UK Folk Chart, in part due to its promotion by DJ John Peel. Its cover, designed by Dutch artists and , better known as The Fool, featured a multi-coloured hermaphrodite juxtaposing both light and darkness. Two singles preceded the album's release, both of which were issued in June 1967, only to the UK. "Painting Box" then "Way Back in the Sixties" managed to promote the diversity in the band's lyrics and instrumentals, but failed to chart in the UK. 5000 Spirits was much admired by Paul McCartney, who named it his favourite album of 1967. In 1968, Judy Collins recorded "First Boy I Loved" (a cover of Williamson's "First Girl I Loved" with the gender switched) for Who Knows Where the Time Goes. In 1990, Jackson Browne also covered "First Girl I Loved" for the Elektra compilation Rubáiyát. David Bowie also named the album among his top 25 albums of all time. Track listing Personnel Robin Williamson - vocals, guitar, mandolin, oud, bowed and bass gimbri, flute, percussion (drums, rattles) sitar Mike Heron - vocals, guitar, harmonica Licorice McKechnie - vocals, percussion Danny Thompson - double bass John Hopkins - piano Nazir Jairazbhoy (credited as Soma) - sitar, tanpura Chart positions References 1967 albums The Incredible String Band albums Elektra Records albums Albums produced by Joe Boyd