Uncle Sea-Bird

Sound clip available
           "Live Libel" version                             Original version:

Uncle Seabird was an action man                 Uncle Seabird was an action man
He knew the scene before the scene began        He made the scene before the scene began
The first cat to drop acid in the Haight        The first cat to drop acid in the Haight
He understood the lyrics of The Weight          He understood the lyrics of The Weight

When Fillmore West was still a carousel         When Fillmore West was still a carousel
And the chick to know was Luria Cantrell        And the chick to know was Luria Cantrell
Uncle Seabird tried hard to be nice             The man to meet already was long gone
When Berry Gordy asked him for advice           Leaving Kesey and his ilk to struggle on

   Uncle Seabird, Uncle Seabird had the word       Uncle Seabird, Uncle Seabird had the word
   Uncle Seabird, Uncle Seabird had the word       Uncle Seabird, Uncle Seabird had the word
   Uncle Seabird, Uncle Seabird led the herd       Uncle Seabird, Uncle Seabird led the herd

When Uncle Seabird wrote for Rolling Stone      A feature of those gentle early days
A generation felt much less alone               That time and circumstance cannot erase
His footloose odyssey went so far back          Was Uncle Seabird trying to be nice
He recalled not having heard of Kerouac         When Berry Gordy asked him for advice

He represented youth in all its force           "There's a new group down a hole you oughta
For evolution has to take its course                                                  hear"
When the children queued to hear the Grateful   Said the telephone in Brian Epstein's ear
                                         Dead   "But let's not haggle now about my fee
His wheelchair glittered somewhere up ahead     Tom Parker handles these affairs for me"

   Uncle Seabird, Uncle Seabird had the word       Uncle Seabird, Uncle Seabird had the word
   Uncle Seabird, Uncle Seabird had the word       Uncle Seabird, Uncle Seabird had the word
   Uncle Seabird, Uncle Seabird led the herd       Uncle Seabird, Uncle Seabird led the herd

When a snot-nosed little kid called Zimmerman   When Uncle Seabird wrote for Rolling Stone
Was seeking a new surname that would scan       A generation felt much less alone
Uncle Seabird filled his lungs with hash        His footloose odyssey went so far back
And "Weberman" he muttered in a flash           He recalled not having heard of Kerouac

"There's a new group down a hole you ought to   He represented youth in all its force
                                        hear"   For evolution has to take its course
Said the telephone in Brian Epstein's ear       When the children streamed to hear the 
"But let's not haggle now about my fee                                        Grateful Dead
Tom Parker handles these affairs for me"        His wheelchair glittered somewhere up ahead

   Uncle Seabird, Uncle Seabird had the word       Uncle Seabird, Uncle Seabird had the word
   Uncle Seabird, Uncle Seabird had the word       Uncle Seabird, Uncle Seabird had the word
   Uncle Seabird, Uncle Seabird led the herd       Uncle Seabird, Uncle Seabird led the herd

The last and greatest festival of all           Uncle Seabird was the guru of the young
Was Uncle Seabird's acid test and ball          He spoke their tight and unresisting tongue
They say one row of people passed a joint       By steady work he pruned the language down
From Yasgur's Farm clear to Zabriskie Point     To an article, an adverb and a noun

Crosby Stills and Clapton, Young and Nash       When a snot-nosed little kid called Zimmerman
Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Johnny Cash           Was seeking a new surname that would scan
They all backed Yoko Ono while she ... sang     Uncle Seabird filled his lungs with hash
And Elvis Presley read from R D Laing           And "Weberman" he muttered in a flash

When Uncle Seabird wheeled onto the stage          Uncle Seabird had the word
He was crowding eighty-seven years of age          Uncle Seabird had the word
"We are stardust, we are ... (croak)" he cried     Uncle Seabird led the herd
And the children yelled his name out as he died    He led the herd

   Uncle Seabird, Uncle Seabird had the word    The last and greatest festival of all
   Uncle Seabird, Uncle Seabird had the word    Was Uncle Seabird's acid test and ball
   Uncle Seabird, Uncle Seabird led the herd    They say one row of people passed a joint
   Uncle Seabird                                From Yasgur's farm clear to Zabriskie Point

                                                Crosby, Stills and Clapton, Young and Nash
                                                Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Johnny Cash
                                                They all backed Yoko Ono while she sang
                                                And Elvis Presley read from R D Laing

                                                   Uncle Seabird, Uncle Seabird had the word
                                                   Uncle Seabird, Uncle Seabird had the word
                                                   Uncle Seabird, Uncle Seabird led the herd

                                                When Uncle Seabird wheeled onto the stage
                                                He was crowding eighty-seven years of age
                                                "We are stardust, we are (croak)" he cried
                                                And the children yelled his name out as he 
                                                                                       died
                                                   Uncle Seabird

Pete Atkin icon

back to Pete Atkin Discography