New book: The Lyrics Of Syd Barrett

All discussion related to Roger Keith (Syd) Barrett.
User avatar
Keith Jordan
Site Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 17151
Joined: Wed Jun 12, 2002 6:54 pm
Gender: Male
Location: Cheshire, England

Re: New book: The Lyrics Of Syd Barrett

Post by Keith Jordan »

The book is out next week, very exciting about finding out what new information is in there...
...exclusive in there which will make all Syd fans gasp and spontaneously combust when they read it
Does anyone know any more about this exclusive in there book?
User avatar
crofloyd
Hammer
Hammer
Posts: 588
Joined: Wed Sep 04, 2002 11:17 pm
Location: Croatia

Re: New book: The Lyrics Of Syd Barrett

Post by crofloyd »

Keith Jordan wrote: Fri Feb 12, 2021 4:40 pm The book is out next week, very exciting about finding out what new information is in there...
...exclusive in there which will make all Syd fans gasp and spontaneously combust when they read it
Does anyone know any more about this exclusive in there book?
Maybe the casual and/or not so die-hard fans will combust, but I doubt there's something we didn't already know or hear... For me, the holy grails of Syd Barrett are the demo tape that he gave to Joe Boyd in early 1967 and his diaries that he allegedly destroyed in 1970.
User avatar
Keith Jordan
Site Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 17151
Joined: Wed Jun 12, 2002 6:54 pm
Gender: Male
Location: Cheshire, England

Re: New book: The Lyrics Of Syd Barrett

Post by Keith Jordan »

The new book is getting press.

Telegraph > https://www.telegraph.co.uk/music/artis ... d-barrett/

Independent.ie > https://www.independent.ie/entertainmen ... 60804.html


I haven't listened to much Syd stuff recently so I am going to get my copy of the book, then have a good listening and read of it on Thursday.
scarecrow
Blade
Blade
Posts: 103
Joined: Sun Nov 21, 2010 1:15 pm

Re: New book: The Lyrics Of Syd Barrett

Post by scarecrow »

Keith Jordan wrote: Fri Feb 12, 2021 4:40 pm Does anyone know any more about this exclusive in there book?
Yes, it's the full lyrics to No Mans Land, as David Gilmour had isolated the vocal tracks from the master tape and transcribed the spoken bit at the end... which is pretty dense, intense and apparently spoken at rocket speed.

As far as it being a 'holy grail', I reckon the number of Syd-obsessives who would obsess over every word like a religious text is probably minimal these days, but I think Rob Chapman is right that many Syd-enthusiasts (like himself) will be excited to read this.
User avatar
crofloyd
Hammer
Hammer
Posts: 588
Joined: Wed Sep 04, 2002 11:17 pm
Location: Croatia

Re: New book: The Lyrics Of Syd Barrett

Post by crofloyd »

Was hoping for something more holy grailer... :D
User avatar
Keith Jordan
Site Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 17151
Joined: Wed Jun 12, 2002 6:54 pm
Gender: Male
Location: Cheshire, England

Re: New book: The Lyrics Of Syd Barrett

Post by Keith Jordan »

Given the laser sharp focus of PF/Syd fans I am surprise there is actually anything left that is not known. I think words in a song being revealed, especially when there are only 50ish such songs available, is quite a significant event. :roll:
Jimi Dean Barrett
Judge!
Judge!
Posts: 1592
Joined: Fri Apr 02, 2010 1:30 pm

Re: New book: The Lyrics Of Syd Barrett

Post by Jimi Dean Barrett »

scarecrow wrote: Wed Feb 17, 2021 9:09 am
Keith Jordan wrote: Fri Feb 12, 2021 4:40 pm Does anyone know any more about this exclusive in there book?
Yes, it's the full lyrics to No Mans Land, as David Gilmour had isolated the vocal tracks from the master tape and transcribed the spoken bit at the end... which is pretty dense, intense and apparently spoken at rocket speed.
<.8.> TAKE! MY!! MONEY!!! <ii>
User avatar
Keith Jordan
Site Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 17151
Joined: Wed Jun 12, 2002 6:54 pm
Gender: Male
Location: Cheshire, England

Re: New book: The Lyrics Of Syd Barrett

Post by Keith Jordan »

Does anybody have the transcription of the spoken words yet? On the internet?
User avatar
twcc
Site Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 1497
Joined: Sat Feb 08, 2014 7:02 pm
Gender: Male
Location: Whitelackington, UK

Re: New book: The Lyrics Of Syd Barrett

Post by twcc »

The delightful little book has arrived, fantastic image quality and yes p73 may be of special interest -
.
nml001e.jpg
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
User avatar
Keith Jordan
Site Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 17151
Joined: Wed Jun 12, 2002 6:54 pm
Gender: Male
Location: Cheshire, England

Re: New book: The Lyrics Of Syd Barrett

Post by Keith Jordan »

Indeed it is a nice book, well put together and a fine resource for lyrics. Page 73 is a piece of musical history being opened up. I wonder if Syd just made it up as he went along? Is there a particular story behind the lyrics/method or recording?
User avatar
twcc
Site Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 1497
Joined: Sat Feb 08, 2014 7:02 pm
Gender: Male
Location: Whitelackington, UK

Re: New book: The Lyrics Of Syd Barrett

Post by twcc »

Wolfpack wrote: Thu Oct 08, 2020 11:41 am ...
And what about the surviving 'Mind Shot' ('It Is Obvious') lyrics sheet, only party shown in the booklet of Barrett compilation 'Wouldn't You Miss Me' (2001)?
If this sheet gets overlooked, Barrett's actual lyrics typewritten by himself, the book won't be very much convincing to me.
Pleased to report, the full lyrics are included on page 55

<ii>
scarecrow
Blade
Blade
Posts: 103
Joined: Sun Nov 21, 2010 1:15 pm

Re: New book: The Lyrics Of Syd Barrett

Post by scarecrow »

Keith Jordan wrote: Thu Feb 18, 2021 5:56 pm Page 73 is a piece of musical history being opened up. I wonder if Syd just made it up as he went along? Is there a particular story behind the lyrics/method or recording?
Yes, I think fairly unlikely that it could have been improvised, apparently it's read extremely quickly. I tend to think there's various bits and pieces on the solo albums that could have been 'cut up' experiments, ie reassembling words or phrases on chopped-out bits of paper (I'm assuming this sort of stuff is covered in Chapman's introductory essay?)

I think there just isn't the evidence out there to confirm the methods behind any particular song... a few comments Syd had made about the writing of Octopus over a period of months, a few things that Gilmour remembers, plus that original Mindshot lyric sheet.

There is this podcast which came out a few days ago to promote the book: https://www.mixcloud.com/sohoradio/bure ... -14022021/
Wolfpack
Hammer
Hammer
Posts: 913
Joined: Wed Jan 27, 2010 4:15 pm

Re: New book: The Lyrics Of Syd Barrett

Post by Wolfpack »

twcc wrote: Thu Feb 18, 2021 11:22 pm
Wolfpack wrote: Thu Oct 08, 2020 11:41 amAnd what about the surviving 'Mind Shot' ('It Is Obvious') lyrics sheet, only party shown in the booklet of Barrett compilation 'Wouldn't You Miss Me' (2001)?
If this sheet gets overlooked, Barrett's actual lyrics typewritten by himself, the book won't be very much convincing to me.
Pleased to report, the full lyrics are included on page 55
Is the lyric sheet itself shown? Or are you refering to lyrics as reconstructed by listening to recordings?

These unsung words are only on the lyric sheet:

Stranded I'm wrapping my ears
When her lions ask why


Are they included?
User avatar
Felix Atagong
Axe
Axe
Posts: 77
Joined: Fri Aug 22, 2008 5:52 pm
Gender: Male
Location: Louvain, Belgium

Re: New book: The Lyrics Of Syd Barrett

Post by Felix Atagong »

Of course not. The book is about the released songs. So unreleased parts of a song do not count.

Chapman has recently tweeted (in his usual style) that the 'rooftop' poem obviously is a fake, fabricated by Bernard White.
Is there some proof of this? Bernard White didn't seem the man to me to create fake Barrett 'songs'.
White wrote (if my memory doesn't fail me) that he copied the poem from the Hipgnosis archives (that have been lost as well)..
Wolfpack
Hammer
Hammer
Posts: 913
Joined: Wed Jan 27, 2010 4:15 pm

Re: New book: The Lyrics Of Syd Barrett

Post by Wolfpack »

Felix Atagong wrote: Sun Feb 21, 2021 5:36 pmOf course not. The book is about the released songs. So unreleased parts of a song do not count.
Of course not? As if Barrett's own typewritten words intentionally were excluded? Intentionally?
The real reason is a significant lack of research. 'Mind Shot' has just been overlooked. :shock:
And, who knows there are more lyric sheets where that one came from. (EMI tape boxes?)

It will be interesting to compare what Barrett actually typed (in the so far published part) and what is heard according to the book.

'Rooftop in a Thunderstorm Row Missing the Point'...
Chapman can say anything. What does Gilmour say? (Not to mention Waters, Mason and others close to Barrett?)