A Saucerful of Secrets (song)

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Song Name: A Saucerful Of Secrets

Artist: Pink Floyd

Album: A Saucerful Of Secrets, A Nice Pair, Shine On

Run Time: 11:52

Year: 1968

Track Number: 5

Sung By: David Gilmour, Richard Wright (Vocalisations)

Written By: Roger Waters, Richard Wright, Nick Mason, David Gilmour

Info:

• This is an experimental, avant-garde piece featuring howling feedback, menacing percussion, and eerie wordless vocals.
• This became a live staple from 1968-72. A live version is available on Pink Floyd's 1969 double album Ummagumma, and the version seen and heard in the film Live At Pompeii: Directors Cut is considered by many to be the definitive version. In 1969, "Celestial Voices," was incorporated into The Man And The Journey as "The End Of The Beginning."
• Roger Waters once stated in a Rolling Stone interview that this was about a battle and the aftermath. "Something Else" represents the setup. "Syncopated Pandemonium" represents the actual battle. "Storm Signal" represents the view of the dead after the battle's ended, and "Celestial Voices" represents the mourning. Live performances differed significantly from the studio version. The closely miked cymbal sound that starts the piece was instead performed as a two note bass drone. For "Syncopated Pandemonium", Richard Wright had to be content with playing Farfisa organ instead of pounding a grand piano with his fists like the studio recording. The "Celestial Voices" section started with just organ like the studio version, but gradually added drums, bass, guitar, and wordless vocals, provided by Gilmour. This led to a strong climax of the song, that can be best appreciated by the applause at the end of the Ummagumma version.
• Some pressings of Ummagumma break this into 4 sections:
  1. "Something Else" (fade-in of slow closely miked cymbal, echoing organ, fade-out)
  2. "Syncopated Pandemonium" (fade-in of tape loop drum solo, furious cymbals, screeching guitar, fade-out)
  3. "Storm Signal" (fade-in of chimes, organ, fade-out)
  4. "Celestial Voices" (fade-in of bass, organ, mellotron, wordless chorus)
• Some live performances ran for over 20 minutes.

Credits | Chronology

Audio Video

A Saucerful of Secrets - 05 - A Saucerful of Secrets - Pink Floyd