History Music / Caravan

* LongTitle: Some tracks qualify just because they have several songs stitched together as one track, but even disregarding those, album titles such as ''If I Could Do It All Over Again, I'd Do It All Over You'', ''In the Land of Grey and Pink'', and ''For Girls Who Grow Plump in the Night'' and song titles such as "With an Ear to the Ground You Can Make It" and "The Dog, the Dog, He's at It Again" qualify.

Unfortunately, the next album, ''Cunning Stunts'', proved to be a mixed bag, and the follow-up, ''Blind Dog at St. Dunstans'', is frequently seen as the start of Caravan's DorkAge. From that point on, they were plagued with [[RevolvingDoorband frequently changing line-ups]] which only proved to add more damage. They broke up in 1985, reformed in 1990, and continue to tour and release albums to this day, which have had mixed receptions (although ''The Battle of Hastings'' and ''The Unauthorised Breakfast Item'' were received well-enough). Richard Coughlan died in 2013, leaving Pye Hastings as the only constant member of Caravan.

->-''"Standing on a golf course\\

Selling cups of tea"''\\
--"Golf Girl"

Caravan are a British ProgressiveRock band formed in 1968 by Pye Hastings, Richard Coughlan, and Richard and David Sinclair after all four left The Wilde Flowers, a proto-prog group that also contained future members of Music/SoftMachine. They got signed by Creator/VerveForecast, and released their debut, ''[[SelfTitledAlbum Caravan]]'', in 1969. It was a respectful display of PsychedelicRock in its own right, and "Where but for Caravan Would I?" already foreshadowed their later sound. However, after gaining new leadership, Verve dropped them from their record label (Music/TheVelvetUnderground and [[Music/FrankZappa The Mothers of Invention]] were also victims, though in Caravan's case it was due to Verve shutting down their British operations). Hastings later recalled "that situation really left us in limbo".

Unfortunately, the next album, ''Cunning Stunts'', proved to be a mixed bag, and the follow-up, ''Blind Dog at St. Dunstans'', is frequently seen as the start of Caravan's DorkAge. From that point on, they were plagued with [[RevolvingDoorband frequently changing line-ups]] which only proved to add more damage. They broke up in 1985, reformed in 1990, and continue to tour and release albums to this day, which have had mixed receptions (though ''The Battle of Hastings'' and ''The Unauthorised Breakfast Item'' were received well-enough though). Richard Coughlan died in 2013, leaving Pye Hastings as the only constant member of Caravan.

** Also worth mention is the aptly titled bonus track "Derek's Long Thing" (found on some versions of ''For Girls Who Grow Plump in the Night''), which runs for 10:58.

Caravan are a British ProgressiveRock band formed in 1968 by Pye Hastings, Richard Coughlan, and Richard and David Sinclair after all four left The Wilde Flowers, a proto-prog group that also contained future members of Music/SoftMachine. They got signed by Verve Records, and released their debut, [[SelfTitledAlbum Caravan]], in 1969. It was a respectful display of Psychedelia in its own right, and "Where but for Caravan would I?" already foreshadowed their later sound. However, after gaining new leadership, Verve dropped them from their record label (Music/TheVelvetUnderground and [[Music/FrankZappa The Mothers of Invention]] were also victims, though in Caravan's case it was due to Verve shutting down their British operations). Hastings later recalled "that situation really left us in limbo".

Caravan are a British ProgressiveRock band formed in 1968 by Pye Hastings, Richard Coughlan, and Richard and David Sinclair after all four left The Wilde Flowers, a proto-prog group that also contained future members of Music/TheSoftMachine. They got signed by Verve Records, and released their debut, [[SelfTitledAlbum Caravan]], in 1969. It was a respectful display of Psychedelia in its own right, and "Where but for Caravan would I?" already foreshadowed their later sound. However, after gaining new leadership, Verve dropped them from their record label (Music/TheVelvetUnderground and [[Music/FrankZappa The Mothers of Invention]] were also victims, though in Caravan's case it was due to Verve shutting down their British operations). Hastings later recalled "that situation really left us in limbo".

Caravan are a British ProgressiveRock band formed in 1968 by Pye Hastings, Richard Coughlan, and Richard and David Sinclair after all four left The Wilde Flowers, a proto-prog group that also contained future members of Soft Machine. They got signed by Verve Records, and released their debut, [[SelfTitledAlbum Caravan]], in 1969. It was a respectful display of Psychedelia in its own right, and "Where but for Caravan would I?" already foreshadowed their later sound. However, after gaining new leadership, Verve dropped them from their record label (Music/TheVelvetUnderground and [[Music/FrankZappa The Mothers of Invention]] were also victims, though in Caravan's case it was due to Verve shutting down their British operations). Hastings later recalled "that situation really left us in limbo".

Afterwards, both Sinclair and Miller left to form Music/HatfieldAndTheNorth. The next album, ''For Girls Who Grow Plump In The Night'', saw the return of David Sinclair and the addition of John G. Perry and viola player Geoff Richardson. It wound up being their rockiest album to date, with further emphasis being placed on Hastings' guitar and Richardson's viola, the latter of which gave the album a folkier sound to it as well. With the epic "Memory Lain, Hugh/Headloss" and the delightful "The Dog, The Dog, He's at it Again", it's frequently seen as just as good as, if not better, than "In the Land of Grey & Pink".

* FatGirl: In "Pro's and Con's" there's Big Brenda and Flat-Flabby Freda, whom the narrator dismisses after noting their large size.

* FakeOutFadeOut: "Jack and Jill" from ''Blind Dog at St. Dustans'', which fades out during a repetitive section, only to relaunch into the joke the album is named after.

!!Tropes used by Caravan include:

Their next record, ''In The Land of Grey and Pink'', was released in 1971 on Decca's ProgressiveRock sublabel Deram, which would be Caravan's home for the next few years. While ignored upon release (though "Nine Feet Underground" was played on Late-Night Radio a bit), it's now not just considered their masterpiece but one of prog's best albums period, and the definitive release of the Canterbury Scene, featuring both finely crafted British pop songs ("Golf Girl", "Love to Love You", the TitleTrack) and lengthy prog epics ("Winter Wine" and the [[EpicRocking 22-minute]] "Nine Feet Underground").

Their next record, ''In The Land of Grey and Pink'', was released in 1971 on Decca's ProgressiveRock sublabel Deram, which would be Caravan's home for the next few years. While ignored upon release (though "Nine Feet Underground" was played on Late-Night Radio a bit), it's now not just considered their masterpiece but one of prog's best albums period, and the definitive release of the Canterbury Scene, featuring both finely crafted British pop songs (Golf Girl, Love to Love You, the TitleTrack) and lengthy prog epics (Winter Wine and the [[EpicRocking 22-minute]] Nine Feet Underground).

The next album, ''Waterloo Lily'', saw the departure of David Sinclair. He was replaced by Steve Miller of the BluesRock / Jazz Fusion band Delivery. Miller brought with him a Wurlitzer piano and an overall jazzier sound, being the closest Caravan got to straight Jazz Fusion.

Afterwards, both Richard Sinclair and Steve Miller left to form Music/HatfieldAndTheNorth. The next album, ''For Girls Who Grow Plump In The Night'', saw the return of David Sinclair and the addition of John G. Perry and viola player Geoff Richardson. It wound up being their rockiest album to date, with further emphasis being placed on Hastings' guitar and Richardson's viola, the latter of which gave the album a folkier sound to it as well. With the epic "Memory Lain, Hugh/Headloss" and the delightful "The Dog, The Dog, He's at it Again", it's frequently seen as just as good as, if not better, than "In the Land of Grey & Pink".

Their next record, ''In The Land of Grey and Pink'', was released in 1971. While ignored upon release (though "Nine Feet Underground" was played on Late-Night Radio a bit), it's now not just considered their masterpiece but one of prog's best albums period, and the definitive release of the Canterbury Scene, featuring both finely crafted British pop songs (Golf Girl, Love to Love You, the TitleTrack) and lengthy prog epics (Winter Wine and the [[EpicRocking 22-minute]] Nine Feet Underground).

Caravan are a British ProgressiveRock band.

Caravan formed in 1968 from former members of The Wilde Flowers, which also included members of Music/SoftMachine. The original lineup of Pye Hastings, Richard Sinclair, David Sinclair and Richard Coughlan were an important part of the Canterbury scene, a subset of progressive rock incorporating jazz influences. However, they were also known for their pop sensibilities.

* BrokenRecord: "Jack and Jill", which has a segment combining the repeated "fell... fell... fell..." lyric with a similarly repeating, heavily syncopated backing, making it sound very similar to a broken record before fading out and relaunching.

* EpicRocking: Being prog, they have several single-track suites, including "Can't Be Long Now / Francoise / For Richard / Warlock" (14:21), "Nine Feet Underground" (22:44, probably their longest studio cut), "Nothing at All / It's Coming Soon / Nothing at All (reprise)" (10:23), "The Love in Your Eye / To Catch Me a Brother / Subsultus / Debouchement / Tilbury Kecks" (12:32), "L'Auberge du sanglier / A Hunting We Shall Go / Pengola / Backwards / A Hunting We Shall Go (reprise)" (10:04), and "The Dabsong Conshirtoe" (18:00), each of which are over ten minutes long. Other long songs include "Where but for Caravan Would I?" (9:01), "And I Wish I Were Stoned / Don't Worry" (8:20), "With an Ear to the Ground You Can Make It / Martinian / Only Cox / Reprise" (9:54), "Winter Wine" (7:36), and "Memory Lain, Hugh / Headloss" (9:15), each over seven minutes. Also worth mention is the aptly titled bonus track "Derek's Long Thing", which runs for 10:58. The band could stretch songs out even longer live as well; ''Live at the Fairfield Halls'' has a version of "Can't Be Long Now / Françoise / For Richard / Warlock" that lasts for 19:02, and that's not all.

* EpicRocking: Being prog, they have several single-track suites, including "Can't Be Long Now / Francoise / For Richard / Warlock" (14:21), "Nine Feet Underground" (22:44, probably their longest studio cut), "Nothing at All / It's Coming Soon / Nothing at All (reprise)" (10:23), "The Love in Your Eye / To Catch Me a Brother / Subsultus / Debouchement / Tilbury Kecks" (12:32), "L'Auberge du sanglier / A Hunting We Shall Go / Pengola / Backwards / A Hunting We Shall Go (reprise)" (10:04), and "The Dabsong Conshirtoe" (18:00), each of which are over ten minutes long. Other long songs include "Where But for Caravan Would I?", "And I Wish I Were Stoned / Don't Worry" (8:20), "With an Ear to the Ground You Can Make It / Martinian / Only Cox / Reprise" (9:54), "Winter Wine" (7:36), and "Memory Lain, Hugh / Headloss" (9:01), each over seven minutes. Also worth mention is the aptly titled bonus track "Derek's Long Thing", which runs for 10:58. The band could stretch songs out even longer live as well; ''Live at the Fairfield Halls'' has a version of "Can't Be Long Now / Françoise / For Richard / Warlock" that lasts for 19:02, and that's not all.

* EpicRocking: Being prog, they have several single-track suites, including "Can't Be Long Now / Francoise / For Richard / Warlock", "Nine Feet Underground", "Nothing at All / It's Coming Soon / Nothing at All (reprise)", "The Love in Your Eye / To Catch Me a Brother / Subsultus / Debouchement / Tilbury Kecks", "L'Auberge du sanglier / A Hunting We Shall Go / Pengola / Backwards / A Hunting We Shall Go (reprise)" and "The Dabsong Conshirtoe", each of which are over ten minutes long. Other long songs include "Where But for Caravan Would I?", "And I Wish I Were Stoned / Don't Worry", "With an Ear to the Ground You Can Make It", "Winter Wine" and "Memory Lain, Hugh / Headloss", each over seven minutes. "Nine Feet Underground" is probably their longest studio cut, approaching twenty-three minutes in length, with "The Dabsong Conshirtoe" not all that far behind at eighteen. The band could stretch songs out even longer live as well; ''Live at the Fairfield Halls'' has a version of "Can't Be Long Now / Françoise / For Richard / Warlock" that lasts for just over nineteen minutes (the studio version is 14:21).
* EruditeStoner: The band's lyrics were quite literate, but there's no doubt what their pastimes included. The song title "And I Wish I Were Stoned" pretty much removes all doubt for those who weren't sure.
* FatGirl: In "Pro's and Con's" there's Big Brenda and Flat-Flabby Freda, who the narrator dismisses after noting their large size.
* {{Instrumentals}}: "Asforteri 25", "Limits", "Nothing At All", and "A Hunting We Shall Go", to name a few.

* EpicRocking: Being prog, they have several single-track suites, including "For Richard", "Nine Feet Underground", "Nothing at All", "The Love in Your Eye", "A Hunting We Shall Go" and "The Dabsong Conshirtoe", each of which are over ten minutes long. Other long songs include "Where But for Caravan Would I?", "And I Wish I Were Stoned / Don't Worry", "With an Ear to the Ground You Can Make It", "Winter Wine" and "Memory Lain, Hugh / Headloss", each over seven minutes. "Nine Feet Underground" is probably their longest studio cut, approaching twenty-three minutes in length. Other songs could top the twenty-minute mark live as well; ''Live at the Fairfield Halls'' has a version of "For Richard" that lasts for around twenty.

* SiameseTwinSongs: They often connected several songs together into suites that could last ten minutes or longer, and they almost invariably performed them in these configurations live. CD versions usually index each suite as a single track rather than giving each movement a track to itself.

* EpicRocking: Being prog, they have several single-track suites, including "For Richard", "Nine Feet Underground", "Nothing at All", "The Love in Your Eye", "A Hunting We Shall Go" and "The Dabsong Conshirtoe", each of which are over ten minutes long. Other long songs include "Where But for Caravan Would I?", "And I Wish I Were Stoned / Don't Worry", "With an Ear to the Ground You Can Make It", "Winter Wine" and "Memory Lain, Hugh / Headloss", each over seven minutes.

* UncommonTime: Several examples are to be expected, since they are a prog group, starting with "Where But for Caravan Would I?", which is in 11/8. Interestingly, there are some odd time signatures found in songs that are otherwise pretty similar to normal pop rock.