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Changing Horses is the fifth album by the Incredible String Band. It was the first record released by the band after they had openly given up drugs (which had played an undeniable role in their image and sound in the late 60s up to that point), alluded to in one of the tracks, White Bird, as well as, more explicitly, the album title. The album is dominated by two lengthy, ambitious tracks by each of the two band members, Robin Williamson and Mike Heron: respectively, Creation, and White Bird. These two tracks are recognized as among the best the band ever produced (though the chorus of White Bird consists of a melody line that Heron lifted from the Hindi film song "Aayega aanewala" by Lata Mangeshkar, from the film "Mahal" (1949)). While the other tracks on the album are far from poor in quality, it has been argued that they were served up as lighter fair in contrast to the more dramatical White Bird and Creation, which, together, comprise more than half of the 50 minute length of the album; perhaps implicable in the fact that lyrics are given only for these two songs. Changing Horses received limited success financially, but saw the band touring as much as ever upon its release.
[edit] Track listing
- "Big Ted" – 4:21
- "White Bird" – 14:46
- "Dust Be Diamonds" – 6:14
- "Sleepers, Awake!" – 3:44
- "Mr. and Mrs." – 4:54
- "Creation" – 16:04
