

[@jgmbennett]

Forever incredible

[@kenjones6441]

My personal favourite line up with Likky and Rose.

[@johnwoods1922]

Rose wasn't on this album. The album artwork shows the lineup of Robin, Mike, Likky and Malcolm. I would love to read the book written not long ago by Rose. She seems like a natural story teller, judging by her KZbin videos.

[@kenjones6441]

Loved this album when I was younger. This album showcased Likky’s voice more than any. Earthspan was a close second

[@eddisstreet]

I still love it

[@clarehanson9922]

Another ISB lover. To me, Red Hair is one of the most passionately performed love songs I know.

[@manuelalonso1513]

I think so

[@rickgammon8972]

This is THE evocation of WW1 -I'm moved to tears by it . So many loves and lovers separated by the cruel death of war :(

[@mehcol]

Great memories smoking leb, rocky with I.S.B. Thanks for the memories.

[@VinhoNico]

My life turned better after listen Incredible String Band with my 17, 40 years back. Thanks!!

[@chrisstone4279]

Fell in love with ISB after hearing The Minotaur’s Song on Radio 1 one Sunday in 1968. Intelligent, literate and fun! There was no one else like them. This is yet another great song!

[@raymundlongstaff2384]

What a real pleasure to hear Robin and Licorice again,music from a time long gone,my older brother played this album during a very long hot summer in one of the 1970,s (can,t rememebr which ) ah what memories.

[@joannetelling]

Possibly '76?

[@davidevans3175]

"Hearing the leaves, fall with a whisper, into the foggy dew, when we are dead." Oh yes I do remember.

[@TheFabstan]

beautiful , song, on liquid acrobat as regards the air lp, 1971/saw them , played this , also a wonderful version on across the airwaves album/beautiful licorice ,always in thoughts/robin, likki, and Malcolm sing /ill always remember you likki

[@mehcol]

still beautiful

[@celiabygraves1]

One of my favourite bands of my youth, always loved the sentiment of this song and the singing is beautiful. :)

[@petervanwienen7109]

so you took them libertry cap

[@manuelalonso1513]

Pienso lo mismo

[@winedesign]

Otherwordly tripping days

[@euxiolueiro3581]

El grupo más hipy que dió la contracultura , en sus letras de sus discos, en su pensar y actuar ,en sus composiciones musicales,en su vestir ,en sus colores, sensaciones y formas de hablar , demasiado etc,etc.🌞

[@A_Pa-Plainjane]

I love them too, along with several others.

[@geheimergitarrenheld]

50 Years ago. Still moves me to tears

[@johnhartery1299]

Love this song. Captures a time in history, so well.

[@bwanna23]

Oh, that voice of Licky, indelible.

[@colinmarshall681]

without question for me, this is their best track. Haunting yet beautiful, sung beautifully and the words grip you almost immediately. I heard it first back in the 70's. It still affects me even yet with deep emotion. Brilliant and as far as i am aware, has never been copied by anyone else....

[@andrewalbers8293]

I was so into them as a teen, yet never found this album. Just. Wow.

[@swissjim4633]

Nice to see this being flagged on KZbin. A great and very moving song - deserves a bigger audience than it probably ever got as a vinyl track

[@Meandgenevieve]

This is my favourite ISB album, and after "Dear Old Battlefield", my favourite track. A great, wandering long progressive piece with many, many interesting parts. Recommended.

[@Nerkin610]

Robin received most of this in a dream. That man is enlightened, a prophet of our time. ISB is a religion in itself.

[@carterlucian8027]

i dont mean to be offtopic but does anybody know of a tool to log back into an instagram account?? I was dumb lost the account password. I appreciate any help you can offer me!

[@colemanwarren1600]

@Carter Lucian Instablaster ;)

[@carterlucian8027]

@Coleman Warren Thanks for your reply. I found the site through google and Im in the hacking process now. Looks like it's gonna take quite some time so I will reply here later when my account password hopefully is recovered.

[@carterlucian8027]

@Coleman Warren it did the trick and I now got access to my account again. Im so happy! Thank you so much you really help me out :D

[@colemanwarren1600]

@Carter Lucian glad I could help xD

[@ewertoncondedamattamachado1277]

I love the ISB since I heard it for the firts time, long ago, in 74...

[@manuelalonso1513]

Me too

[@michaeligoe3935]

Utterly beautiful.

[@dejan6911]

ISB, the hippiest hippies of the 60's and 70's.

[@littlered4099]

this song was a very special friend to a man child of 13

[@jiminycrint]

I was in love with Licky when I was 15. My first band was a folk rock ensemble and for some reason this song just stuck with me down the years. Licky moved to the states and disappeared some years ago and, by all accounts, is now sadly presumed dead.

[@marytolhurst5165]

Such a beautiful, evocative work. This has always evoked such imagery for me. V pleased that I kept all my ISB vinyls.

[@stanedwards576]

love this , love the increible string band, licorice voice of an angel, likki always in my thoughts, also a beautiful version on across the airwaves album, /magical/

[@mehcol]

Just so beautiful

[@kikearregui9411]

40 años escuchándolo y todavía me pone al día ... : -)

[@manuelalonso1513]

Yo también vuelvo a esta canción cada tanto, más o menos durante los mismos años que tú. La sensibilidad, artesanía musical y espontaneidad de la ISB pocas veces se ha igualado, a mi parecer. Liquid acrobat y Earthspan me acompañarán mientras me funcione el magín. ...her skin like a lizard...

[@pentangle4444]

Poor Licorice would be coming upon her 80th birthday if she could be found ... Last place I traced her to was she was living in Sacamento, California under her married name. Saw ISB perform quite a few times in NYC...played a Very Cellular Song on my radio show when I needed time to put away all the albums, I took out for my midnight to 6 am show slot.

[@cmasseylynch]

"Like a daffodil........Like a daffodil...." Sings Licorice....quietly......

[@A_Pa-Plainjane]

hearing this places ISB in an historical context, which gives depth to their music, but does not necessarily increase my delight in all their forays to the outskirts of conscious belief. I will always love them however for their brash brilliance and simple exuberance. They were the most conscious exponents, along with a few others, like 'Spirit' for example, of an acceptance of our connection to divinity, and I wish I had discovered that more when I first began to listen to them, so long ago.

[@liegesaboya8265]

I love the ISB since I heard it for the firts time , long ago , in 71 . Please , does a good soul, post the writing of this marvelous song ? Excuse me , english is not my birth language .

[@ssnhillyard]

Here you are: genius.com/The-incredible-string-band-darling-belle-lyrics

[@saltysnack99]

i've been looking for this track on youtube for months! thank you :o)

[@mattychapati]

Sounds like a slightly different mix then the one from the original vinyl LP. Always loved the ISB and still listening to them to this very day.

[@laurencejames8108]

Matty Dread - to my ears it’s the same - still my favourite of their albums - does sound cleaner than my old lp versions as i have at least two copies sitting home in Canada - wonderful listening here in Ho Chi Minh City all these years later

[@stanedwards576]

love licorice

[@plinckaertploinkt7096]

James I suppose you would be in school...(I was Iwas! Learning to spell...) I Love darling Belle since 1970...

[@pentagramparsons]

My favorite track by ISB, all categories.

[@Nerkin610]

The part at 6:21 is my favourite. Symbolising the regular life for the wives at home when their soldier husbands fought the war. So much sorrow and missing, but they had to keep it jolly and optimistic to be able to bring the family through the rough times. I wonder if Robin composed that himself, it sounds like authentic traditional 20's jazz.

[@A_Pa-Plainjane]

yes, it certainly does sound like something from the 20's or 30's, and he is mining the motherlode, to be sure..........

[@mattychapati]

That part is called 'Keep The Home Fires Burning' and was written in 1914 during the first year of WW1.

[@johnwoods1922]

@@mattychapati Music written by Ivor Novello.

[@FloydOscar]

the final part of the organ is perfect to play in my d3ath

[@somepig2k]

Licorice rules!!!

[@harry_hernandes-salavis]

This is Licorice singing? I almost didn't recognise her, she's so magical. And Robin's voice has a special quality to it too. Long live the Incredible String Band! Edit: is Rose in this song?

[@montalbans]

Why can't I see any comments? It says there are 51.

[@petervanwienen7109]

yes the sasons they change full album no why not another song on this one althow hay darlimg bellie is clam of sumr duchee

[@jurgenpalmyra]

the Incomparable String Band