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“The Best of Pink Floyd,” also known as “Masters of Rock,” is a compilation album focusing on the early music of Pink Floyd, primarily covering the years 1967 to 1968. The album includes a selection of singles and tracks from their earlier period.
“The Best of Pink Floyd,” also known as “Masters of Rock,” is a compilation album by Pink Floyd, released in 1970. The album is a collection of songs written and performed primarily by Syd Barrett and focuses on Pink Floyd’s early music, particularly from 1967 to 1968. It includes singles and album tracks from this period.
In 1974, later editions of the album were released under the title “Masters of Rock” in various European countries, following the success of “The Dark Side of the Moon.” These editions were part of EMI’s “Masters of Rock” series, which were budget compilations for different artists. The album’s sleeve designs varied, with one featuring Syd Barrett’s face superimposed over David Gilmour’s image, highlighting the era before Gilmour’s involvement in the band.
The album was notable for including the first stereo release of “Apples and Oranges” and “Paintbox.” Additionally, the French edition of “Masters of Rock” contained the stereo mix of “Julia Dream” similar to the one found in the “Relics” album. “It Would Be So Nice,” also featured in these albums, is the single version with lyrics mentioning “the Daily Standard.” These compilations were the only LP sources of “It Would Be So Nice” prior to CD re-issues and compilations
The Best of Pink Floyd Track Listing
Side One:
- “Chapter 24” (from “The Piper at the Gates of Dawn”) – 3:36
- “Matilda Mother” (misspelled “Mathilda Mother” on this album, from “The Piper at the Gates of Dawn”) – 3:03
- “Arnold Layne” (single) – 2:51
- “Candy and a Currant Bun” (single) – 2:38
- “The Scarecrow” (from “The Piper at the Gates of Dawn”/”See Emily Play” single) – 2:07
Side Two: 6. “Apples and Oranges” (stereo mix, single) – 3:01
- “It Would Be So Nice” (written by Richard Wright, single) – 3:39
- “Paint Box” (stereo mix, written by Wright, single) – 3:27
- “Julia Dream” (original single mono mix reprocessed in duophonic, written by Roger Waters, single) – 2:28
- “See Emily Play” (single) – 2:50
The album’s total length is approximately 29 minutes and 40 seconds
