A Mustache?

Have you ever listened to a song you’ve heard a hundred times and discover something new in it, something you never noticed before? My big musical discovery tonight: Cream was a blues band, often playing the same three-chord blues I now love so much but always called rock back in the 70s and 60s. Example: Strange Brew.

I also rediscovered the unresolved confusion of the Clapton/Cream song called Swlabr. The lyrics are written in that confusing 1960s psychedelic style, possibly influenced by some popular "substance" from that era.

You've got that rainbow feel,
But the rainbow has a beard.
Running to me a-cryin', when he throws you out.
Running to me a-cryin', on your own again.
You've got that pure feel,
Such good responses,
But the picture has a mustache.

The rainbow has a beard? The picture has a mustache? What?

During the early days of my DJ career, I played that song on the radio many times. I thought I knew something about it but realized tonight that I don’t have a clue. So I did what I always do in these cases: I turned to Google (this post is NOT a commercial – this really is what I do in these cases). My search turned up a site that confirms what I suspected – I’m not alone in my ignorance of the meaning of this otherwise kickass song from the 60s.

I probably didn’t know anything about it then either, although I might have pretended to know so I would sound cool.

And here is Swlabr, in case you've never heard it:



Tonight I’m thoroughly enjoying my “new” knowledge that one of my favorite rock bands from my youth was really a blues band. And even they don't seem to know what some of their songs mean.