Album: The Early Singles (1968)

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Songfacts®:

• This early Pink Floyd song was written by Dave Gilmour and Roger Waters; it was released a week before Christmas 1968.
• In a BBC TV documentary screened on December 12, 2007, the band explained how this song came about. Syd Barrett had been the band's original songwriter, but by this time his well documented descent into mental illness had made him impossible to work with. Barrett's songs like "See Emily Play" were largely short, snappy and commercial as well as psychedelic, obscure or having some novelty value. Gilmour and Waters were under pressure from their record company to continue in the same vein, but they couldn't write singles, and this attempt to imitate Barrett's inimitable style was "one notable failure when Syd left the band." After it flopped, the Floyd largely abandoned singles and concentrated on longer tracks, producing a number of fine concept albums.
• The song is basically an invitation from a character named Henry McLean to his girlfriend to join him in his flying machine, though it is possibly not to be taken literally. >>>

  Suggestion credit:
  Alexander Baron - London, England, for above 3

Comments: 8

• Simon Gelten from TurnhoutIt's not a bad song, it's in fact quite nice, but it falls between two stools: It's not as inventive as the Barrett singles, and it has very little in common with what the band would produce in the years to come, so both amateurs of the early Floyd (the Barrett days) and those of the later Floyd (the Waters/Gilmour days) may say it's only okay-ish.
• Stacey from Houston, TxI agree with all of you and also will go on record as liking this song. There are many of PF's early songs that I have not heard.....but I plan on listening to several tonight. I find it interesting that Syd states, "and if you survive to two thousand and five" as he did indeed make it to 2006 before his death. There appears to many references to Syd in the Floyd archives.
• Tristan from Philadelphia, PaYou are BOTH right! Money wasn't released in Britain (or so I have been conditioned to believe) but was in America, I always thought Point me at the sky was their last british single until another brick. This is one of those retrospective songs. I absolutely love it, I played it constantly for a while when I suddenly left college. As I left I said (without tune) to all my friends "all I've got to say to you is goodbye!" Made sense to me at least. I used to think the lyrics were, "light the fuse and stand well back TO cry" instead of "he cried" I like to cry better as in. I'm leaving, you will all cry. Blatant Lucy in the sky melody ripoff but so what, it is SOOO good.
• Terry from Wickford, RiMark, actually, their next single would be 'Money' in 1973..made it #20
• Joanna from Sopot, Poland"For if you are stout you will have to breathe out
  While the people around you breathe in"
  
  One of my favourites, I am also surprised it flopped.
• Serena from Nolidae, HiI agree, Jorge. I don't think this track is nearly as bad as Roger Waters thinks it is. It's actually quite catchy.
• Jorge from Manchester, EnglandIt suprises me that no one liked this track.
  I Love It.
  'And all we've got to say to you is goodbye'
• Mark from London, EnglandThis was the last Floyd single release for some time. It was worth the wait: their next one was Another Brick In The Wall Part II, the last UK no. 1 of the 70s!

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