music.wikisort.org - Composition

"Hero and Heroine" is a song by English band Strawbs featured on their 1974 album of the same name. It is written by Dave Cousins and has obvious drug allusions, the main reason it didn't get much airplay on BBC radio. The song is in a similar vein to an earlier track "Witchwood" but with rather more obvious allegory.

This article relies too much on references to primary sources. (July 2011)

"Hero and Heroine"
Single by Strawbs
from the album Hero and Heroine
B-side	"Why"
Released	1974 (1974)
Genre	Progressive rock
Length	3:29
Label	A&M
Songwriter(s)	Dave Cousins
Strawbs singles chronology
"Shine on Silver Sun" (1973) "Hero and Heroine" (1974) "Hold on to Me (The Winter Long)" (1974)

Dave Cousins originally demonstrated the song to the band on banjo and the guitar picking under the verses does indeed retain a bluegrass feel. Keyboardist John Hawken and guitarist Dave Lambert added mellotron and guitar power chords between the verses which gives the whole song a more epic bearing.

B-Side

The B-side track "Why" is another Dave Cousins composition, not released on any studio album. It forms the first part of the composite song "Why and Wherefore" which appears on the compilation/rarities album Halcyon Days.

Personnel

• Dave Cousins – vocals, acoustic guitar
• Dave Lambert – electric guitar
• Chas Cronk – bass guitar
• John Hawken – Mellotron, Hammond organ
• Rod Coombes – drums

Sampling

The song was sampled by the producing duo Sid Roams for the beat "Intro/S.R. Anthem", in their album "Strictly Nstrmntl".

References

• "Hero and Heroine" at Strawbsweb

External links

• Lyrics to "Hero and Heroine" at Strawbsweb official site
• Lyrics to "Why" at Strawbsweb official site

---