Several Species of Small Furry Animals Gathered Together in a Cave and Grooving with a Pict

Album: Ummagumma (1969)
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  • Aye an' a bit of Mackeral settler rack and ruin
    Ran it doon by the haim ma place.
    Well I slapped me and I slapped it doon in the side and I cried, cried, cried

    The fear a fallen down taken never back the raize
    And then Craig Marion, get out wi' ye Claymore out mi pocket a' ran doon, Doon the middin stain picking the fiery horde that was fallen
    Around ma feet.
    Never he cried, never shall it ye get me alive
    Ye rotten hound of the burnie crew.
    Well I snatched fer the blade.
    O my Claymore cut and thrust and
    I fell doon before him round his feet.

    Aye! A roar he cried frae the bottom of his heart
    That I would nay fall but as dead, dead as a can be by his feet;
    Ee ya ken?...and the wind cried back.

    [In English] "Thank you." Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 43

  • Stegokitty from New England, UsaFrom the rather exhaustive volume PINK FLOYD, ALL THE SONGS by Jean-Michel Guesdon & Philippe Margotin:

    //Because "Grantchester Meadows" undershot Roger Waters' allotted half side of the LP, the bassist need to get back to work. He then had the idea for this "naturalistic" collage, which demonstrates a desire to liberate himself from the usual song structure and to explore avenues that often resemble musique concréte (a form of electroacoustic music based on natural sounds). .... During the first section of the piece, the noises of all sorts of animals ... can indeed be heard. The word Pict, meanwhile, denotes a member of one of various tribes that inhabited a large swath of Scotland from before the Roman invasion of Britain.

    The second section is again a mini symphony of different sound effects over which Roger Waters declaims some rather strange-sounding verse (in the manner of Robert Burns, the great Scottish poet of the 18th century). It is possible to glean the following: the narrator has set himself up in Scotland as a mackerel fisherman only to become embroiled in a bloody conflict against the background of a religious war and the accession of the Catholic Mary Stuart to the throne of Scotland (a country that had recently become mainly Protestant). Roger also mentions a Claymore, which is a large sword used by Scottish warriors.

    As we have seen, the first section of this piece, the recording of which began in EMI's Studio Three on September 23, 1968, under the title "Roger's Tune", opens with the noises of various animals, all created by Roger Waters. He can even be heard using a duck call! These sounds are all accelerated and steeped in reverb, and the main intended effect is presumably humor. "It's not actually anything," Roger would later explain. "It's a bit of concrete poetry. Those were sounds that I made, the voice and the hand slapping were all human generated -- no musical instruments." He can be heard slapping his hands (against his knees?) in order to create a rhythm (once again sped up) that is faded in from 0:26. Over this rhythm he plays a looped phrase that is a mixture of words and onomatopoeia (from 1:10). Around 2:19, piercing, varispeeded screams can be heard that would be just right for Halloween. In response to a journalist who inquired about the origins of the "chick's screams," an unidentified member of the group replied, to the amusement of all, that "the chick screaming is a very beautiful chick, she's very tall and thin and dresses in black, and she sits and drinks, and smokes cigarettes, and her name is Roger Waters." Whether by chance or not, at around 2:51 and 3:13 these screams seem to take up the riff of Astronomy Dominé.

    .... It is tempting to believe that the orator of this parody is Ron Geesin, himself a native of Stevenston, and more than capable of playing the "Pict" in question. "Roger's 'Several Species' indicated the influence of his budding friendship with Ron Geesin, Nick Mason would later confirm. This friendship would result in a major collaboration between Geezin and Pink Floyd on ATOM HEART MOTHER in 1970. However it would seem to be Waters, rather than Geesin, who recites the text.//
    --------------------

    I'm in agreement that it's Roger. It's clearly his voice with his special vocal nuances. The only wrong thing I've found in this particular section of the book is that the authors make the mistake of thinking the final phrase (other than "Thank you") in the piece is "And the wind cried Mary" which they think is an homage to Jimi Hendrix. But it's clearly "And the wind cried back."

    As well, this piece is reminiscent to some of the things PF with Syd used to do -- as demonstrated in the intro to POW R TOC H.

    Anyway, this is a grand book to own for any PF fan. It's nearly 600 pages, with way more information and technical stuff than I can appreciate (though I do appreciate some of the technical stuff) and tons of interesting tidbits that I didn't know about, no matter how many other PF books and articles I've read, plus a number of photos of the band that I've never seen (and some that I have, naturally). My wife got it for me as a Christmas gift last year. I think you'd all like it. Cheers!
  • Ricardo from Mexico CityOk. Lets get this straight. This song is a concept piece to be heard along with Grantchester Meadows. Both songs are bond together in its concept. First you listen the melodic description of the Meadows, and most important the relaxing mood of the one singing, remember: he's "lying on the grass". Then you get the real experience lying there: with your thoughts and all those sounds around you, we even hear how he manage to get rid of that annoying fly with a magazine or maybe a newspaper. I think the scottish accent and the title are pretty obvious: a scottish ( in this case a Pict) relaxing in a cave enjoying the day
  • Johnny Rotten from ScotlandA cheaply put together album to make a few quid from people out of Thier minds.
    It's a piece of cake to appeal to moron's, they often hear voices in Thier own heads anyway
  • English Atheist from EnglandI quite like this, though it clearly isn't meant as a song. Waters, the genius behind dsotm and the wall knows how to write music. After all, without him, PF wouldn't have existed when Syd left. Syd could be replaced with any good guitarist, Snowy White for example, but Waters was irreplaceable
  • Arthur Treacher from PittsburghThis was the first Floyd song I ever heard, I was 10ish, and it blew my mind... Have loved all of floyd ever since, and I agree with Kris, I enjoyed "The Final Cut" , namely Gunners Dream and Fletchers Memorial. Everyone's go their tastes
  • Jay from EdmontonThat's 'And the wind cried back' at the end of the song. No Mary. The wind answers the Pict's roar.
  • Lee from NyThat rumor about Geesin has been around for a while and Wikipedia keeps it going. Since Geesin is Scottish, wrote similarly bizarre songs on his solo albums and collaborated with Floyd on Atom Heart Mother, many people attributed it to him. It seems that it was actually Waters speaking the Lowland Scots/mock-Pictish lyrics at the end of the song. Geesin was interviewed in 2008 and said about the spoken word portion, "People often ask me if I did that....My variety of Scottish ranting may have jogged something in Roger, but it was probably coincidental. We both had Scottish mothers...as it happens."
  • Steve from Coralville, IaIt's actually Ron Geesin telling the Scottish story, not Roger Waters, according to Wikipedia.
  • Tristan from Philadelphia, PaI love this song! First time I heard it I was in my friends car driving through the woods, I was very stoned and unaware that my friend in the backseat had changed the Ipod song. all of a sudden I realized I was hearing all sorts of ridiculous sounds and it was just incredible.
  • Pat from Albuquerque, NmI'm a cave explorer. You would be surprised how often "Several Species of Small Furry Animals..." shows up on a playlist at caving parties. Hodags in the US are the equivalent of the small, furry animals.
  • Terry from Wickford, RiI got in trouble in 5th grade because of this song. It was 1981 and I got heavily into Floyd when The Wall came out a little over a year earlier.(saved a dollar a week for 13 weeks to buy the album!) So,by '81 I already had a few more of the older Floyd records and Ummagumma was one of the first ones I bought after getting The Wall. We were allowed to play tapes of our favorite music in gym class to get us all pumped up for exercising and since I was one of the few who had a tape recorder and made mix tapes, I was usually the one who played all the songs. Normally, it was the radio rock hits of the day:'Start Me Up' by the Stones, "Shake it Up' by the Cars, etc. But one day, I came in with this song on the tape and started blaring it as loud as I could at the start of class. Keep in mind that I went to a Catholic school where we wore uniforms and the whole bit. So, when we sat down to start class, the teacher was just dead silent...says, "give me the tape recorder" and that was the end of music in gym class...too avant-garde, I guess!
  • Daevid from Glendale, CaSteve from Birmingham----go get stoned....[and i mean that in a good way]..and give it another listen-----you'll laugh your arse off.
  • Harry from South Bend, InAll I can say is wow. It's wacky, it's definitely experimental, and it's got the best song title on my iPod. I'm just amazed at how this was all synchronized, and how it all works out. Not my favorite at all, but if you want different, it's staring you in the face.
  • Chloe from St. Louis, MoWOW, roger, WOW....hahaha.....kind of reminds of 'revolution 9', in the sense that it can hardly be called a song and the only thought running through your mind while reading the lyrics is "what the HELL?!"
  • Thomas from Somerville, AlLet it be said first and foremost that I am a huge Floyd fan. However, this song and the album are not my favorite pieces of work. It is too long, it fades from this to that and shows no stability. It's more like a poorly orchestrated movie soundtract. Of course, I never tried listening to it while I was in a "psychedelic" frame of mind. Maybe that would help. But still, it seems like drivel compared to the other work that Floyd accomplished.
  • Oldpink from New Castle, InNo, no, no.
    Roger does NOT say "And the wind cries Mary."
    He says "And the wind cried BACK."
    How silly.
    btw...I really like this bit of experimentation, even though it is not a song by any stretch.
    It's funny, weird, and tongue in cheek.
    Don't go into this expecting "Dark Side of the Moon," folks.
    ;-)
  • Doug from Kansas City, Moits a great song even though its not actually depressing or drug inspired. Rog-unlike Gilmour..was NOT a male model and therefor had to work for his supper. Not that Dave didnt work also..he just made it look all too easy! Barrett? whos Barrett?
  • R.h. from Pauls Valley, OkGeo- You need to do your homework before you comment. Piper at the Gate of Dawn was their first album and the only one recorded under Syd Barretts leadership. Around mid-'67 Barrett began showing signs of increasing mental instability. He would go catatonic on stage playing music that had nothing to do with the material at not playing at all. An American tour had to be cut short when he was barely able to function at all. Dependent upon Barrett for most of their vision and material, the rest of the group was nevertheless finding him impossible to work with, live or in the studio. Gilmour joined the group in early '68 as a fifth member which would allow Floyd to continue as alive outfit and Barrett would still be able to write and contribute to the records. When that didn't work Barrett was out of the group within a few months. -- Source: www.allmusic.com --
    In my personal opinion, David Gilmour is the best thing that ever happened to Pink Floyd. They would disappeared into obscurity if it hadn't been for him.
  • Joanna from Sopot, PolandPsychodelic. The musical version of the abstract art, one could say. I always had a soft spot for this song. Especially for the part where Waters describes the batlle with scottish accent.
  • David from Ashland City, Tnthis is a very interesting song,I have never heard a song like this before, I like it !
  • Kevin from Ellicott City, MdThis song is the direct result of Roger working with avant-garde composer Ron Geesin. Roger colaberated with Ron on the soundtrack "Music From The Body". Ron of course wrote the orchestral scores for "Atom Heart Mother". The accent used by Roger steams from Ron's very thick Scottish accent. I believe this song is a friendly poke at Mr. Geesin's quirkiness done in very good taste. Kudos to Roger for this timeless sound scape.
  • Sean from Chicago, IlMy eighth-grade teacher (God rest his soul) played this track to us, in the dark, on a portable stereo record player, to simulate the ambience that soldiers in World War I went through. The principal (a nun -- this was a Catholic school!) walked in, and it was amusing listening to him explain to her what he was doing!
  • Bryan from New York, NyThis song should be taken as a total joke. That being said I absolutely love it. Despite the total lack of instruments, the song actually does have a sense of rhythm. This was still in the experimental era of Pink Floyd, and Roger embraced this most of all. It's completely unique, and also hilarious, but the title should've been a hint.
  • Cisco M.f. from Andover, NjEverybody that's commenting here that says this song isn't good just don't get it,and that's really too bad.
  • JoaquÃ?n from Chaguito City, ChileOh, and I think Seamus is a really great song, junlike dogs of war.
  • JoaquÃ?n from Chaguito City, ChileActually Geo, David Gilmour joined in well before this album, he came up for "A Sourcerful of Secrets". In fact, he is the one in the front of the disc's cover, and he composed The Narrow Way - Parts I, II & III, for this record. So, he could well be the one saying that. And about that sentence, I find it very amusing, it kind of goes to show that this guys are just f--king around with us with this song, just like the Beatles do with their Revolution 9, it's like "well, you wanted avant-garde? you've got it!". Well, that's what I think anyway.
  • Kris from Wichita, Kswow Geo thanks for the pink floyd 101 but i think most of the people here should have known all that if they were Floyd Fans. and michael i agree that this song may not be very popular but i have and love thier quote unquote worst album "The Final Cut" and i think it's awsome and great so maybe this isn't the best but it shouldn't matter
  • Michael from OxfordGeo., I know perfectly well that Pink Floyd didn't start with "Dark Side..." I love "Astronomy Domine", "Interstellar Overdrive", "Atom Heart Mother" and "Echoes". But this is a misguided experiment along the lines of "Alan's Psychedelic Breakfast".
  • Geo. from Atl, GaWhat is with these multiple comments?

    Following a disastrous abridged tour of the United States, David Gilmour (a school friend of Barrett's) was asked to join the band as a second guitarist to cover for Barrett as Barrett's erratic behavior prevented him from performing. For a handful of shows David played and sang while Barrett wandered around on stage, occasionally deigning to join in playing. The other band members soon tired of Barrett's antics and, in January 1968, on the way to a show at Southampton University, the band elected not to pick Barrett up. They attempted to retain him in the group as a songwriter, much as The Beach Boys had with Brian Wilson, but this proved impractical.
  • Geo. from Atl, GaYou say above that, "There is a hidden message at about 4:22 into the song. If played at a slower speed, you can hear a voice (most likely either Waters or guitarist David Gilmour) say, "That was pretty avant-garde, wasn't it?"

    Couldn't have been David Gilmour ~ this album was made well before he joined the band.
  • Michael from Oxford, EnglandWay to go, Steve!!!
  • Steve from Birmingham, AlThis song don't swing, sway, or rock in any way. It falls flat on its face and you can't dance to it. I'd give it a zero if I could.
  • Wyatt from Anywhere, United StatesThis whole album is of soundscapes and dramatic background typ[e peices and the songs can't be judged as you would a normal pop song anymore than you could judge a movie score by them. It takes some impagination but the songs piant a serie of bizzare images in the mind. In "Carefull With That Ax Eugene" you can feel the horror and suspense of a madman stalking his victem inthe dark without words, just a title, music and screams. As in Asbstract art its outside normal boundaries
  • Wyatt from Anywhere, United StatesThe picts were called that by the Romans, who viewed them as formidable and extremely wild. The term "Pict" is short for Picti and refers to the the eloborate tattoos they wore
  • Michael from Oxford, EnglandAnd the Beatles' "Revolution 9" is actually interesting, which this certainly isn't.
  • Michael from Oxford, EnglandNo, you misunderstand me. (Why does this always happen to me?) My point is that "Seamus" and "Dogs of War" (two of the most unpopular PF songs) seem absolutely glorious compared with this!
  • Achory from Warner Robins, Gahowever, the dogs of war is actually pretty good. that's the one thing i disagree with Michael on.
  • Achory from Warner Robins, GaI agree with Michael, Leia, and Joseph. the song SUCKED. worst ever!!! ultra trippy. however, as for what he's saying, the animal sounds are him saying thank you over and over again with weird mixes, and then the incoherent babbling is him talking about some fight b/twn a couple of scottsman sped-up ultra fast. i hate this song.
  • Michael from Oxford, EnglandWorst Pink Floyd song ever, hands down. How can anyone call "Seamus" or "Dogs Of War" the worst Pink Floyd song when there's this one? I hate this even more than I hate the Beatles' "Revolution 9".
  • Joseph from Victoria, CanadaLike the rest of Ummagumma, best served with psychedelics.
  • Nick from Smyrna, TnI like how Roger Waters says "And the wind cries Mary" at the very end. What else is he saying before that?
  • Dave from Scottsdale, AzPicts drew alot- the words "picture" has it's source there.
  • Leia from Buffalo, NyThis song makes me cringe in utter terror.
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