Syd's Genius Passages

[Mr Kite]

There were many genius moments in his music. It would be hard to say which was my favorite - but for me it would have to be be either the outro to Chapter 24 or the outro to Matilda Mother.
What's your favorite?

[my breakfast.]

The outro to Matilda Mother is the product of Norman Smith in the studio suggesting the choral parts, not Syd.

[Wolfpack]

Barrett's request to have the Salvation Army playing in 'Jugband Blues'. Very impressive, for me. The Salvation Army is where a lot of confused, homeless people go to for help. It's as if Barrett gives up his ambition and lets them take over, by letting them play what they think is best.

Another genius passage is the naked outro of the song, which is "homeless" Barrett playing solo. And then those two questions, about what exactly a dream is and what a joke.

BTW. I guess the "sea of green" refers to the fantasy world of The Beatles song 'Yellow Submarine'? ("a sea of green") Maybe Barrett's statement means that he realizes that such a psychedelic dream really is just a fantasy.

[my breakfast.]

His guitar playing on Matilda Mother is pretty inspired for sure. I never appreciated his guitar work when I was in my teens, but something about his playing on MM is amazing. On the intro he is playing mostly open guitar strings and it gets that nice jangling sound (almost Byrds like), but he also plays strangely synchopated segments as well. Its cheesy to say, but he painted with his guitar. He clearly had an idea of how his guitar would work as a texture and really worked that into the music a lot. Sadly its not the 'academic' attitude of a good guitarist.

[johnnyaitcho]

There were many genius moments in his music. It would be hard to say which was my favorite - but for me it would have to be be either the outro to Chapter 24 or the outro to Matilda Mother.
What's your favorite?

pretty much all of the words on "Dark Globe" from the Madcap Laughs is just so sad and he is really pouring it out for us, any of his old friends that didnt see the messages in that song and then go and try to be there for him well thats just to sad to mention

[crowman]

There's so many for me. I could honestly point to at least one spark of genius in every one of Syd's songs.

So I'll go with one of the hardest ones, "If It's In You". One of his most ragged performances, even more unhinged than "Dark Globe", he struggles with a melody that's too hard for him with lyrics that are mostly gibberish. Amidst all the chaos, toward the end comes the starkly beautiful line "Skeleton kissed a steel rail". It's easy to imagine that this bleak imagery left its mark on Roger Waters in the control room, for he later wrote in Wish You Were Here: "Can you tell a green field from a cold steel rail?"

Some songs have their genius moments in the outtakes. "She Took a Long Cold Look" take 4 is absolutely incredible, far superior to the album version. And take 5 of "It Is Obvious" is unbelievably gorgeous:

"A velvet curtain of grey marks the blanket where sparrows play. Trees by the waving corn stranded, my legs move the last empty inches to you"

[Jimi Dean Barrett]

I love the whole of Wolfpack. From his lead guitar to his two vocal tracks of shouting.
Plus "Magnesium proverbs and sobs...*drumming gets faster HOWLING THE PACK-" I love that bit.

[Insert_name_here]

The "cat call" guitar fills in 'Lucifer Sam' always gives me a smile.

[Enish]

The fact that he actually recorded "Effervescing Elephant" for one of his albums. It sounds like a silly children's tune, but somehow, he made it work. I'm also starting to think that that song inspired the slightly quirky side of Roger Waters' music.

[thefinalcut]

Octopus is such an amazing piece of art, in my opinion.

[rememberaday]

He was really a genius and I love each and every one of his songs. But for the moment I'm entraced by two songs: See Emily Play and (in a stark contrast) Late Night. See Emily Play is one of THE psychedelic songs and Late Night is just beautifully raw. "And the way you kiss will always be a very special thing to me" is one of the simplest yet sweetest things I've ever heard! Roger makes me question my sexuality!