Atom Heart Mother

General discussion about Pink Floyd.
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dgsyd1
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Atom Heart Mother

Post by dgsyd1 »

I've been giving the ATOM HEART MOTHER album a listen, and have come to the conclusion that if there's a Pink Floyd album that deserves a reappraissal then it's this one. The three 'solo' tracks alone make the album a worthy buy, "Summer '68" is one of Rick's best tunes, and a major step forward for him. "If" is classic Roger, and a good pointer as to how his songwriting would develop during the 70's. Then of course there is the mighty "Fat Old Sun", which IMHO is the best song David Gilmour ever wrote by himself. So what if Roger and David have come out and said they hate the album, or at least the title track. Even rock legends can be wrong sometimes!
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flashback
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Post by flashback »

I have to say I love this cd,except maybe IF.Alan's Psychedelic Breakfast is great,Fat Old Sun is really good.I really like the title track except for the bikes. No knock on Summer68 either.It really gives you an idea of the greatness to come.
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Feeling Very Pink
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Post by Feeling Very Pink »

I quite agree. Piper, Meddle, Dark Side, Wish, Animals and The Wall have all had their twenty-five years in the limelight... and long may it continue...

When I first heard Atom Heart Mother at a friend's house (he was raving about it at the time) I thought it was, well, vacuous nonsense. No tune. Notes floating on nothing. Waste of time. Rubbish!

To a certain extent, I think Pink Floyd's music is an acquired taste. It takes time to appreciate them on an emotional level... or something.

Now I love Atom Heart Mother. Hey - let's hear a little more appreciation for the title track. Pure power. And let's not mistake length for pomposity here. Not as strong as 'Echoes', but still mucho under-rated.

Who here is NOT moved when the opening theme bursts forth in the opening two minutes?

P-p-poworrr... :shock:
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Jintzey
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Post by Jintzey »

FeelingVeryPink wrote:To a certain extent, I think Pink Floyd's music is an acquired taste. It takes time to appreciate them on an emotional level... or something.
I agree, when I first got AHM I was like, what is this crap? Now I love it! Same goes with some of the other more obscure PF. I think it takes time to really appreciate it because the music is so deep that it just takes time to let it all sink in. Pink Floyd to me is beyond just being music. I don't know how to explain it, it's just out there above it all.

My personal favorite part of the title track is Funky Dung. Just something about the bass line I really like. I guess I tend to like bass lines in general since I play a bass instrument (trombone). I even tried playing along with the symphonic parts on AHM a couple of times on my trombone, but it didn't work out very well, LOL. My family who was in the house at the time didn't appreciate it either, LOL! :lol: I don't play guitar or anything so that's the closest I could come to playing PF music, hehe.
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David Smith
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Post by David Smith »

I like the songs Atom Heart Mother and especially Summer 68, but the other 3 all just seem totally rushed jobs.

If is a slow and boring song that never seems to go anywhere. it's totally generic, anyone could have done that song. There was no THIS is Pink Floyd feeling to it.

Fat Old Sun was quite nice, Gilmour wrote a great set of lyrics for it, it's just something about the song that annoies me. it's probably because it's to repetitive, and just as it starts to extend upon it'self the song ends.

Alan's Psychadelic Brekfast, hmm, don't like this one. Can't say i can even remember how it goes, but the best thing about it is the effects and that's truly not a good position for Pink Floyd to be in.

In saying that though, AHM and S68 still make the album worth my money.
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Post by FUNSTER »

But why don't you say anything about the central song of the album "Atom Heart Mother" I think It is the best song where there is an excellent harmony of a great amount of different instruments with voices!!!
When I first heard it I flew away under the pressure of sounds that drew different pictures in my mind!!!
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David Smith
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Post by David Smith »

I did mention it, i said the songs AHM and S68 were both brilliant.
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Feeling Very Pink
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Post by Feeling Very Pink »

I did 'Atom Heart Mother' live once. Did the 'small band' version. Rocked. In a sprawling, feedback-drenched kind of way. Almost got a bunch of school kids (in true Floyd fashion) to play brass instruments (the bass player's a teechah). Thank Mother Earth we didn't.

Say, has anyone seen Think Floyd? Not too keen. Australian PF Show is still the best I've seen. Pity 'Learning to Fly' and 'Echoes' are so ruddy... tight. These guys need to loosen up. Watch Pompeii a few more times...

Loose, spirited, action-packed genius, that there film.
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JML
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Post by JML »

FeelingVeryPink wrote:Who here is NOT moved when the opening theme bursts forth in the opening two minutes?

P-p-poworrr... :shock:
I must agree, it kicks ass! And Summer'68 too. AHM became one of my favorites when I listened it for second time. It's really spectacular when I listen it all alone in the dark, scaaaaary and BIIIIIIG thing.
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Tommy
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Post by Tommy »

Why do the members of Pink Floyd not like AHM that much?
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Feeling Very Pink
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Post by Feeling Very Pink »

I've often wondered about that. You'd think that if they'd dis' one album more than any other it would be Ummagumma. :roll:
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Tommy
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Post by Tommy »

I would think they would respect Ummagumma alot because it was meant to be experimental and weird. Every band member got to do exactly what they wanted
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Post by TheVegetableMan »

Atom Heart Mother has always been my favorite PF album. I still remember the day when I was 13 and bought it on (and might I add by complete accident) Quadraphonic vinyl. My ol' man had a Quad stereo but never any Quad albums. To be honest I must have played that album for a year in stereo before I realized what I had. Once I played it in Quad I found myself surrounded by some of the most beautiful music I ever heard. AHM also , for me, marks the end in PF's career where they were the most experimental. And what a fine way to move on.
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Post by MoreOrLess »

My feelings on the different songs...

Atom Heart Mother - Floyds first side long epic is a little inconistant to me. The orcistraited parts dont fully work for me they sound more like the theme for a dective Tv show than part of an epic. The "experimential" part after in the latter half of the song doesn work that well either. On the good side the choiral section is exellent, really epic sounding. The funky dung jam that follows it is great as well espeically Gilmours guitar sound which is amazingly clear.

If - Good song with exellent lyircs but musically its a bit simple.

Summer 68 - Intresting track sort of harks back to the style of the bands single releases post syd but with a more ambitious sound. I wouldnt say its a classic but its just so different from anythign else the floyd did its always worth a listen.

Fat old sun - My favourite of the 3 solo tracks although I do agree the vocal part of the song does tend to be a bit repetitive. The solo at the end is amazing though both gimours axe work and nicks exellent time fill druming.

Alans Breaky - Strangely id say this could be my fav track on the album. The type of sillyness that only pink floyd could get away with without turning the track into a total comedy peice. I guess my favourite part would be rise and shine, I just love all of gimours acoustic backed with eletric slide tracks (narrow way pt 1, unknown song from zab point, pillow of winds etc). I dont agree with most peoples sentiment that the band threw this togther just to take up space, after all they did perform it live on tour for a while.

All in all a good album but id rank the more soundtrack as the floyds most underated studio album myself.
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Post by scouseseamus1 »

I think Several Species of Small Furry Animals Gathered Together in Cave and Grooving With a Pict has got to the longest song title in history. Does anyone know a longer one?

Also If is probably one of the shortest.

I wonder if anyone has a longer and shorter song title on the same album?