Scream Thy Last Scream

"Scream Thy Last Scream"
Song by Pink Floyd
Released Unreleased
Recorded 7–8 August 1967
Genre Psychedelic rock
Writer Syd Barrett
Producer Norman Smith

"Scream Thy Last Scream" is an unreleased song by Pink Floyd, written by frontman Syd Barrett and was scheduled to be the band's next single.[1][2][3]

Recording

Only two takes are complete.[1] It was recorded in the same sessions as "Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun", on 7–8 August 1967.[4][5][2]

Music and lyrics

The song features: several changes in tempo, a sped-up double-tracked vocal part by Barrett, while drummer Nick Mason simultaneously sings the normal part[5][6] (one of the rare moments he ever sang on a Floyd record),[7] a range of bells,[8] crowd noises,[8] an instrumental section that continually increases in speed featuring wah-wah guitar solos and keyboards, and surreal lyrics.[9] Barrett is only clearly audible on one line in the song, "she'll be scrubbing bubbles on all fours".[5]

Aborted release and other versions

The two tracks were arranged to be released as a single on 8 September, before it was vetoed by the band's record company, EMI.[10] The song was again scheduled for release, this time with "Vegetable Man" as the B-side, but cancelled and both tracks remain unreleased.[1][11]

A promotional video was made for the track, directed by poet Spike Hawkins.[1] A final studio cut of "Scream Thy Last Scream" was completed along with a somewhat different BBC radio version (which features both Barrett and Mason on lead vocals)[12] and even some live recordings.[13] All are widely available on bootleg recordings.[14] A late-Barrett era rendition was recorded live in Rotterdam in November 1967, at the Hippy-Happy Fair.[15] Producer Malcolm Jones (who produced Barrett's The Madcap Laughs solo album) had remixed "Vegetable Man" and "Scream Thy Last Scream",[16] for inclusion on the Barrett rarities album Opel (1988), however the band blocked its inclusion.[17][18]

The song's chord progression and melody were later reworked for Barrett's song "Baby Lemonade", from his 1970 album Barrett.

Personnel

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Chapman, Rob (2010). Syd Barrett: A Very Irregular Head (Paperback ed.). London: Faber. p. 187. ISBN 978-0-571-23855-2. Retrieved 5 October 2012.
  2. 1 2 Palacios, Julian (2010). Syd Barrett & Pink Floyd: Dark Globe (Rev. ed.). London: Plexus. p. 262. ISBN 0859654311.
  3. ↑ Manning, Toby (2006). The Rough Guide to Pink Floyd (1st ed.). London: Rough Guides. p. 41. ISBN 1-84353-575-0.
  4. ↑ Jones, Malcolm (2003). "The Making of The Madcap Laughs" (21st Anniversary ed.). Brain Damage. p. 23.
  5. 1 2 3 Chapman, Rob (2010). Syd Barrett: A Very Irregular Head (Paperback ed.). London: Faber. p. 186. ISBN 978-0-571-23855-2.
  6. ↑ Palacios, Julian (2010). Syd Barrett & Pink Floyd: Dark Globe (Rev. ed.). London: Plexus. p. 264. ISBN 0859654311.
  7. ↑ Mason, Nick. Inside Out: A Personal History of Pink Floyd (Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 2004). ISBN 978-0-297-84387-0.
  8. 1 2 Palacios, Julian (1998). Lost in the Woods: Syd Barrett and the Pink Floyd. London: Boxtree. p. 178. ISBN 0-7522-2328-3.
  9. ↑ Chapman, Rob (2010). Syd Barrett: A Very Irregular Head (Paperback ed.). London: Faber. pp. 186–187. ISBN 978-0-571-23855-2.
  10. ↑ Palacios, Julian (1998). Lost in the Woods: Syd Barrett and the Pink Floyd. London: Boxtree. p. 180. ISBN 0-7522-2328-3.
  11. ↑ Jones, Malcolm (2003). "The Making of The Madcap Laughs" (21st Anniversary ed.). Brain Damage. p. 23.
  12. ↑ Palacios, Julian (2010). Syd Barrett & Pink Floyd: Dark Globe (Rev. ed.). London: Plexus. p. 306. ISBN 0859654311.
  13. ↑ http://pinkfloydhyperbase.dk/unreleased/index.html#SCREAM THY LAST SCREAM
  14. ↑ Schaffner, Nicholas (2005). Saucerful of Secrets: The Pink Floyd Odyssey (New ed.). London: Helter Skelter. p. 112. ISBN 1-905139-09-8.
  15. ↑ Palacios, Julian (2010). Syd Barrett & Pink Floyd: Dark Globe (Rev. ed.). London: Plexus. p. 299. ISBN 0-85965-431-1.
  16. ↑ Palacios, Julian (2010). Syd Barrett & Pink Floyd: Dark Globe (Rev. ed.). London: Plexus. p. 419. ISBN 0-85965-431-1.
  17. ↑ Manning, Toby (2006). The Rough Guide to Pink Floyd (1st ed.). London: Rough Guides. p. 186. ISBN 1-84353-575-0.
  18. ↑ Schaffner, Nicholas (2005). Saucerful of Secrets: The Pink Floyd Odyssey (New ed.). London: Helter Skelter. p. 134. ISBN 1-905139-09-8.
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