| "Sysyphus" | ||||
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| Song by Pink Floyd from the album Ummagumma | ||||
| Released | October 1969 | |||
| Recorded | March 1969 | |||
| Genre | Psychedelic rock, avant-garde 20th century classical |
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| Length | 12:59 (LP) 13:28 (CD) |
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| Label | Harvest Records | |||
| Writer | Richard Wright | |||
| Producer | Norman Smith | |||
| Ummagumma track listing | ||||
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"Sysyphus" is an avant-garde, instrumental four part suite written and performed by rock band Pink Floyd's keyboardist Richard Wright. The song is featured on his portion of the studio half of Ummagumma (and is the song that opens the studio album).[1] The track was occasionally performed live in 1970.
Richard Wright's instrumental was named after a character in Greek mythology, usually spelled "Sisyphus".[2] Orthographic differences aside, the song is a musical interpretation of the Sisyphean challenge. Wright's portrayal of Sisyphus pushing the rock up a steep hill in Hades is evident in the slow almost droning parts of the song.[3] "The Myth of Sisyphus" is also a well-known essay by French existentialist philosopher and author Albert Camus.
Part one consists of an overture featuring timpani and Mellotron chords resembling an orchestra. This segues into a piano solo that dissolves into a raucous, dissonant performance as Sisyphus struggles up the hill. Part two features a piano having its strings plucked and strummed alongside percussion and tape effects of sped-up voices. Brief moments of musical calm appear in part three, as Sisyphus reaches the top of the hill; this section features a soft keyboard and organ piece with birds chirping. This lull is immediately followed by part four; a thunderous orchestral crescendo, representing the boulder falling back down the hillside. The theme of part one resurfaces as the end, indicating that Sisyphus is pushing the large rock up the hill once more.
On compact disc, part one was split into two halves, labeled "Part I" and "Part II". Consequently, the original part two became "Part III", while parts three and four became "Part IV".
It was performed in concert just four times by Pink Floyd, and the only live recording of this song is from 11 February 1970, at Birmingham Town Hall, England, which circulates within the bootleg trading communities. The work is mentioned as being used to accompany Salomé's dance in the biography of Clive Barker.[4]
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