Pink Floyd - Saucerful of Secrets

Discussions about Pink Floyd and Solo Official Album CDs and DVDs.

Rate This Album

5 - Best
26
30%
4
27
31%
3
21
24%
2
12
14%
1 - Worst
2
2%
 
Total votes: 88

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Massed Gadgets
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Re: Pink Floyd - Saucerful of Secrets

Post by Massed Gadgets »

I mentioned earlier in the thread that I'd give it 4/5, because mostly I love this album, but tracks like Corporal Clegg and Jugband Blues take something away from the otherwise dreamy and mysterious psychedelic vibe of the album. I put together my own version which I enjoy listening to more. It does require a slightly delayed release date so as to include Embryo, which was recorded a few weeks after ASOS was released, but other than that, it includes only tracks recorded for those sessions or ones recorded in and around the times they were recording the album.

Side 1.
Let There Be More Light
Remember a Day
Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun
Embryo

Side 2.
A Saucerful of Secrets
See-Saw
Julia Dream
Paintbox

This does kind of remove Syd from the equation, at least in terms of composition, but that to me makes it a more coherent effort for the new Floyd line up, an album that is moving forward instead of trying to cling to past a bit. I like the song Jugband Blues, I just don't feel it fit very well on ASOS. I would have preferred it released as a standalone single, and as indicated, would have preferred a few of the standalone singles of the time to be included on the album. And Corporal Clegg with his wooden leg I can totally do without, but I suppose it could have been a standalone single as well. I know some might say they would throw away See-Saw or that Paintbox doesn't fit the vibe, but to me, listening to this version is a much more satisfying experience.
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Re: Pink Floyd - Saucerful of Secrets

Post by jtull »

Massed Gadgets wrote:And Corporal Clegg with his wooden leg I can totally do without, but I suppose it could have been a standalone single as well.
And "Corporal Clegg" would be a big flop as single, same as "Point me at the sky", "Paintbox", "Apples and Oranges" etc. It's a bit puzzling why these songs (Corporal Clegg, Remember A Day, Let There Be More Light, See-Saw..) worked on the album ASOS which hit nr.9 on the England charts, but in case they were issued as a standalone singles I'm 100% sure all this songs would be a huge flop.
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Re: Pink Floyd - Saucerful of Secrets

Post by Massed Gadgets »

I think you're probably right. The record label of course wanted them to release singles, because that bands do, but Floyd already had bigger ideas than that. They were known more for their epic live jams than they were for their singles, and would soon become known for their albums, rather than singles. I still don't think Corporal Clegg should be on ASOS though. To me, it's just a terrible song. Probably shouldn't have even been recorded in the first place. :lol:
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Re: Pink Floyd - Saucerful of Secrets

Post by jtull »

Massed Gadgets wrote: I still don't think Corporal Clegg should be on ASOS though. To me, it's just a terrible song. Probably shouldn't have even been recorded in the first place. :lol:
I always thought Corporal Clegg is just a (bad)reworking of Syds song 'One in A Million'. Same bas line, same chorus.. :-;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vzO4XD6nymk
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Re: Pink Floyd - Saucerful of Secrets

Post by Wolfpack »

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kwn75Wc4XN4
White Noise - Electrical Storm in Hell (1969)
"Recorded: 1968" (Wikipedia)

The drum part, after the intro, sounds very much like 'Syncopated Pandemonium' to me,
the drum loop segment of 'A Saucerful of Secrets'.
Could it have been an inspiration?
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Re: Pink Floyd - Saucerful of Secrets

Post by danielcaux »

Massed Gadgets wrote:I mentioned earlier in the thread that I'd give it 4/5, because mostly I love this album, but tracks like Corporal Clegg and Jugband Blues take something away from the otherwise dreamy and mysterious psychedelic vibe of the album. I put together my own version which I enjoy listening to more. It does require a slightly delayed release date so as to include Embryo, which was recorded a few weeks after ASOS was released, but other than that, it includes only tracks recorded for those sessions or ones recorded in and around the times they were recording the album.
I also have my own version of ASOS, quite similar to yours actually, but I do like how Jugband Blues closes the whole album with that sort of A Day In The Life vibe and as a way of Syd giving a farewell to the band, so in my version it's still there. It gives a sense of closure to that whole era, and with the inclusion of other pop songs like Paintbox and Julia Dream it doesn't feel as out of place anymore, since the whole album becomes sort of a psychedelic singles collection (RAD, Paintbox, Julia Dream, See-Saw and Jugband) with a good dose of space rock thrown in (LTBML, STCFTHOTS and ASOS). I guess Embryo is kind of the bridge between both worlds, being folky and spacey at the same time.


Side A
Let There Be More Light
Remember a Day
Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun
Embryo
Paintbox

Side B
A Saucerful of Secrets
Julia Dream
See-Saw
Jugband Blues

Bonus track:
Careful With That Axe Eugene

CWTAE, recorded a little later than Embryo, fits perfectly in the mood of the whole album, but I guess it couldn't be included in it 'cause it would exceed the 45 +/- minute length of the normal LP. I still included in my CD version as a bonus track since it's better to listen to it in a more adequate context than on Relics. :)
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Re: Pink Floyd - Saucerful of Secrets

Post by Kerry King »

Interesting alternate track lists. But I just don't see how removing the best song on the album (Jugband Blues) could possibly make it a more satisfying listen. A great song never disrupts the flow of an album. How can a great song be a disruption? How could a much lesser song be an improvement? Great songs are not always easy to come by. Particularly on A Saucerful Of Secrets.
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Re: Pink Floyd - Saucerful of Secrets

Post by Wolfpack »

David Gilmour performing 'Remember a Day' at Jools Holland (2008).
Playing his heart out, incredibly inspired, ghost of Barrett in his Telecaster.

Best Gilmour moment ever!
No discussion!! :P
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Re: Pink Floyd - Saucerful of Secrets

Post by BertWW96 »

Wolfpack wrote:David Gilmour performing 'Remember a Day' at Jools Holland (2008).
Playing his heart out, incredibly inspired, ghost of Barrett in his Telecaster.
I used to quite like to call this up on the old YouTube, but...now it seems every trace of this has been scrubbed from the net. I mean, hey, I'd be willing to pay $1.29 or whatever for a copy, but since it's not for sale, why not let us enjoy this? I suppose there's a reason, but...come on.
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Re: Pink Floyd - Saucerful of Secrets

Post by Wolfpack »

BertWW96
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Re: Pink Floyd - Saucerful of Secrets

Post by BertWW96 »

Awesome - thanks!
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Re: Pink Floyd - Saucerful of Secrets

Post by twcc »

A 'Saucerful of Secrets' has re-entered the UK LP chart at No.46 -

https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/albums-chart/

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Re: Pink Floyd - Saucerful of Secrets

Post by MoreOrLess »

In terms of working out an "ideal" version of ASOS I think you need to consider the tone of the album personally. Generally I think its an angst ridden come down from the summer of love, even Remember A Day has the tension between the more melodic and childlike sections and the harsher guitar work and the more mysterious piano lines.

I'd agree the version of Careful With That Axe from the Point Me At The Sky B-side would fit that very well, I mean I think that overall the track improved afterwards and the version of Ummagumma is one of my favourite Floyd tracks but the 68 version has more in the way of confined angst to it. You could argue The A-side as well is a superior track to Corporal Clegg I spose BUT I think the version released you can tell its aiming at the singles market with the lighter breezier production. I suspect if the band had put it on a somewhat latter release of ASOS they might have gone with a harsher sound and longer instrumental passages.

Side A

Remember a Day
Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun
Point Me At The Sky (different recording)
Careful With That Axe Eugene

Side B

A Saucerful of Secrets
Scream Thy Last Scream
Jugband Blues

Remember A Day would I think make for a very nice intro and Scream Thy Last Scream also fits the album pretty well for me, having that more energetic piece of Barrett before Jugband Blues would I think make the latter more effective as a world weary come down.
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Re: Pink Floyd - Saucerful of Secrets

Post by Jimi Dean Barrett »

Impossible to think of without Let There Be More Light! That is a radical reworking. Maybe there was a bridge between TPATGOD and ASOS, and maybe it would include the different versions of "Have You Got It Yet?" even. But there hasn't been.
But it was beautiful seeing this album back in the charts!

And with regards Wolfpack's observation about White Noise, not only is that my favourite album ever, it was stated in the 1969 album they were massively inspired by A Saucerful Of Secrets.
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Re: Pink Floyd - Saucerful of Secrets

Post by theaussiefloydian »

In terms of the quality of this album, I find the mono mix to be a revelation - Corporal Clegg is so much better with a lot of the noise in the more common stereo mix removed from it, and there's a longer fade out on Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun that has me wondering why on Earth they shortened it for the stereo mix. If you want to give it a spin head on over to YouTube - it's not exactly FLAC quality, but it's something.