Summer '68

Album: Atom Heart Mother (1971)
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  • Would you like to say something before you leave
    Perhaps you'd care to state exactly how you feel
    We said goodbye before we said hello
    I hardly even like you, I shouldn't care at all
    We met just six hours ago, the music was too loud
    From your bed I gained a day and lost a bloody year

    And I would like to know
    How do you feel, how do you feel?
    How do you feel, how do you feel?

    Not a single word was said, the night still hid our fears
    Occasionally you showed a smile but what was the need
    I felt the cold far too soon, in a room of 95
    My friends are lying in the sun, I wish that I was there
    Tomorrow brings another town and another girl like you
    Have you time before you leave to greet another man

    Just you let me know
    How do you feel, how do you feel?
    How do you feel, how do you feel?

    Goodbye to you
    Charlotte Pringle's due
    I've had enough for one day Writer/s: RICK WRIGHT
    Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 30

  • Mobius8 from Near AuburnAlways liked Summer '68 as it reminded me a good bit of some of Brian Wilson's songs. Richard Wright penned it about disconnected sex with a groupie appropriately enough during the summer of 1968. I saw Floyd twice (in 1979 & again in 1995) but they (to my knowledge) never played this song in concert. I've heard that both Waters & Gilmour despised the album Atom Heart Mother, and others in the group ranked it as their worst album. But personally there are several really good songs on that album - Fat Ole Sun, Summer, & Alan's Psychedelic Breakfast all come to mind. FWIW, I cannot think of a single Pink Floyd song that I didn't like to some capacity or another. also for anyone interested in a superb PF cover band, Brit Floyd does a really awesome job of covering Floyd's discography and I've recommended seeing them to many PF-loving folks over the years (I've seen them 7 times in ATL).
    If you ever get a chance to see them, I believe you'll thank yourself after the fact. Really fine musicians & stage presence.
  • AnonymousJohn, from Brazil as well, is right. A broadcasting program in Brazil used part of the song “Summer’68” in its overture. I was a teenager and didn’t know Pink Floyd yet. But I loved to listen that overture every evening.
  • John from BrazilThis song has been the most famous and known song of Atom heart mother in Brazil because the biggest TV broadcast adopted it as its anthem .
    My opinion is that it should be rearranged in a stripped or unplugged way and would be a big hit....again.
    Sadly it wont be done because Wright is dead and the Atom work is despised by the others still alive.
  • A.p from UngarnActually, Syd didn't "leave" the band, he was let go because by 68 he already lost his mind.
    And the album Wish you were is about him.
  • Shayne from AustraliaHonestly the lyrics on this are not cryptic. Its a reference to a groupie. Right there in the name;- Charlotte Pringle.
    I dont think theres intended to be any other meanings here. He's expressing frusturation at the anonymous meaningless of sex on the road and perhaps a little concern for the girl (and keep in mind, at that point in time there was a *lot* of dubious stuff going on. I'm actually wondering if Charlotte Pringle is a reference to the "Plaster Caster" girls, a group of groupies led by "Charlotte plaster caster" whos was a rather famous groupie whos gimmick was blow jobs followed by making a plaster mould of the musicains manhood (She was also I *believe* tied in with Frank Zappas "Girls together outrageously"). Maybe they used a Pringle can for the mould?

    Ok this is pretty funny to think about lol.
  • Satch Persaud from Queens N.yI was listening to this song on you tube and someone said this song is about Syd?? Don't people listen to lyrics??? Not only the do have time question, but at the end of the song he says another town another girl like u... I honestly thought he ment how she felt sexually but that's maybe my mine running a bit to far
  • Seth from Foster, RiThis song is amazing. I love Rick Wright. His songs have the best chord progressions. This song makes me cry when I listen to it with my eyes closed.
  • Tristan from Philadelphia, PaI felt that there was a Barrett connection too. But if you were analyze almost any Floyd song it would seem that there is a Barrett connection. Syd of course left in April of '68, so in the summer of '68 it would be logical that his absence would have had time to kick in. But to whoever said their first American tour was in the summer of '68 must have forgotten the disastrous Floyd West Coast Tour of '67. But this is about the song Summer of '68! Its hard to say that this is the greatest song on Atom Heart Mother because they are all great. But the middle three, 'If', 'Summer of '68', and 'Fat Old Sun' are all so incredible.
  • Harry from South Bend, InThis is probably one of my favorite Pink Floyd songs; I think Rick has really outdone himself on the vocals, and the brass solos are wonderful. Definitely my favorite from the Atom Heart Mother album, besides the title track, of course.
  • Roy from Granbania, MaRick Wright's work in Pink Floyd is very underappreciated. Even if he didn't write the most songs, he almost always contributed the arrangement of the keyboard parts in each song, which, in my opinion, are the sounds that made Pink Floyd so unique. My personal favorite of his works is his first song, Paintbox. Paintbox has been overlooked for decades, possibly because it was a non-album B-Side. R.I.P. Rick Wright, you will be missed.
  • Lindsay from Brisbane, AustraliaThis is one of my favourite Floyd songs. "From your bed I gained a day and lost a bloody year". A little sleuthing yields a plausible theory on the meaning of this line. Miles' biography says that Pink Floyd first toured the US from July 4 to early September 1968 (summer '68). Rick Wright had his 25th birthday on July 28, 1968, during the tour. I reckon the line refers to him waking up on his birthday.
  • Tancredi from Palermo, ItalyIn my opinion there's a clear allusion to the Syd Barrett leaving. I mean, in Summer '68 Syd Barrett definitely left the group after the disastrous ending of the America tour. Some lines, however, can be referred both to an fictitious groupie both to Barrett: "Perhaps you'd care to state exactly how you feel!" - says at a certain point and they can refer it to the illness situation of Barrett. "I lost a bloody year!" - can be referred to the "bloody" session of 'A Saurceful of Secrets' recording. "I would like to know: How do you feel? How do you feel? How do you feel? Is there anybody out there?" - and this can be referred to the situation of the group after Barrett's leaving. I think it in this way. ;-)
  • Kevin from Ellicott City, MdThis is by far my favorite Wright composition as well as one of my favorite Floyd songs. Does any one here know more about the brass parts on this song. I can't tell if they are live brass or synthesizers. The mechanics of the making of this song are barley touched upon by any reading sources or DVD's. It's quite frustrating in the case of this true gem.
  • Dan from Dousman, WiI believe the woman's name at the end is Charlotte Pringle, as in Charlotte Pringle's due, perhaps the next groupie.
  • Mourad from Lebanon, OtherYes, the name is Charlotte Pringles! I'm quite sure. You can check out the lyrics at www.pinkfloyd-co.com
  • Charlotte from A Place, Englandim so confused i cnt find the actual correct lyrics for this song
    Some say "childish bangles" Some say "Charlotte Kringles" And others like this one says "Charlotte Pringles"
    And i wanna know cos thats my name!!
  • Emilie O'neill from Buffalo, Nyactually, bud, the lyrics are "Have you time before you leave to greet another man
    Just to let me know, how do you feel?" Contrary to popular belief, Rick isn't gay
  • Desdemona from London, EnglandWho would sleep with Rick Wright?
  • Mike from Dayton, OhAtom Heart Mother Suite & Fat Old Sun are the albums highlights for me.
  • James from Toronto, Canadathe only reason i spent $30 on this (big, HUGE ripoff) was because of this song
  • Mark from Indianapolis, InAnybody notice a resemblance between this and Brian Wilson's songs? Mostly mood, not lyrically. I just heard Summer 68 for the first time, and it reminded me of some of the lesser-known Beach Boys songs. Very evocative.
  • Notmyrealemail from Buffalo, NyGreat song - "I hardly even like you, I shouldn't care at all; We met just six hours ago" This lyrics have deep personal meaning, reminds me of a girl, I said that too once. It wasnt six hours, it was like two weeks, things were not going that great and I was trying to express How I felt over attached, after such a short period. Great song.


    charlie, Thomaston, CT

    - One night Stand with a Groupie :)


    claudio, Belo Horizonte, Brazil

    Best song on Atom Heart Mother, maybe best Floyd Song ever is is Atom Heart Mother Suite, By far. (all good songs, for sure)

    - kelly, los angeles, CA
    - Yes

    Tom, Berlin, MD

    "Marmalade, a lot of marmalade"




  • Andrew from TorontoI am really surprised at how many people love this song.I thought I was the only one.The piano melody is beautiful.I disagree with some of the comments though,great album?Muddy production and mediocure songs-If,Fat Old Sun,Alan,s,and the Floyd are one of my all time favourite bands,but I love Summer '68.
  • Tom from Berlin, MdWow, I am surprised at how many appreciate this. It's a great song, but for me, Alan's Psychedelic Breakfast is what makes Atom Heart Mother great. Atom Heart Mother Suit is excellent too, and If is an aquired taste, at the least. I really like Fat Old Sun a lot.

    But my favorite of Wright's is definately, without a doubt, Remember A Day.
  • Stefanie Magura from Rock Hill, ScAlain. I haven't heard "Summer '68" or "God Save The Queen", but judging the other songs you have on your top 10 list, you have great tastes in music. I love the others.
  • Alain from Gainesville, FlThe Gratest 10 song's of all time are:
    1 Summer'68(Pink Floyd)
    2 The Song Remains the Same(Zeppelin)
    3 A Day in the Life(Beatles)
    4 Gimme Shelter(Stones)
    5 Iron Man(Sabbath)
    6 Hey Joe (Hendrix)
    7 God Save the Queen (Pistols)
    8 The End (Doors)
    9 Lola (Kinks)
    10 I am the Warlus(Beatles)
  • Tom from The Far Corners Of The GlobeSummer '68 is the best Pink Floyd song of all time. It creates an aura of tranquility unmactched by their later effort. The profound irony of this song is that it was wriitten by keyboardist Richard Wright not by the sheer genius of frontman Roger Waters. This song truly enraptures the mind and soul of oneself and propels you to search for that elusive bliss you have been so longly searching for day by day. It is impeccable and a musical milestone.
  • Kelly from Los Angeles, CaOne of Pink Floyd's best songs EVER. Rick Wright's songwriting and singing are underappreciated. They lyrics sound too bitter to be about just a groupie, so if it is about a groupie, it must be one who really affected him. I love the juxtaposition of bilious lyrics against a really nice melody.
  • Claudio from Belo Horizonte, Brazilbest song on Atom Heart Mother, by far. extremely catchy piano riff!! and Rick Wright sings very well, much better than Water's nasal whining in my opinion. This song goes to show how tallented Rick was/is. His "solo imput" on this album is by far better than Gilmour's and Water's ("fat old sun" and "if" respectively)
  • Charlie from Thomaston, Ctno i think this song is about a one night stand not a groupie, but i really like this song, richard wright did a great job, and although he is really modest about it he is a great singer.
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