“Benedictus” is a song by English band Strawbs featured on their 1972 album Grave New World. After the departure of Rick Wakeman, band leader Dave Cousins consulted the I Ching asking what to do next. The answer from the coins, “Humble must he constant be, where the paths of wisdom lead, distant is the shadow of the setting sun”, forms part of the first two lines of the lyrics of the song. Unusually for a rock song, the instrumental break is performed using a dulcimer played through a fuzz box. The resulting sound is often mistaken for an electric guitar. (More from Wikipedia)
After Rick Wakeman left Strawbs, bandleader Dave Cousins consulted the I Ching to see what was next for the band. Quoting Wikipedia: “The answer from the coins, ‘Humble must he constant be, where the paths of wisdom lead, distant is the shadow of the setting sun’, forms part of the first two lines of the lyrics of the song [Benedictus].”
The song has a reverent tone; the frequent blessings that are included in the song – e.g., “Bless the soldier / Bless the saint / Bless all those whose hearts grow faint” – would help “Benedictus” slot right in as a praise song in a worship service. The instrumental break is unusual for a rock song and is performed on a dulcimer that is filtered through a fuzzbox. “Benedictus” is considered to be one of the signature songs of Strawbs and is included on their 1973 album, Grave New World. My copy of the song is on a double-LP called Best of Strawbs that sounds better every time I play it.
Also, the title “Benedictus” is the name for the second half of the Sanctus in the traditional Catholic mass. Simon and Garfunkel included another song called “Benedictus” on their first album; its lyrics – “benedictus qui venit in nomine Domini“ – are simply the Latin for “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord”.
(July 2014)
