A Very Cellular Song - Incredible String Band

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 saviours breast

And I love you but Jesus loves you the best

And I bid you goodnight, goodnight, goodnight,

And 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

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

I was walking in Jerusalem just like John

Goodnight, goodnight, goodnight.

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

Who would go and who would come

Or who would simply linger

And who would hide behind your chair

And steal your crystallised ginger

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

Who would mouse and who would lion

Or who would be the tamer

And who would hear directions clear

From the unnameable namer

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

Amoebas are very small

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

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

Feel the energy projection of my cells

Wishes you well.

May the long time sun shine upon you

All love surround you

And the pure light within you

Guide you all the way on.