The Missing Pink Floyd Track

[MarkoKush]

Hi Guys,
Probably about six years ago, while trawling through YouTube, I found a clip of the film More and the Floyd were playing in the background (Start at 11:56).

https://youtu.be/H2nVTVVMgzo

It was not a song that I recognised.Over the next few weeks, I tried to find what the song was and if there was a version other than the one in the background of the film. To cut a long story short, the song is called Seabirds and is attributed to Roger Waters. It was not included on the More album and although there is a song with the title Seabirds on the Early Years box set, it is not the song used in the film. As far as I am aware, there is not a complete recording of Seabirds in existence by Pink Floyd.

Skip forward a couple of years and we were doing a show in Newport and were stopping overnight at the world famous Rockfield Studios. Late night conversations lead to the decision to return the following year and do some recording. It seemed like a great idea to record Seabirds, as it didn’t exist.

A year later we were back and laid down the key elements of the song but with our own arrangement (as there is only really a snippet of the song in the film). Ross, our sound engineer and owner of Regent Studio, then spent many happy hours mixing and remixing until we had something that we were not only happy with and also felt suitably Floydy.

The reason I am excited is that the song is now mixed, complete and ready to share, together with a fabulous video produced for us by DRF Music Production. I really hope you enjoy it as much as we have while making it.

Andrew Baker - Darkside The Pink Floyd Show

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GJ-scpZNIxE&t=33s

[Hadrian]

the song is called Seabirds and is attributed to Roger Waters. It was not included on the More album and although there is a song with the title Seabirds on the Early Years box set, it is not the song used in the film. As far as I am aware, there is not a complete recording of Seabirds in existence by Pink Floyd.

It was supposed to be included in the Early Years box, but from what I understand, unfortunately that studio tape was not found. What is included in the EY box is the tape that had the Seabirds written on it (and, it is something a bit different).

Great to hear, many thanks!

[twcc]

I like it, thanks for sharing

[Gslatner]

Despite listening to the Pink Floyd album my entire life I’d never seen the movie. I just watched it with the link above. Thank god for Pink Floyd or there is no way I’d have made it through it lol

[Wolfpack]

It seemed like a great idea to record Seabirds, as it didn’t exist.

I find this a great version! Sounds very much in the style I remember from the snippet in the movie.
For the chords and complete lyrics, I guess you used the sheet music as a source? (It's not mentioned in the description.)



Below an attempt by me
to transcribe the sheet music's lyrics,
trying to make them more readable
instead of long strings of words:

Seabirds

Mighty waves come crashing down
the spray is lashing high
into the eagle's eye
shrieking as it cuts
the Devil wind
is calling sailors to the deep

But I can hear
the sound of seabirds in my ear
and I can see you smile

Surf is high an' the sea is awash
an' a haze of candy floss, glitter, and beads
rock that we sat on
and watched in the sun
that was hot to the touch
and the sea was an emerald green

and I can hear
the sound of seabirds in my ear
and I can see you smile

Surf comes rushing up the beach
now will it reach the castle wall
and will it fall
catfish dappled
silver flashing dogfish
puffing bubbles in my deep

But I can hear
the sound of seabirds in my ear
and I can see you smile

[MarkoKush]

Nice one! yes we did use this manuscript to form the basis of the song

[Wolfpack]

yes we did use this manuscript to form the basis of the song

Did you also use the chords as written in the sheet music?
I'm just asking this as a noob. Hardly able to hold a guitar, other than roughly strumming chords...

The E-major of the verse going on into the "eagles eye",
while next line's "to the deep" lands on a D-major ("deep").
Is that really how the composition is meant to be,
not a printing mistake by the publisher?

Holding on a chord like forever
is what Barrett also did in some songs.
If I'm not mistaken, 'Rats' (1970) is just endless E-major.

I'm curious what chords you used.
Just the chords of the sheet music as it is
or did you fill in chords yourself?

Do the movie snippets match with the sheet music?

An attempt to add the chords to the lyrics,
strictly following the sheet music:

Seabirds

(key A-major)

(E)Mighty waves come crashing down
the (E)spray is lashing high
into the (E)eagle's eye (E)
(E)shrieking as it cuts
the Devil (E)wind
is calling sailors to the (D)deep (D)

But (A)I can (B)hear
the (D)sound of seabirds in my (A)ear
and (A)I can (B)see you (D)smi(A)le

(E)Surf is high an' the sea is awash
an' a (E)haze of candy floss, glitter, and (D)beads (D)
(E)rock that we sat on
and watched in the sun
that was (E)hot to the touch
and the sea was an emerald (D)green (D)

and (A)I can (B)hear
the (D)sound of seabirds in my (A)ear
and (A)I can (B)see you (D)smi(A)le

(E)Surf comes rushing up the beach
now (E)will it reach the castle wall
and (E)will it fall (E)
(E)catfish dappled
silver flashing (E)dogfish
puffing bubbles in my (D)deep (D)

But (A)I can (B)hear
the (D)sound of seabirds in my (A)ear
and (A)I can (B)see you (D)smi(A)le

[Wolfpack]

'Seabirds' sheet music...

How did the transcriber know?
I guess by somehow having a copy
of the now lost 'More' outtake...
Either a demo by just Roger Waters (words and music)
or maybe the holy grail of 'Seabirds' as obscured in the movie.

There must have been some clear source for the sheet music.
Who was the transcriber, what did/does he/she have?