Saucerful of Secrets (Audio Cassette) [Import]

 

 

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Regardless of Syd's contributions this album paves the way for most Pink Floyd's fans. When I first spun this album of my own record player in 74, I was floored. 15 and trippin in the early 70s, nothing could have etched itself more into my life than this album. There's this poetic, if not infantile, fairy tale atmosphere to most of the songs that strikes a universal chord of identification.

call me a post hippie freak...I could care less. This album/CD...Rules!

In 1968, English rockers Pink Floyd were facing major problems. The band's first US tour was cancelled after guitarist/vocalist/songwriter Syd Barrett's dependency on hallucinogenic drugs were causing his behavior to become more erratic(on the band's first US TV appearance on American Bandstand, the group got through it unscathed but on The Pat Boone Show, Syd refused to mime to See Emily Play or speak to Pat), the band's third single Apples and Oranges failed and a proposed fourth single Vegetable Man was not ever released. Early in January 1968, drummer Nick Mason, keyboardist Rick Wright and bassist/vocalist Roger Waters called Syd's childhood friend David Gilmour and invited him to join making PF a five piece for five shows. Then, before what would have been the sixth gig as a five piece, Roger said let's not pick up Syd. After he left, the band recorded a fourth single It Would Be So Nice, which flopped and were also recording their second album A Saucerful of Secrets, released in July of 1968. I first heard this album on the 1973 double disc A Nice Pair, which was the reissue of Floyd's first two albums, when I was 11 in May of 1987. The album starts off with Let There Be More Light, which has Rick singing and Roger whispering in unison on one part then David Gilmour singing the next part. The track ends with a soaring Gilmour solo(the first proper guitar solo on a Floyd track by the way). Next is Remember a Day, which was a holdover from Piper at the Gates and was written and sung by Rick with great slide guitar by Syd. Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun follows and was written and sung by Roger and was Roger's first truly great song he wrote for the band and he performed it on his tours in 2000 and 2002. Next is Corporal Clegg with Dave and drummer Nick Mason on vocal(yes, it was Nick who sang the "he won it in the war", "in orange red and blue", "he's never been the same" and the "from her majesty" sections of the track). The second half starts with the group composed title cut which became a showstopper for the band for the next four years and is a classic. Watch the version on Live at Pompeii and you'll agree to the fact. Rick's See-Saw follows and is a great song despite the fact Rick is embarrased by the track. Lastly, the album ends with Syd's Jugband Blues. The song is one of his best and is on the Pink Floyd best of Echoes since it is liked so much by the band and fans. The album was hugely ignored in the US but made it to #9 in the UK upon release in 1968.

In 1968, English rockers Pink Floyd were facing major problems. The band's first US tour was cancelled after guitarist/vocalist/songwriter Syd Barrett's dependency on hallucinogenic drugs were causing his behavior to become more and more erratic(on the band's first US TV appearance on American Bandstand, the group got that appearance unscathed but things got worse on The Pat Boone Show, Syd refused to mime to See Emily Play(Roger eventually mimed to it) or speak to Pat), the band's third single Apples and Oranges failed in the UK(not released in the US until the 1992 Shine On box set) and a proposed fourth single Vegetable Man was not ever released. Early in January 1968, drummer Nick Mason, keyboardist Rick Wright and bassist/vocalist Roger Waters called Syd's childhood friend guitarist and vocalist David Gilmour and invited him to join making PF briefly a five piece. Syd seemed relieved when Dave was there to relieve some pressure. Then, before what would have been the sixth gig as a five piece, Roger said let's not pick up Syd. After he left, the band recorded a fourth single It Would Be So Nice, which flopped and were also recording their second album A Saucerful of Secrets, released in July of 1968. I first heard this album when I got the 1973 double disc reissue of the band's first two album A Nice Pair on cassette when I was 11 in May of 1987. The album starts off with Let There Be More Light, which has Rick singing and Roger whispering in unison on one part then David Gilmour singing the next part. The track ends with a soaring Gilmour solo(the first proper guitar solo on a Floyd track by the way as Syd wasn't a skilled guitarist unlike Dave who literally taught Syd how to play ironically). Next is Remember a Day, which was a holdover from Piper at the Gates of Dawn and was written and sung by Rick with great slide guitar work by Syd. Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun follows and was written and sung by Roger and was Roger's first truly great song he wrote for the band and he performed it on his 1984/1985 and his 2000 North American and 2002 European tours. Next is Corporal Clegg with Dave and drummer Nick Mason on vocal(yes, it was Nick who sang the "he won it in the war", "in orange red and blue", "he's never been the same" and the "from her majesty" sections of the track so One of These Days was not his only vocal in the Floyd repertoire). The second half starts with the group composed title cut(the first collaboration between Gilmour/Waters/Mason/Wright) which became a showstopper for the band for the next four years and is a classic. Watch the version on the 1972 film Live at Pompeii and you'll agree. Rick's See-Saw follows and is a great song although he doesn't like the track. Lastly, the album ends with Syd's Jugband Blues. The song is one of his best especially with The Salvation Army musicians at the end of the track. The album was hugely ignored in the US as it did not chart(the only Floyd album not to ever chart at all in the US) but made it to #9 in the band's native UK upon release in 1968. Also, the band recorded another single after this Point Me at the Sky which flopped in the UK and like Apples and Oranges unreleased in America until the 1992 Pink Floyd box set.

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3.0 out of 5 stars A step forward
The second Pink Floyd album also had Syd Barrett on it but only had one of his songs. So technically Syd is on two Floyd albums and 3 solo (if you include Opel). Read more

Published 12 months ago by J. Doran

5.0 out of 5 stars Huh?
That last guy is a moron. Or he was trying to be funny. Or he is honestly too stupid to realise that he's...stupid. Read more

Published on Aug 17 2004 by J.A.M.

1.0 out of 5 stars 'The sorcerer's secrets' is a bad,bad album
I have never liked harry potter books but this music I got 'the sorcerer's secrets' is REALLY horrible. Read more

Published on July 19 2004

4.0 out of 5 stars Great followup to Piper
To me, I always felt that A Saucerful of Secrets was more or less a gap between the Barrett-era Floyd and the more experimental Floyd albums that were to follow. Read more

Published on July 14 2004 by BENJAMIN MILER

4.0 out of 5 stars a sad farewell to Syd Barret's last album with the band...
A Saucerful of Secrets, recorded in 1968. a year after their amazing 1967 debut "Piper at the Gates of Dawn". Syd Barret's last time with the original band. Read more

Published on July 11 2004 by lost_weasel

4.0 out of 5 stars Highly underappreciated, but not a masterpiece.
Let me start out by saying that I love every Pink Floyd album dearly. Every album has a brilliant flavor all it's own, and each one is amazing in a unique way. Read more

Published on Jun 19 2004 by Dan

4.0 out of 5 stars Floyd's 2nd: Ambiant Noise or Musical Masterpiece?
Pink Floyd started as an underground band playing a 20 minute long "jam" tune called "Interstellar Overdrive" and this album was created to appease the... Read more

Published on Jun 2 2004 by Michael

5.0 out of 5 stars TERRIFIC
IGNORE ALL ONE STAR REVIEWS FOR THIS BRILLIANT FLOYD CD.VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

Published on May 15 2004 by terrific guy

1.0 out of 5 stars A saucerfull of sour milk...
definitely not the cat's meow, this bomb of a cd. Not recommended...at all.

Published on May 15 2004 by a music fan

5.0 out of 5 stars AN UNDERRATED FLOYD ALBUM
THIS CD WAS MADE DURING THE TRANSITION TIME OF THE DEPARTURE OF SYD BARRET AND THE JOINING OF THE AWESOME DAVID GILMOUR. Read more

Published on May 15 2004 by guitar expert101

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