Barrett (album)

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For the double album containing The Madcap Laughs and Barrett, see Syd Barrett (album).

Barrett
An illustration of 12 insects arranged in a grid against a plain white background.
Studio album by
Syd Barrett
ReleasedNovember 1970 (1970-11)
Recorded26 February – 21 July 1970
StudioAbbey Road, London
GenrePsychedelic folk[1]
Length38:43
LabelHarvest
Producer
Syd Barrett chronology
The Madcap Laughs
(1970) 		Barrett
(1970) 		Syd Barrett
(1974)

Barrett is the second and final studio album of new material released by former Pink Floyd frontman Syd Barrett. Recording began at Abbey Road Studios on 26 February 1970, and lasted for 15 sessions until 21 July.[2][3] The album was produced by Pink Floyd's David Gilmour and Richard Wright, who also contributed on bass and keyboards respectively, along with previous Madcap contributor Jerry Shirley on drums.

Barrett was released in November 1970 on Harvest in the United Kingdom, but unlike his debut LP The Madcap Laughs it failed to chart; it was re-released in 1974 as part of Syd Barrett, which was the first US issues of these LPs. No singles were issued from the album. It was remastered and reissued in 1993, along with Barrett's other albums − The Madcap Laughs (1970) and Opel (1988) − independently and as part of the Crazy Diamond box set. A newly remastered version was released in 2010.

Background

The initial sales and the critical and public reaction to Barrett's first solo album,

Humble Pie drummer Jerry Shirley accompanied Barrett on bass and bongos, respectively.[11] The version of "Gigolo Aunt" recorded for the radio session (and later released on 1988's The Peel Session) was unfinished, as Barrett had sung the opening verse three times.[11] Barrett played slide guitar on the radio version of "Baby Lemonade", with Gilmour on organ.[11]

Two days later, he began working on his second album in

Olympia in Kensington,[16] backed once more by Gilmour and Shirley. At the end of "Octopus", the fourth number of the set, Barrett baffled the audience and his backing musicians by abruptly taking off his guitar and walking off stage.[14][17]

Recording

Recording took place at Abbey Road Studios

According to Jerry Shirley, "What

two-track demos of "Wolfpack", "Waving My Arms in the Air", "Living Alone" and "Bob Dylan Blues", were recorded.[19][20][21] The former two made it to the album; the latter two didn't.[22] On the recording sheet, it lists Gilmour as having taken home a copy of the latter two,[20] Gilmour later returned and took the master tapes too.[22] Gilmour has since said "Those sessions were done so quickly. We were rushing to gigs every day and had to fit recording sessions in between. I probably took it away to have a listen and simply forgot to take it back. It wasn't intended to be a final mix. Syd knocked it off, I took a tape home."[22] Despite some minor work made to "Gigolo Aunt", Barrett wouldn't return to Abbey Road Studios until 1 April,[15] due to Pink Floyd working on their 1970 album, Atom Heart Mother.[13][23][24] On various occasions, Barrett would "spy" on the band as they recorded the album.[13] Again, Barrett recorded some work to a song, "Wolfpack", on the 3rd, before the sessions were postponed until 5 June,[15] this time due to Gilmour and Wright going on tour in the US with Pink Floyd.[3]

On the session of 5 June, Barrett managed to record an unknown number of two-track demos for three songs: "Rats", "Wined and Dined", and "Birdie Hop".

She Was a Millionaire",[15] and was originally recorded by Pink Floyd.[17][25] Barrett recorded two attempts at a backing track before abandoning it,[15] and adding vocals.[17] Yet another break in recording occurred, until 14 July, where Barrett recorded several takes of "Effervescing Elephant", while numerous overdubs were added to Barrett's "Wined and Dined" demo by Gilmour.[2][26] Three takes of "Dominoes" ensued,[nb 6][26] with an unknown number of takes of "Love Song",[nb 7] "Dolly Rocker" and "Let's Split" were recorded.[nb 8][21] "Love Song" and "Dolly Rocker" were both overdubbed, the former being overdubbed from 17 to 21 July, but overdubs for the latter were wiped.[21] On 21 July, Barrett worked on another Untitled track (later to be titled as "Word Song"), recording only one take,[nb 9] before recording 5 takes of the last new song to be recorded for Barrett: "It Is Obvious".[nb 10][21][27] Barrett worked on remakes of two tracks: "Maisie", and "Waving My Arms in the Air" (the latter now seguing into a new track, "I Never Lied to You").[nb 11][21][29]

Shirley said of Barrett's playing: "He would never play the same tune twice. Sometimes Syd couldn't play anything that made sense; other times what he'd play was absolute magic."[13] Barrett's direction to the other musicians were limited to pronouncements like "Perhaps we could make the middle darker and maybe the end a bit middle afternoonish. At the moment it's too windy and icy".[13]

Songs

Animals are a recurring item in not only the album, but Barrett's entire solo output.[30]

Side one

"

Bob Harris' show on 16 February 1971).[9][33][34]

"Love Song" tells the story of an ex-girlfriend fondly remembered ("I knew a girl and I like her still").[31] It is the first of two songs which feature dreamlike-senses in the lyrics ("I'll lay my head down and see what I see").[35] Barrett performed the song for Bob Harris' show in 1971.[11][34]

"Dominoes" features imagery of regret and recollection in the lyrics.[26][36] The song features a backwards guitar solo by Barrett, and organ and Wurlitzer by Wright. The song's "You and I" lyric refers to the tail end relationship Barrett had with Lindsay.[26] The first of three songs on the album which lyrics point to anguish ("In my tears, my dreams").[37] Barrett performed the song for Bob Harris' show in 1971.[11][34]

"It Is Obvious" is the second of two songs which feature dreamlike-senses in the lyrics ("Creep into bed when your head's on the ground").[35] It is also the second of three songs on the album which lyrics point to anguish ("Remember those times I could call / Through the clear day time / And you would be there").[37] The theme of weather is referenced again ("The softness, the warmth and the weather in suspense").[32] The song also references the Cambridge quarry pits, and the landscape.[38][39]

"Rats" started off as a jam, but eventually evolved into a structured song.[26] It contains taunting and maniacal lyrics ("Rats rats lay down flat / We don't need you we act like that").[26][35]

"Maisie" is a blues jam, with Barrett muttering the lyrics.[19][40]

Side two

"Gigolo Aunt" was performed by Barrett for Top Gear in 1970.[11] For Barrett's only solo performance, at the Kensington Olympia in 1970, he played four songs, one of them being "Gigolo Aunt".[16]

"Waving My Arms in the Air" contains an echo of "Octopus" ("Waving my arms in the air / Pressing my feet to the ground").[41] The lyrics refer to a hard-learned experience.[29] The song features a childlike section ("No care / No no").[41] The song segues into "I Never Lied to You" with the aid of Wright's organ.[29]

"I Never Lied to You" is the final of three songs on the album which lyrics point to anguish ("It's been so hard to bear with you not there").[29][37]

"Wined and Dined" dated from Barrett's Cambridge days,

Mediterranean evenings ("Musk winds blow"), and hauntings of Barrett's childhood ("Chalk underfoot / Light ash of blue")[26][37]
evoked during a summer party he didn't want to leave. Dave Gilmour added a sinuous sliding lead over Barrett's vocals.

"Wolfpack" had been mentioned by Barrett in an interview, he said the song was one of favourites, out of all his material.[43]

"Effervescing Elephant" was

verse form of Hilaire Belloc's Cautionary Tales for Children.[44][45] In contrast to "Dominoes", "It Is Obvious", "Rats", "Waving My Arms in the Air", and "Wolfpack" previously mentioning one or two animals, "Effervescing Elephant" contains references to a whole jungle full of animals.[30] Barrett performed the song for Top Gear in 1970.[11] For Barrett's only solo performance, at the Kensington Olympia in 1970, he played four songs, one of them being "Effervescing Elephant".[16]

Release and aftermath

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
The New Rolling Stone Album Guide
[53]
Spin Alternative Record Guide6/10[54]
Tom HullC[55]

The cover of the album was designed by Barrett;

Ritchie Unterberger called the album "a bit fuller and smoother than the first album", referring to "Baby Lemonade", "Gigolo Aunt", and "Effervescing Elephant" as "among his peppiest and best-loved tunes"; however, "the tone is darker and more meandering" in the rest of the album.[46] In an overview of Barrett's career, Rolling Stone referred to both Barrett's solo albums as "entrancing".[57]

On 16 February 1971,[11][58] Barrett recorded a short set for BBC Radio 1's Sound of the Seventies radio show; in contrast to 1970's radio appearance where Barrett performed new material,[58] this time he played songs from Barrett: "Baby Lemonade", "Dominoes" and "Love Song".[11][21][59] Bored and directionless, Barrett headed back to his hometown of Cambridge and – but for a brief dalliance with a band called Stars in 1972,[21][60] and some abortive recording sessions in 1974[60] – left his music career behind for good.

Doing Syd's record was interesting, but extremely difficult. Dave [Gilmour] and Roger [Waters] did the first one (The Madcap Laughs) and Dave and myself did the second one. But by then it was just trying to help Syd any way we could, rather than worrying about getting the best guitar sound. You could forget about that! It was just going into the studio and trying to get him to sing.

— Richard Wright[61]

The album was reissued in late 1974 with his first solo album The Madcap Laughs as record two of the two-record set Syd Barrett in Harvest's series of Harvest Heritage reissues.[62] In 1993, Barrett (along with The Madcap Laughs and Opel) was reissued both independently[nb 12] and as part of the Crazy Diamond Barrett box set,[nb 13] on 26 April 1993.[65] "Bob Dylan Blues" would later turn up on 2001's The Best of Syd Barrett: Wouldn't You Miss Me?.[22][66] A newly remastered version was released in 2010.[nb 14] For release on An Introduction to Syd Barrett in 2010, Gilmour laid down a new bass track to four songs, only one from Barrett: "Dominoes".[68]

Track listing

Original release

All tracks are written by Syd Barrett[12]

Side one
No.TitleNotesLength
1."Baby Lemonade"Take 1, recorded 26 February 19704:10
2."Love Song"Take 1, recorded 14 July 1970, overdubs added 17 July3:03
3."Dominoes"Take 3, recorded 14 July 19704:08
4."It Is Obvious"Take 1, recorded 17 July 1970, overdubs added 20 July2:59
5."Rats"Demo, recorded 7 May 1970, overdubs added 5 June3:00
6."Maisie"Take 2, recorded 26 February 19702:51
Side two
No.TitleNotesLength
7."Gigolo Aunt"Take 15, recorded 27 February 1970, overdubs added 2 April5:46
8."Waving My Arms in the Air/I Never Lied to You"Take 1, recorded 27 February 1970, overdubs and new vocal track 2 April3:59
9."Wined and Dined"Take 10, recorded 14 July 19702:58
10."Wolfpack"Take 2, recorded 3 April 19703:41
11."Effervescing Elephant"Take 9, recorded 14 July 19701:52
Total length:38:43

1993 reissue

This reissue splits "Waving My Arms in the Air" and "I Never Lied to You" into tracks 8 and 9 respectively.

Bonus tracks
No.TitleNotesLength
13."Baby Lemonade"*Take 1, recorded 26 February 1970
  • Guitar and double-track vocals only
3:46
14."Waving My Arms in the Air"*Take 1, recorded 27 February 1970
  • Guitar and vocals only
    		• 2:13
    15."I Never Lied to You"*Take 1, recorded 27 February 1970
  • Guitar and vocals only
    		• 1:48
    16."Love Song"*Take 1, recorded 14 July 19702:32
    17."Dominoes"*Take 1, recorded 14 July 19700:40
    18."Dominoes"*Take 2, recorded 14 July 19702:36
    19."It Is Obvious"*Take 2, recorded 17 July 1970
  • Electric guitar and vocal
    		• 3:51
    Total length:56:13

    Personnel

    Technical personnel

    • Peter Bown –
      engineering
    • Gareth Cousins – mixing on Crazy Diamond bonus tracks[12]
    • Mick Rock – photography (uncredited)

    References

    Footnotes

    1. ^ "Two of a Kind" was credited to Richard Wright on the original Peel Session release, but to Barrett on later releases, including The Best of Syd Barrett: Wouldn't You Miss Me?.[5] Wright reportedly wrote the song but Barrett insisted it was his own composition[6] (and wanted to include it on The Madcap Laughs).[7]
    2. ^ "Baby Lemonade" and "Gigolo Aunt", were a go for Barrett to play and/or sing to an existing backing track.[13]
    3. ^ Out of the 15 takes for "Gigolo Aunt", three were complete: Take 7, Take 9, and Take 15. Take 9 is included on Opel, while the latter became the album master.[15]
    4. ^ Each of these would be later issued on Opel.[15]
    5. ^ "Milky Way" was later issued on Opel.[15]
    6. ^ Takes 1 & 2 (former being a false start, latter being a complete take) were included on the Crazy Diamond version of Barrett.[21]
    7. ^ At this point, "Love Song" was Untitled.[21]
    8. ^ Both, "Dolly Rocker" and "Let's Split", would find their way on to Opel.[21]
    9. ^ "Word Song" would also be included on Opel.[21]
    10. ^ Originally titled "Mind Shot",[27] the first take of "It Is Obvious" would become the album master.[21][28] Take 2 (with Barrett on electric guitar)[28] was included on the Crazy Diamond version of Barrett, while takes 3 & 5 (former with Barrett on acoustic guitar, and features a riff similar to Muddy Waters' "I'm a Man",[28] while the latter with Barrett on electric guitar) were included on the Crazy Diamond version of Opel.[21]
    11. ^ Despite several attempts at recording "Waving My Arms in the Air" on several occasions, it would always be the first take of each of these occasions that would be marked as "best".[29]
    12. ^ UK EMI Harvest 7243 8 28907 2 0 / CDGO 2054[63]
    13. ^ UK EMI Harvest 0777 7 81412 2 8 / SYD BOX 1[64]
    14. ^ Europe EMI Harvest 5099991755728[67]

    Citations

    1. ISBN 978-0-634-02861-8
      .
    2. ^ a b Barrett (booklet). Syd Barrett. Harvest, EMI. 2010. pp. 1–2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
    3. ^
      ISBN 978-0-571-23855-2
      .
    4. ^ Jones, Malcolm (2003). The Making of The Madcap Laughs (21st Anniversary ed.). Brain Damage. p. 13.
    5. ^ Kellman, Andy. "Wouldn't You Miss Me?: The Best of Syd Barrett – Syd Barrett : Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 15 August 2012.
    6. ISBN 1-84353-575-0
      .
    7. ^ Watkinson, Mike; Pete Anderson. Crazy Diamond: Syd Barrett & the Dawn of Pink Floyd. p. 92.
    8. ^ Unterberger, Richie. "Peel Sessions – Syd Barrett : Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 19 September 2012.
    9. ^
      ISBN 978-0-571-23855-2
      .
    10. ^
      ISBN 978-0-85965-431-9
      .
    11. ^
      ISBN 978-0-571-23855-2
      .
    12. ^ a b c d Barrett (booklet). Syd Barrett. Harvest, EMI. 2010. p. 6.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
    13. ^
      ISBN 1-84353-575-0
      .
    14. ^
      ISBN 1-84353-575-0
      .
    15. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Barrett (booklet). Syd Barrett. Harvest, EMI. 2010. p. 1.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
    16. ^
      ISBN 978-0-571-23855-2
      .
    17. ^
      ISBN 978-0-85965-431-9
      .
    18. ^ a b The Pink Floyd and Syd Barrett Story
    19. ^
      ISBN 978-0-571-23855-2
      .
    20. ^ a b Jones, Malcolm (2003). The Making of The Madcap Laughs (21st Anniversary ed.). Brain Damage. pp. 13–14.
    21. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p Barrett (booklet). Syd Barrett. Harvest, EMI. 2010. p. 2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
    22. ^
      ISBN 978-0-85965-431-9
      .
    23. ISBN 1-84353-575-0
      .
    24. ISBN 1-905139-09-8
      .
    25. ^ "Unreleased Pink Floyd material: Millionaire / She Was a Millionaire". Pinkfloydhyperbase.dk. Retrieved 21 September 2012.
    26. ^
      ISBN 978-0-85965-431-9
      .
    27. ^
      ISBN 978-0-571-23855-2
      .
    28. ^
      ISBN 978-0-571-23855-2
      .
    29. ^
      ISBN 978-0-85965-431-9
      .
    30. ^
      ISBN 978-0-571-23855-2
      .
    31. ^
      ISBN 978-0-571-23855-2
      .
    32. ^
      ISBN 978-0-571-23855-2
      .
    33. ^ Unterberger, Richie. "Peel Sessions – Syd Barrett : Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 29 September 2012.
    34. ^ a b c "Music – Review of Syd Barrett – The Radio One Sessions". BBC. 20 November 2002. Retrieved 29 September 2012.[permanent dead link]
    35. ^
      ISBN 978-0-571-23855-2
      .
    36. ISBN 978-0-571-23855-2
      .
    37. ^
      ISBN 978-0-571-23855-2
      .
    38. ISBN 978-0-571-23855-2
      .
    39. ISBN 978-0-571-23855-2
      .
    40. ISBN 978-0-571-23855-2
      .
    41. ^
      ISBN 978-0-571-23855-2
      .
    42. ISBN 1-84353-575-0
      .
    43. ISBN 978-0-571-23855-2
      .
    44. ISBN 978-0-571-23855-2
      .
    45. ISBN 978-0-571-23855-2
      .
    46. ^ a b Unterberger, Richie. "Barrett – Syd Barrett : Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 1 August 2012.
    47. ISBN 978-0-85712-595-8
      .
    48. ISBN 978-0-86241-827-4
      . Retrieved 15 April 2020.
    49. ISBN 978-0-7876-1037-1
      .
    50. ^ "The Madcap Laughs". Retrieved 15 April 2020.
    51. New Musical Express
      . p. 41.
    52. ^ Claudio Fabretti [in Italian]. "Syd Barrett". OndaRock (in Italian). Retrieved 9 September 2020.
    53. ISBN 9780743201698. Retrieved 15 April 2020. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help
      )
    54. ISBN 0-679-75574-8
      .
    55. ^ Tom Hull. "Grade List: syd barrett". Tom Hull - on the Web. Retrieved 9 September 2020.
    56. ^
      ISBN 978-0-85965-431-9
      .
    57. ^ "Syd Barrett: Album Guide | Rolling Stone Music". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 8 November 2012.
    58. ^ a b Thompson, Dave. "The Radio One Sessions – Syd Barrett : Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 21 September 2012.
    59. ISBN 978-0-85965-431-9
      .
    60. ^
      ISBN 1-84353-575-0
      .
    61. ^ "Rick Wright: Broken China Interview – Aug 1996 – All Pink Floyd Fan Network". Pinkfloydfan.net. Archived from the original on 14 December 2013. Retrieved 2 August 2012.
    62. ^ Thompson, Dave. "The Madcap Laughs/Barrett – Syd Barrett : Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 1 August 2012.
    63. ^ "Barrett* – Barrett (CD, Album) at Discogs". discogs. Retrieved 9 August 2012.
    64. ^ "Syd Barrett – Crazy Diamond (CD, Album) at Discogs". discogs. Retrieved 9 August 2012.
    65. ^ Unterberger, Richie. "Crazy Diamond – Syd Barrett : Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 1 August 2012.
    66. ^ Kellman, Andy. "Wouldn't You Miss Me?: The Best of Syd Barrett – Syd Barrett : Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 2 August 2012.
    67. ^ "Barrett* – Barrett (CD, Album) at Discogs". discogs. Retrieved 29 August 2012.
    68. ^ "Pink Floyd news :: Brain Damage – 'An Introduction to Syd Barrett' coming from EMI/Harvest in October". Brain Damage. 12 August 2010. Retrieved 2 September 2012.

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