A Few Shades Of Pink (Floyd)

Introduction

My friend Cathy wrote a poem (see the end of this article) taking in the titles of Pink Floyd albums and last week I listened to all the Pink Floyd albums in my collection. While I have a preference for the Floyd of my teenage years I can find something I like in every one of their albums but this will be very selective because there is so much music to choose from.

Floyd were originally called The Tea Set,The name Pink Floyd was created on the spur of a moment by Syd Barrett, when another band, also called the Tea Set, was to perform at one of their gigs. The name came from two blues musicians in Barrett's record collection; Pink Anderson and Floyd Council.

The band essentially had three phases (band "leaders" in bold):

1: Syd Barret, Nick Mason, Rick Wright and Roger Waters. This line up produced some singles and the debut album and a bit of the second album.

2: Roger Waters, Dave Gilmour, Rick Wright and Nick Mason from the late 1960s to the mid 1980s.

3: Dave Gilmour, Rick Wright and Nick Mason

Rick Wright died in 2008 and Syd Barrett in 2006

So here are a few favourite songs of mine, but I will miss a hell of a lot out, but if you know Pink Floyd you may know all these and if not you may want to sample more.

Arnold Layne (single)

This was banned by some radio stations because the subject was a crossdresser but the line "Two To Know" was I believe included in an Oxford Book Of Fine Verse but I can find nothing to confirm that.

"Matilda Mother" from "The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn"

This was the first song recorded for the album, a slice of high fantasy and a wonderful song which was the third on the album. There is a darkness in this as well, maybe a precursor for what would happen to Syd.

"Set The Controls For The Heart Of The Sun" from "A Saucerful Of Secrets"

This was the transitional album and this song is extremely ominous, but a favourite of mine. A lobe version also appears on the live album in the "Ummagumma" set.

"Main Theme" from "More"

This was the band's first soundtrack I believe and this is a hypnotically trippy piece that wanders from speaker to speaker in one of my favourite uses of a stereo system.

"Raving and Drooling" from "Wish You Were Here" expanded edition

I first heard this from a bootleg cassette, and it still sounded relentlessly stunning. It evolved into "Sheep" my favourite song on the "Animals album, but I think I prefer it in this state, it seems more vicious.

"Louder Than Words" from "The Endless River"

The beautiful closer to the final Pink Floyd album. I wasn't so sure about the album at first but it has grown on me and I do play the album at least once a week.

"Summer '68" from "Atom Heart Mother"

An absolutely beautiful song penned by Rick Wright, this always brings me close to tears when I think of friends I have lost.

"Not Now John" from "The Final Cut"

An absolutely vicious song in every way, Gilmour on vocals and Waters on the refrain exposing the jingoism that has become more and more prevalent from politicians and the media in the twenty-first century.

"Stay" from "Obscured By Clouds"

Another Rick Wright beauty to finish off this short playlist. I hope you have enjoyed these few favourites that I have shared with you.

Conclusion

You will have probably noticed that I have steered clear of the Pink Floyd songs that everyone knows mainly because I wanted to share some that you have either never heard or have forgotten. You know "Wish You Were Here", "Money", "Comfortably Numb", "Another Brick In The Wall" and "Shine On You Crazy Diamond", these are a few more that I think you should know as well.

And to say goodbye here is Cathy's poem that sparked this off.