Pink Floyd
Atom Heart Mother
October 1970

Release date : October 10th, 1970
Recorded at : EMI Studios, Abbey Road, London

Atom Heart Mother was Pink Floyd's first No. 1 record. Up to their ears in avant-garde experimental ideas, the Floyd teamed up with the electronic composer Ron Geesin to create the side-long title track, their most ambitious piece of work so far. It is embellished with horns and a choir.
Nick Mason: "It's an averagely recorded album but a very interesting idea, working with Ron Geesin, an orchestra and the Roger Aldiss choir. Roger and I were quite friendly with Ron. I think I met him through Robert Wyatt. The thing that Ron taught us most about was recording techniques, and tricks done on the cheap. We learned how to get round the men-in-white-coats and do things at home, like editing. Ron taught us how to use two tape recorders to create an endless build up of echo. It was all very relevant to things we did later. Now I listen to it with acute embarrassment because the backing track was put down by Roger and me, beginning to end, in one pass. Consequently the tempo goes up and down. It was a 20-minute piece and we just staggered through it. On the other side, Alan's Psychedelic Breakfast was another great idea -- gas fires popping, kettles boiling, that didn't really work on record but was great fun live. I've never heard Roger lay claim to it, which makes me think it must have been a group idea."
There is also the beautiful song "If" and "Alan's Psychedelic Breakfast", with great sound effects. The thing most people remember "Atom Heart" for these days is its spectacular cover, featuring nothing but cows.
David Gilmour: "At the time we felt Atom Heart Mother, like Ummagumma, was step towards something or other. Now I think they were both just a blundering about in the dark."
The album's title was randomly taken from a newspaper headline. By now the group were producing themselves.
Musicians
Syd Barrett guitars, vocals
David Gilmour guitars, vocals
Nick Mason drums
Roger Waters bass guitar, vocals
Rick Wright keyboards, vocals
Alan Stiles vocals
John Aldiss Choir backing vocals
Ron Geesin rearranger and sound engeenering
Alan Parsons sound engeenering

1. Atom Heart Mother Suite [Mason, Gilmour, Waters, Wright, Gessin]

instrumental.

a. Father's Shout
b. Breast Milky
c. Mother Fore
d. Funky Dung
e. Mind Your Throats, Please
f. Remergence

2. If [Waters]

If I were a swan, I'd be gone.
If I were a train, I'd be late.
And if I were a good man,
I'd talk with you
More often than I do.

If I were to sleep, I could dream.
If I were afraid, I could hide.
If I go insane, please don't put
Your wires in my brain.

If I were the moon, I'd be cool.
If I were a book, I would bend for you.
If I were a good man, I'd understand
The spaces between friends.

If I were alone, I would cry.
And if I were with you, I'd be home and dry.
And if I go insane,
And they lock me away,
Will you still let me join in the game?

If I were a swan, I'd be gone.
If I were a train, I'd be late again.
If I were a good man,
I'd talk with you
More often than I do

3. Summer '68 [Wright]

Would you like to say something before you leave
Perhaps you'd care to state exactly how you feel
We said good-bye before we said hello
I hardly even like you, I shouldn't care at all
We met just six hours ago, the music was too loud
From your bed I gained a day and lost a bloody year
And I would like to know
How do you feel, how do you feel, how do you feel?

Not a single word was said, delights still without fears
Occasionally you showed a smile but what was the need
I felt the cold far too soon - the wind of '95
My friends are lying in the sun, I wish that I was there
Tomorrow brings another town and another girl like you
Have you time before you leave to greet another man
Just you let me know
How do you feel, how do you feel, how do you feel?

Good-bye to you
Charlotte Kringles too
I've had enough for one day

4. Fat Old Sun [Gilmour]

When the fat old sun in the sky is falling
Summer evenin' birds are calling
Summer's thunder time of year
The sound of music in my ears
Distant bells, new mown grass
Smells so sweet
By the river holding hands
Roll me up and lay me down
And if you sit don't make a sound
Pick your feet up off the ground
And if you hear as the warm night falls
The silver sound from a time so strange
Sing to me, sing to me
When that fat old sun in the sky is falling
Summer evenin' birds are calling
Children's laughter in my ears
The last sunlight disappears
And if you sit don't make a sound
Pick your feet up off the ground
And if you hear as the warm night falls
The silver sound from a time so strange
Sing to me, sing to me
When that fat old sun in the sky is falling.

5. Alan's Psychedelic Breakfast [Waters, Mason, Gilmour, Wright]

instrumental.