Written by Paul McCartney
Album This song officially appears on the Standing Stone Official album.
This song was recorded during the following studio sessions:
Mar 03 & 04, 1997
"Standing Stone" recording sessions
Apr 30, May 01 & May 02, 1997
Strings pluck, horns blow, drums beat
Full-lunged songs sing enemies defeat.
Sheep set loose, blacksmith's bench returned to use
and milkmaid's buckets spilled with glory tales.
Planted seeds found time to thrive
and farmers rose to reap their ripened wheat.
The warrior, at peace with peace
like thief, resolved to turn a leaf.
And lovers made lovers' plans.
Pebble games, daisy chains
and sub chin butter tests.
Kids peel sticks of birch to feel
slick moistured fingertips.
Blue sky laced with tight white webs;
fields of high rye tickled skylarks,
levitating stars.
On contented drone of bee
musicians improvise a melody
fuelled by feast fermented fruit.
Sun-cooked air blew through flutes
and round bright maypole strings
a jig in plaited time thrilled quickened hearts.
Birds and butterflies flit
from wayside bush and ditch.
The track from town to stone
soon jammed with revellers
inching chattily towards
their sacred site
where she and he
vowed their proud love.
No kingdom could have crowned him
with more with joy than her.
An impossibly distant black bird
circled overhead and wondered why
so many bite-sized creatures spent their lifetime
running on the spot.
*Lyrics taken from the whole of Movement IV - Strings Pluck, Horns Blow, Drums Beat
Official album • Released in 1997
2:40 • Classical version • A • Trionfale
Paul McCartney : Executive producer Eddie Klein : Technical engineerPerformed by : London Symphony Orchestra • London Symphony Chorus Keith Smith : Technical engineer John Kurlander : Balance engineer John Fraser : Producer Lawrence Foster : Conductor Richard Rodney Bennett : Musical associate Janice Graham : Orchestra leader Stephen Westrop : Chorusmaster Simon Kiln : Editor David Matthews : Musical associate John Harle : Musical associate Steve Lodder : Musical associate
Session Recording: Mar 03 & 04, 1997 • Studio EMI Studios, Studio One, Abbey Road
Session Recording: Apr 30, May 01 & May 02, 1997 • Studio EMI Studios, Studio One, Abbey Road
“Strings pluck, horns blow, drums beat - Glory Tales” has been played in 30 concerts.
Berlin • Philharmonie • Germany
Jun 28, 2008 • Part of Standing Stone
Beechworth • Mayday Hills Oval • Australia
Jan 19, 2008 • Part of Standing Stone
Helsinki • Finlandia Hall • Finland
Mar 10, 2005 • Part of Standing Stone
Tel Aviv • Mann Auditorium • Israel
Nov 01, 2002 • Part of Standing Stone
Jun 29, 2002 • Part of Standing Stone
See all concerts where “Strings pluck, horns blow, drums beat - Glory Tales” has been played
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