Not even the best one. He also tried to record another song with them around this time called "have you got it yet?". And everytime they would start he changed something in it and threw the rest of the band of track. They eventually realised he was just trolling them and Waters later did admit that, had he done it a few years prior, he would have laughed at it as a great joke.
@@jimhjortsberg2990 yea as “crazy” as syd was, he was very intelligent and very aware. I would say that he never truly lost his mind but his perception was heavily altered through taking all that acid. It made him seem strange to those closest to him.
@@jimhjortsberg2990 Syd was an obstacle to the development of the band, his lyrics were childish and his music absolutely naive. Luckily they kicked him out for being mentally ill and so PF could make music seriously.
Exactly the problem with going over the top with these psychedelic drugs ... some years ago I swear I truly learned the true meaning of : ´ignorance is bliss ` .
@@saraivatoledo1842 that's me right now. I'm one trip away from completely going over the edge. I want to just be a simple primate again not thinking about existential anxiety.
@@ThatIsDopeBro You know it . Not wishing to get into details but that is exactly the mood I was left in after having processed that last trip ... exactly that - " One - 1 - Trip away from completely going over the edge " into very unpredictable territory if I may add ( since a "simple primate" is well beyond control ) .
You can tell he's aware of what's happening, that he's being left behind. You can hear it in the lyrics as he tries to convey it like a joke with his sarcastic sense of humor, using it as a thin mask. But you can see it in his eyes. It's all a cry for help, he feels alone. He says with that grim expression "what exactly is a joke?" Basically saying that none of this song is a joke. It's chilling...
I believe he was well aware of what was happening but I don't think he wanted to do anything about it. He was already on a different plane than the rest of the band. So with this song he's basically saying "I know you're trying to take me for a fool and I know what's going on but you know what, I don't care either."
He wasn’t being phased out he phased himself out. He was saying in the song thank you for wanting me here but mentally I’m not really here Anymore. The guy just wasn’t with it.. He became an acid causality. He is saying thank you for forgiving me for being late and not showing up all the time. Thank you for caring and making me the center of attention but I am no longer here when he says I’m wondering who is writing this song. He then says he just doesn’t care anymore. He’s become cold. He really isn’t who he once was anymore. He doesn’t know what reality or who he is anymore. He did so much acid that the real syd died and floated away forever leaving behind a cold dead empty vessel shell of a man until the day he died.
There's something so gut-wrenching about this video to me. The blank expression of Syd, the slight discomfort from the other band members, and the lighting add up for a very melancholy experience. Plus having what could've been the last televised performance of Pink Floyd with Syd ending with a head turn is really fitting.
@@PetraKann The difference is the juxtaposition between Syd both before and after he started using LSD. This wasnt really normal for him, the guy used to be a ray of sunshine writing songs about gnomes and scarecrows. What this song really is is a personification of Syd's rapid transformation.
'Flat affect' = expressionless face is one of many symptoms of schizophrenia, as is 'catatonia' ( staring unnaturally in one direction for extended periods of time.) At the time this clip was recorded his mental disease became evident sadly.
@@four-en-teelsd didnt drive him crazy.. he was pre-disposed to psychosis and went crazy from his abuse of a multitude of sedatives and psychedelics. he wrote the first album after having taken lsd, no need to spread rumors
@@vonclohk507 I know what you're talking about that was a live version they did for the bbc I think but they didn't record any video for that someone just dubbed it over this video. You could see where syd's lyrics/strumming wasn't synced up right.
cl0rinda Ditto. I can usually manage to contain emotions when hearing this, but every time I watch it... I am unable to. I often wonder if before he was forced to become reclusive, if someone out there could’ve held the key to his mind, and helped him find his way back out of the dark. If I could go back and do so, I certainly would. For years I was a sort of guru to friends who had bad experiences with psychedelics. I could calm them and convince them that they were not scared or in pain or whatever really. Several times, I convinced people that the couch or seat they were sitting in was responsible for their fears at the time. Personally, it worked every time I used this method. Then one day, out of nowhere, I began having intensely bad trips myself, and no one was able to help. Now I am unable to use psychedelics, and am slightly suffering from residual effects for the rest of my life. I wonder if all he needed was someone like that. Because if I had someone to tell me the same things I used to tell people, I might’ve turned out differently. Even the guru needs a guru.
@@jessebauer0110 Syd wanted to learn meditation but the teacher rejected him. He told Syd that he wanted to learn it for "emotional" reasons. What a bloody shame! It might have made a big difference in Syd's life if he had learned how to meditate!!
Funny you should say that. This was one of my partners favourite songs ever. He died a couple of weeks ago, hoping to play it at his funeral. The first two lines particularly relevant. 😔
"Pink Floyd's most popular work drew on the power of what Barrett signified," wrote Steven Hyden in his 2018 book . "Even after he was no longer in the band, his spirit haunted its records.
Whoever directed this did an extraordinary job. It so nails the feeling of the song. The lighting is really unusual. So many great creative decisions on how it was filmed. Beautiful.
They also conceived the lightning. Not them, but Syd. He was working on that with that man he called master, a light engineering who rented the apartment to the early pink floyd and was impressed with it
This has to be the saddest story in Rock history.He had so much going for him,good looks,brilliant mind,and people were drawn to him.He self destructed and nothing could have stopped him.Thank God has family was there for him to make sure he got what was needed.I lost all respect for Roger Waters,he got what he wanted,get rid of Syd and then tried to take over the band. Which he tried to do,but thank God for Gilmore making sure Syd got his royalties that were due to him.Gilmore was a true friend to Syd.
Those last 25 seconds still kill me. Feel shivers and so much more every time I hear this. Brilliance my brothers and sisters who struggle. No one can take anything from you.
Next time you listen to it, just add six little words, right at the end. "Screw you guys, Ahm gewing hurme". I think that's more in line with where Syd was coming from.
I was the first person outside of PF and their management to see this video. I was sent a copy of it on VHS by an ex-employee of Blackhill Enterprises, PF's original management company, circa 2000. I got his email off my friend Karl (a then member of EleMenT/tRANSELEMENt) who had told me about his lecturer at Manchester Uni who claimed to have an unseen (and unfinished) video for Jugband Blues. He intended to show it at the Cornerhouse cinema in Manchester but he never got round to it. I emailed him to ask him for a copy and didn't expect him to actually send me a copy! I digitised my VHS copy and shared this video with the members of a Syd Barrett / Early Pink Floyd Yahoo Group called The Laughing Madcaps initially.
It is even more heart wrenching if you know any of the back story. The song is a plea for help and when watching the faces of Syd and the rest of the band while knowing what you know is all the more gripping. When Syd asks, “What exactly is a dream?” I can’t help but feel as though even he couldn’t distinguish between fantasy and reality at this point, but nevertheless longed for realism. It makes me want to fly back through time and take him by the hand to a safe and friendly place. Similar to the “bad trip” tents set up at Woodstock or similar places. Rest now painter, piper, prism. Find piece in knowing that lives have been changed by your story and it’s music.😓
Life is a fantasy, it’s all a realistic dream that doesn’t pan out as expected as our very own dreams consist of when we sleep. Syd new that. Some people do, some don’t. Expand the horizons and all will see this man just wanted to enjoy life and it’s beauty and create art. Not be a pop star or some industry music icon.
Psychedelic Mind no he was spiked also he didnt mean to go over his limits. along with the acid he was taking himself, he was also being spiked by housemates who thought it was funny to make him go on crazy trips. sad sad story
It’s awfully considerate of you to think of me here And I’m most obliged to you for making it clear that I’m not here And I never knew the moon could be so big And I never knew the moon could be so blue And I’m grateful that you threw away my old shoes And brought me here instead dressed in red And I’m wondering who could be writing this song [Verse 2] I don’t care if the sun don’t shine And I don’t care if nothing is mine And I don’t care if I’m nervous with you I’ll do my loving in the winter [Verse 3] And the sea isn’t green And I love the Queen And what exactly is a dream? And what exactly is a joke?
"And the sea isn't green. And I love the queen. And what exactly is a dream? And what exactly is a joke?" Syd Barrett lays everything out on the table for the entire world to see which is a rare and admirable quality. Jugband Blues always seemed like a fond farewell from him to the band and the rest of the world. I can picture him performing it as he watches his band mates set sail towards something he'd either never wanted to understand or had such intense mixed feelings about.. Fame and fortune.
It wouldn’t be the same band basically. Yes it would still be successful, but not as legendary as it is today. It really sucks, because on the one hand we could’ve seen a peak Syd Barrett, but on the other hand we would lose what Pink Floyd is today
Cassius Delta bruh do you not understand? Syd Barrett’s breakdown was the reason why Pink Floyd is what it is today. The Wall, DSOTM, Animals, WYWH are ALL based on Syd’s story. Shortly after he left, Pink Floyd was actually failing, the albums didn’t sound like what it was today and they were significantly worse than Piper and Saucerful. Only during Meddle did they really get the real signature sound they are known for today.
Yeah, its quite sad when you find out that they kinda ghosted him for some time thinking he did not understand and then you hear him say “And i’m most obliged to you for making it clear that i’m not here”
Yeah. For a guy in the middle of a totally delusional, drug fuelled, schizioid, cataleptic, bi- tri-quadra-polar meltdown, (*allegedly*) Syd was remarkably self aware and creatively nuanced. Unlike that moody artless twat, Waters.
I agree with you. The finale, with voice and guitar alone, takes you to another dimension... The verses are of an enchanting, perhaps childish sadness.
Beautiful. This is and will always be my favourite Pink Floyd song. There’s a real sense of detachment and isolation in it that only someone in Syd’s headspace at the time could evoke.
It always impresses me the self awareness that Syd possessed. He was certainly farther out there than most people we ever meet, but he remained amazingly self aware throughout, at least at times. This song is a key demonstration of this.
so good. Nick is playing the drums as if he's asleep. He knows it's sad. This is deep musical expression with an emotional story behind it like no other. RIP RKB.
These lyrics make me believe Syd was perfectly aware of his mental state. I think he saw what the music industry was and just shut down. The business side of music can really kill a true artist. When Pink Floyd hit pay dirt he bowed out.
Or, he took too many drugs and they fried his brain? Had nothing to do with the ‘industry’, they kicked him out because he was unreliable and wanted to push the band in a bad direction.
@@ALittleBitCheesy Yes, and he took too many. How are you finding this hard to understand? He obviously started taking drugs when he was fine mentally, and ended up indulging too much. That’s how drugs work. They don’t automatically make you ‘insane’ once you do some.
Drugs such as LSD can trigger underlying mental conditions earlier than they would have emerged normally. At normal doses (80-500ųg), LSD is a relatively safe chemical to consume. However, only He knows what dose and how often he took LSD. I read some where that he would binge, taking 500ųg+ for about 7 days in a row. When you take LSD that often at that dose, it can act like a CNS stimulant as metabolites build up in your body. He probably didn't feel like eating or sleeping, consequently developing anxiety, lethargy & anhedonia. I also read that he was taking barbituates which are very heavy sedatives. It may not have been LSD that caused his decline, but perhaps a barbituate addiction. Just my 2C :^)
i cant quite explain it but this song leaves me with a sadness i can feel physically whenever i listen to it. so haunting and so beautiful. we love you syd hope you're at peace thank you.
Quote by DAVID JON GILMOUR ~ "Jugband Blues", which was recorded before I joined the band, is a better song than most of the ones on Piper. It's a very, very personal song about him and his condition, which is very raw and strange. I think it's quite brilliant. And some of the other ones that are quite excruciatingly recorded on The Madcap Laughs are absolutely brilliant songs. I'm not sure if the polish of the Piper mix makes me think that the subsequent ones are better. It's very hard to judge. But for me, the better stuff comes later."
Piper is genius, but I would give anything to hear instead Syd's rough demos of Piper songs, should they exist. I far far far better like his solo stuff, its strangeness, its imagery, the incessant revelations of a landscape of madness, a madness you can only be aware of as it drags you down down down. I even go so far as to suggest that some of his solo stuff was actually ruined by adding (too much) accompaniment, with the general idea being Syd was so far out there with ideas that no one could really play on his level or do his work right as far as arrangment and composition. This is very clear to me on tracks like Wolfpack and Dominoes, even with the organ on Dominoes sounding perfect. Listening to the many versions of Dark Globe is revealing too. I sometimes wonder if Syd would have arranged them differently, had he the mind to stick to it and not ramble off.
Syd: It's awfully considerate of you to think of me here And I'm much obliged to you for making it clear That I'm not here Roger: How I wish, How I wish you were here! Were just 2 lost souls swimming in a Fishbowl, Year After year Running over the same old ground And how we found The same old fears Wish you were here
Jugband Blues - Pink Floyd - Lyrics [Verse 1] It’s awfully considerate of you to think of me here And I’m most obliged to you for making it clear That I’m not here And I never knew the moon could be so big And I never knew the moon could be so blue And I’m grateful that you threw away my old shoes And brought me here instead dressed in red And I’m wondering who could be writing this song [Verse 2] I don’t care if the sun don’t shine And I don’t care if nothing is mine And I don’t care if I’m nervous with you I’ll do my loving in the winter La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la [Verse 3] And the sea isn’t green And I love the Queen And what exactly is a dream? And what exactly is a joke?
He did not lost his mind. Waters just threw away Syd. And keep in mind there is no Syd since second album (except single track). Actualy there is a very first album after whole crew did decide to threw this "genius" away...
@@yuriytheone Waters did actually offer that he stayed with the band and simply not tour with them (which he hated, and the stress from it was what drove him to drug abuse in the first place) and "work from home". He refused though and then the writing was kinda on the wall.
@@jimhjortsberg2990 he fell ill with schizophrenia..he couldn't recognise his own bandmates and wouldn't sing or play guitar during concerts ..he lost his mind..there was nothing else the band could do than remove him...
@@yuriytheone finally someone who doesn't believe the collusion. Syd lived a healthy and normal life after the band. He wasn't sick he just grew tired of the music industry.
One of the most emotional and haunting PF tracks and it’s called goddamn Jugband Blues it should be called Existential Fucking Crisis in C. Seriously though Syd’s decline into obscurity is probably the saddest story in popular music. The things he could’ve done if his mind wasn’t destroyed. RIP
you can see Syd was a artist it is believed that when Syd was doing LSD he said he wanted to bring his trip of how he felt on LSD into his music so he felt LSD helped him bring his artwork into his music to combine is so did LSD like every other day sometimes 2-3 hits at one time
I was 14 and autistic. I had no idea what was going on, but now I’m 70 and I understand some of the road Syd traveled. He was a misunderstood genius who was taken advantage of by selfish others. Rest well, Syd and please know that you made a difference. ❤
@@jbv97 Precisely - being removed but still remaining present and lucid mentally. I suppose I misunderstood you and you meant gone from the Floyd and not gone as in mentally vacant
Waters, Wright and especially Mason also look as if they're "gone". Barrett's white shirt is in contrast with the colours surrounding him. I think that's a great choice. (He dressed himself, didn't he?) Barrett looks to me as being very present in making his statement about being "not here". Also emotional, how he firmly stands and looks in the camera, as if he's disappointed and a bit angry about what's going wrong in his life. I see an angry, disappointed attitude. He's not just staring. Also in the 'Apples and Oranges' Bandstand video, the other Floyds look rather "gone" themselves.
From what I heard, they all had a meeting and Syd agreed to leave. They were still close afterwards. Roger and David even helped Syd produce his solo album The Madcap Laughs. But I don't think he really understood how far it had gotten.
My favourite Syd Barrett song. Hell this is one of my favourite Pink Floyd songs I don't even understand why. I mean in my opinion I believe Syd was the best Pink Floyd member and he should get the amount of recognition for his contribution to the band. I really love his energy and enthusiasm aswell.. much love Syd Barrett.. may you rest in peace.
They were no doubt exasperated by Syd’s behaviour but they didn’t want to get rid of him because he was the creative force and primary songwriter at that time. Losing Syd put their musical future in jeopardy. But his mental decline made it impossible to go on with him eventually.
It's awfully considerate of you to think of me here And I'm most obliged to you for making it clear That I'm not here And I never knew the moon could be so big And I never knew the moon could be so blue And I'm grateful that you threw away my old shoes And brought me here instead dressed in red And I'm wondering who could be writing this song I don't care if the sun don't shine And I don't care if nothing is mine And I don't care if I'm nervous with you I'll do my loving in the winter And the sea isn't green And I love the queen And what exactly is a dream And what exactly is a joke
As someone who's experienced nightmare trips and hell psychosis, this is the most painful song I've ever heard. Important for those who don't know to listen, and for those who do to repress.
At the time of this recording, Syd was mostly gone. This is apparent when comparing his set and blank expression and skyward stare to earlier performances, like the wonderful Arnold Layne promo video. Roger Keith Syd, the guy that pioneered guitar effects, overdubs, and English whimsy in rock a la Wind in the Willows, could barely play his guitar by this point, often just standing like a statue, 1000-yard stare. Sometimes he held the guitar upside down, sometimes he wondered off in the middle of sets - songs would change tempo, or key, and he would insist it was the same as the previous try. Sometimes he actually detuned his guitar onstage, or played one single monotonous note. Part of this was schizophrenia, but part of this was a dislike for fame and the record industry. As a protest, he once even wore literal rags for a live taping of a show, which was a big no-no back then when performers had to kiss ass to get on TV, tone down performances, or change lyrics. This song is a mess, yet, the lyrics to this song paint not a clueless person, but someone tragically aware of their problems, especially with lines referring to people writing his lyrics that must be him but are not him. Some of the most haunting lines lie in the dissonant strummed ending, declaring he still loves the Queen (interpreted as wanting to belong), asking what is a dream, what is a joke - (One imagines being so mentally lost and out of sorts that jokes have lost their meaning, or dreams have become indistinguishable from reality.) The whole album this song comes from is fair, I guess, considering the turmoil, and you can see the Floyd trying to find an identity beyond Syd, even though Syd still haunted the band like a ghost at this time. After spending time dabbling with movie soundtracks and funeral elegies (Atom Heart Mother), it wouldnt be until Dark Side of Moon before they found their post-Syd groove, but even that was basically the architecturally-structured laments of a band that lost their genius lead, wishing he was there with them, not realizing that the fat shaved-bald man with the bucket of chicken who kept brushing his teeth over and over, watching from the wings was in fact Syd. I will never forget the story of a journalist who tracked him down in the 90s, when Barrett was secluded and doing paintings. Supposedly Barrett had a room of dozens of guitars that he just looked at but never played. When asked about his old rocker days, he would say it was a different person, or that it made him sad to think about and he would rather paint. I think at this time he called himself Roger and referred to Syd as a third person. Ultimately, he was like so many great artists: a fragile, ill mind with too much creativity and sensitivity for this world. This is probably the longest comment I ever wrote, but Barrett has always meant so much to me. I even named my son after him.
I like to think that Barret had a satisfying life after Pink Floyd, in a "one must imagine sisyphus happy" way. That Pink Floyd was just a chapter that he moved past. That just because he no longer had a spotlight does not mean he was no longer important as an individual. From this frame, I feel uncomfortable with some of the mourning songs of the band; They feel like they are mourning a man who is still there. I think that is one of the saddest and cruelest ways to pay homage to a friend.
"and the sea isn't green, and i love the queen, what exactly is a dream, and what exactly is a joke" .... This line is beautiful yet it has managed to haunt me since the day I heard this song. Syd Barrett is one of the best song writers in my opinion and personally for me.
Probably the most terrifying song ever made. Nothing will ever come close, it is litteraly about Syd aware of his mental decline and being pushed out of the band... only to endure years of mental illness... Rest In Peace, Syd Barrett.
I watched this shortly after my mind broke due to a psychedelic experience. Syd Barrett really made me feel as though I wasn't alone and that really shows me that his tragedy wasn't in vain. The words at the end of the song "what exactly is a dream? And what exactly is a joke?" Made me cry.
The lyrics in this song are heartbreaking man. I really want to know what Syd's tried to tell in his last song with PF. You will always be remembered, Syd.💔💔
0:33 Some new editing during the close-up of Barrett singing "writing this". The unrestored transfer shows severe frame damage at this point. They've repeated (reversed?) an undamaged part. As a result, Barrett's eyes blink more than they already did. And also the timing of the background colours stutters. Despite the severe frame damage, more can be done to restore it (instead of cutting it). And if repeating an undamaged part really is needed, use some digital reworking to keep the flow of Barrett's facial expression and the background lighting. The footage itself is easy to rework digitally. Luckily, it's just a steady close-up with background colours. Barrett singing "I'm wondering who could be writing this song" is a very important part of the video and the song. So, I hope someone will make a better restoration of this part of the footage.
Impressive that it's the last song Syd Barrett included (besides his solo album). You can see the emptiness in his eyes, but also how self-aware he was. Respect to those who filmed it-they used lights and instrumental music to create a truly creepy atmosphere.
My interpretation of when he said "what exactly is a dream/ joke" is he is forever in a psychedelic trip where the boundaries of reality are melted and hes in the void. We distinguish a dream as something seperate from reality becuase our body is asleep, but whose to say they are seperate things? A joke is something when comeedic timing allows us to laugh, but whose to say thats not always there? I also think when he repetitively says " i never knew the moon could be so big" is him further explaining this same feeling of getting lost in the void.
As odd as this song is (with the Salvation Army boy marching band) it still comes off as brilliant. With Syd Barrett in Pink Floyd it seemed as if anything was within reason, nothing was crazy enough, even a marching band playing with a kazoo and a tuba. It still sounded great! He had such vision and a great artistic mind that nothing was off limits to create a sound or atmosphere. He doesn’t sing a word on Remember A Day and he steals the show with his amazing slide guitar on it. His illness and departure was a TREMENDOUS LOSS.
RossBayCult Los Angeles Free Press Review of The Pink Floyd's "Cheetah Club" shows in Santa Monica, CA on November 5,1967 closed with ~ "To quote their press release, 'There can be no barriers, there can be no predictions.'"
When I was a kid and had “echoes the best of” this song came in after wish you were here. It was my introduction to Syd Barrett and that world of PF. I kick myself for not diving deeper back then and that was 20 years ago
"And, what exactly is a joke?" Then looks back at Roger. He knows that his wiring has become something beyond any conventional band organization and yet he knows exactly what is happening. So he artfully, and gracefully bows out into obscurity as the diamond he was and is. Love Syd! Your music is forever!
1:36 I think this is the most eerily part of the video. Everyone from the band has stopped playing except syd who is still moving his right hand on the guitar
I love how this is the final song of A Sacerful Of Secrets being also sadly the final song composed by Syd Barrett and how the lyrics are like a goodbye by Syd it's so sad but it's also so beautiful and perfect
That's the line I picked up on too. Such genuine bits of emotion packed within the acid-soaked confusion. That's why their "psychedelia" lasted, and was better.
This was stated shortly after the infamous summer of love. He’s basically admitting that he will go against his entire generation because he’s just stopped caring. He didn’t feel like a part of it all whatsoever.
This is amazing to see. I never knew this video existed, and would never have dreamed in a thousand years they would have made a promo video (and with the whole group!) for this particular, very eccentric song.
This is my favorite Pink Floyd song and one of their best work in my opinion. It's not the most technically impressive track they've made but an amazing piece of art nonetheless. You can easily lose yourself thinking about this song and all the emotion behind it.
There is a difference between “going crazy” and realizing that life is a dream. Realizing that who you thought was “here” never actually is. When this is realized, there really is no more pretending. The game is revealed and the “persona” fades; from the outside the person can come off as burned out, lost, or completely different to other people.
Bless his heart. Trying to deal with all the changes in his life and couldn’t do it. His flat affect is heartbreaking compared to previous joyful images. The world seemed to just squish his spirit.
