Lucifer Sam
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| "Lucifer Sam" | ||
|---|---|---|
 |
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| Song by Pink Floyd | ||
| from the album The Piper at the Gates of Dawn | ||
| Released | August 5, 1967 | |
| Recorded | April-June 1967 | |
| Genre | Psychedelic rock | |
| Length | 3:07 | |
| Label | Columbia/EMI (UK) Capitol (US) | |
| Writer(s) | Syd Barrett | |
| Producer(s) | Norman Smith | |
| The Piper at the Gates of Dawn track listing | ||
| "Astronomy Domine" (1) |
"Lucifer Sam" (2) |
"Matilda Mother" (3) |
"Lucifer Sam" is a song by British psychedelic rock band Pink Floyd, featured on the debut album The Piper at the Gates of Dawn (1967).
The song is built around a descending chord progression, with the dominent instrument being composer Syd Barrett's electric guitar, fed through an echo machine; the resultant sound has been likened to a "sinister" Duane Eddy.[1] This is augmented by bowed bass and increasingly agitated organ and percussion effects.
Though the lyric frequently refers to Lucifer Sam as a cat, some speculation has arisen as to whether this was in fact 1960s slang ("a hip cat") for a man, real or imagined, in some type of relationship with Barrett's then-girlfriend, Jenny Spires (referred to in the song as "Jennifer Gentle").[2] However Lucifer Sam was simply Barrett's domestic feline; the track was originally called "Percy the Rat Catcher" during the recording sessions, which took place during April-June 1967.[3]
"Lucifer Sam" was only ever performed live by Pink Floyd in 1967.[3] The intro of the song was later used uncredited in the movie Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery (1997).
The track has been covered by a number of artists, including True West, Jay Farrar, Love and Rockets, Voivod, Shockabilly, and The Lightning Seeds as a B-side to their 1992 single "Sense", also appearing on their 2006 best of collection.
[edit] Personnel
- Syd Barrett - guitar and vocals
- Richard Wright - keyboards
- Roger Waters - Bass
- Nick Mason - drums and percussion
