The Madcap Laughs

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The Madcap Laughs
The Madcap Laughs cover
Studio album by Syd Barrett
Released 3 January 1970
Recorded Abbey Road 28 May 1968 - 5 August 1969
Genre Rock, Psychedelic
Length 37:47 (Original Vinyl)
57:12 (CD Reissue)
Label Harvest/EMI
Capitol Records (US)
Producer(s) Syd Barrett, Peter Jenner, Malcolm Jones, Roger Waters and David Gilmour
Professional reviews
Syd Barrett chronology
N/A The Madcap Laughs
(1970)		 Barrett
(1970)


The Madcap Laughs was Syd Barrett's first solo album after being replaced by David Gilmour in Pink Floyd for his erratic behavior. It was issued in January 1970 and marked the beginning of what would be a fairly short solo career.

After leaving his parent group, Barrett began recording sessions with former Pink Floyd-turned-Syd Barrett manager Peter Jenner in May 1968. Although the sessions were brief, and they produced some fine material, the project was abandoned for almost a year while Barrett spent much of the year as a recluse.

In April 1969, Malcolm Jones took over the project and Barrett began working on newer material, while reworking the 1968 recordings. Session musicians, namely, members of The Soft Machine, as well as Humble Pie drummer Jerry Shirley were also called in to augment Barrett's songs. His working style, which was often unfocused, proved to exasperate the production team, and after several sporadic sessions, two more producers - well known to Barrett - were called in to help.

Roger Waters and David Gilmour were in the process of completing Pink Floyd's ambitious Ummagumma album when they got involved with The Madcap Laughs that July and helped Barrett finish his album.

One of the features of the album was that Syd's songs were often recorded beforehand with him and his acoustic guitar, with Barrett completely skipping and adding beats at will (much to the frustration of the session musicians who had to follow the unpredictable recordings). After several months of intermittent recording, the album was finally deemed complete.

"Octopus" was released as a single in November 1969 and the album itself followed in January 1970. It reached #40 in the UK at the time and was fairly well-reviewed, though many critics have since pointed out the nakedness of some of songs, such as "Dark Globe" and "Feel", to be somewhat despairing and reflecting Barrett's anguished mental state at the time. Most of the songs on the album are held in high regard, with the exception of "Feel", "She Took a Long Cold Look", and "If It's In You"; all of which are disjointed and sung in a near-scream from Barrett. (The take of "Dark Globe" used on the album also featured out-of-time acoustic guitar playing and an unappealing vocal from Barrett; the take that appeared on Opel is generally considered to be far superior.)

[edit] Track listing

All songs by Syd Barrett, except where noted.

  1. "Terrapin" – 5:01
    Take 1, recorded 11 April 1969, overdubs added 4 May
    Produced by Malcolm Jones
  2. "No Good Trying" – 3:21
    Take 3, recorded 11 April 1969, overdubs added 3/4 May
    Produced by Malcolm Jones
  3. "Love You" – 2:24
    Take 4, recorded 11 April 1969, overdubs added 3 May
    Produced by Malcolm Jones
  4. "No Man's Land" – 2:58
    Take 5, recorded 17 April 1969, overdubs added 4 May
    Produced by Malcolm Jones
  5. "Dark Globe" – 2:02
    Take 1, recorded 5 August 1969
    Produced by David Gilmour and Roger Waters
  6. "Here I Go" – 3:13
    Take 5, recorded 17 April 1969
    Produced by Malcolm Jones
  7. "Octopus" – 3:43
    Take 11, recorded 12 June 1969, overdubs added 13 June
    Produced by Syd Barrett and David Gilmour
  8. "Golden Hair" – 2:00 (Barrett, Joyce)
    Take 11, recorded 12 June 1969
    Produced by Syd Barrett and David Gilmour
  9. "Long Gone" – 2:46
    Take 1, recorded 26 July 1969
    Produced by David Gilmour and Roger Waters
  10. "She Took a Long Cold Look" – 1:54
    Take 5, recorded 26 July 1969
    Produced by David Gilmour and Roger Waters
  11. "Feel" – 2:36
    Take 1, recorded 26 July 1969
    Produced by David Gilmour and Roger Waters
  12. "If It's In You" – 1:57
    Take 5, recorded 26 April 1969
    Produced by David Gilmour and Roger Waters
  13. "Late Night" – 3:12
    Take 2, recorded 28 May 1968, overdubs added 11 April 1969
    Produced by Pete Jenner, Malcolm Jones (overdubs)
  • In 1993, The Madcap Laughs was reissued with several bonus tracks of alternate takes. See Crazy Diamond for track details.

[edit] Personnel

[edit] Miscellanea

  • The nude woman appearing on the inside record sleeve was Syd Barrett's girlfriend who was known only as Iggy The Eskimo.


Syd Barrett
Studio Albums
The Madcap Laughs | Barrett | Opel | The Peel Sessions | The Radio One Sessions
Compilation albums
Syd Barrett | Crazy Diamond | Wouldn't You Miss Me?
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