Octopus (Syd Barrett song)
{{Use British English|date=January 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2014}}
{{Infobox song
| name = Octopus
| cover = Syd_barrett_octopusFR.jpg
| alt =
| caption = French picture sleeve
| type = single
| artist = Syd Barrett
| album = The Madcap Laughs
| B-side = Golden Hair
| released = 14 November 1969
| recorded =
- May 1968;{{cite book|last=Manning|first=Toby|title=The Rough Guide to Pink Floyd|year=2006|publisher=Rough Guides|location=London|isbn=1-84353-575-0|page=70|edition=1st|chapter=Set the Controls}} 12 & 13 June 1969
- 20 July 1968 (Opel version)
| studio =
| venue =
| genre = Psychedelic rock
| length =
- 3:47 (single and Madcap version)
- 3:27 (Opel version)
| label = Harvest Records
| writer = Syd Barrett
| producer = Syd Barrett and David Gilmour
| prev_title =
| prev_year =
| next_title = Wouldn't You Miss Me
| next_year = 1988
| misc = {{Extra track listing
| album = The Madcap Laughs
| type = studio
| tracks = {{The Madcap Laughs tracks}}
}}
{{Extra track listing
| album = An Introduction to Syd Barrett
| type = compilation
| tracks = {{An Introduction to Syd Barrett tracks}}
}}
{{External music video|header=Official video|{{YouTube|Jy7mGF9Qv5w|"Octopus" (2001 Remaster)}}}}
}}
"Octopus" (originally recorded as "Clowns and Jugglers" and also known as "The Madcap Laughs"){{cite book|last=Manning|first=Toby|title=The Rough Guide to Pink Floyd|year=2006|publisher=Rough Guides|location=London|isbn=1-84353-575-0|pages=70–71|edition=1st|chapter=Set the Controls}} is a song by Syd Barrett, released as his debut solo single in November 1969. In January 1970, it appeared on his first solo album The Madcap Laughs.
Writing
Barrett reflected on the song's writing:
{{Quote|I carried that about in my head for about six months before I actually wrote it so maybe that's why it came out so well. The idea was like those number songs like Green Grow the Rushes, O where you have, say, twelve lines each related to the next and an overall theme. It's like a fool-proof combination of lyrics, really, and then the chorus comes in and changes the tempo but holds the whole thing together.{{cite web |url=http://www.pinkfloydfan.net/t1458-syd-barrett-lucy-leave-other.html |title=Syd Barrett: Lucy Leave & Other Rarities - All Pink Floyd Fan Network |publisher=Pinkfloydfan.net |access-date=9 August 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120304090850/http://www.pinkfloydfan.net/t1458-syd-barrett-lucy-leave-other.html |archive-date=4 March 2012 |df=dmy-all }}}}
"Octopus" directly quotes a section from "Rilloby-Rill" by English poet Sir Henry Newbolt (1862–1938). The song also features a variety of other influences.{{cite web |last=Palacios |first=Julian |url=http://socialartsnetwork.ning.com/profiles/blogs/untangling-the-octopus |title=Untangling the Octopus |publisher=Socialartsnetwork.ning.com |date=30 September 2009 |access-date=9 August 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120617210113/http://socialartsnetwork.ning.com/profiles/blogs/untangling-the-octopus |archive-date=17 June 2012 |df=dmy-all }}
Recording
Syd Barrett left Pink Floyd in April 1968, along with their manager Peter Jenner. Jenner led Barrett into EMI Studios to record some tracks{{cite book|last=Jones|first=Malcolm|title=The Making of The Madcap Laughs|year=2003|publisher=Brain Damage|edition=21st Anniversary|page=3}} in May, that would later be released on Barrett's first solo album. During the May sessions, Jenner failed to record, properly, any vocals at all for several tracks, including "Clown and Jugglers". Sessions stopped once Barrett was in psychiatric care, apparently after a drive around Britain in his Mini.{{cite book|last=Manning|first=Toby|title=The Rough Guide to Pink Floyd|year=2006|publisher=Rough Guides|location=London|isbn=1-84353-575-0|page=71|edition=1st|chapter=Set the Controls}}
After New Year 1969, a somewhat recovered Barrett decided upon returning to a musical career; Barrett contacted EMI, and was passed on to Malcolm Jones, the then-head of EMI's new prog rock label, Harvest. Barrett wanted to recover the Jenner-produced sessions recordings; several tracks, including "Clowns and Jugglers", were improved upon.{{cite book|last=Jones|first=Malcolm|title=The Making of The Madcap Laughs|year=2003|publisher=Brain Damage|edition=21st Anniversary|pages=3–4}}
An early version of the song, recorded with the band Soft Machine, was released on the Barrett rarities album Opel (1988) under the title "Clowns and Jugglers". The 1993 re-releases of The Madcap Laughs and Opel contain alternate versions of "Octopus" and "Clowns and Jugglers" respectively, as bonus tracks.{{cite web|last=Unterberger |first=Richie |url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/crazy-diamond-mw0000111686 |title=Crazy Diamond - Syd Barrett : Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards |publisher=AllMusic |access-date=1 August 2012}}
Release
The album's title came about as a result of co-producer David Gilmour mishearing a line from this song ("Well, the mad cat laughed at the man on the border..." - although the word "madcap" does figure in another of the song's lyrics, "To a madcap galloping chase"). "Octopus" is known for being Barrett's only single as a solo artist. It was released on 14 November 1969, two months before the release of The Madcap Laughs.{{cite web|last=Thompson |first=Dave |url=http://www.allmusic.com/song/octopus-mt0005956996 |title=Octopus - Syd Barrett : Listen, Appearances, Song Review |publisher=AllMusic |access-date=1 August 2012}} In France, the single gained a picture sleeve, which had the drawing of an octopus on it. A very scarce exemplar of this single has been auctioned for 10,500 euros on 19 June 2016 (Lot 284) during an 8000 vinyl records sale organized by the "Discothèque de Radio France".{{Cite web|url=https://www.franceinter.fr/musique/decouvrez-le-catalogue-des-vinyles-mis-aux-encheres-a-radio-france|title=8000 vinyles mis aux enchères à Radio France|first=Séverine|last=Bastin|date=18 May 2016|website=www.franceinter.fr}}
It was included on the multi-artist Harvest compilation A Breath of Fresh Air – A Harvest Records Anthology 1969–1974 in 2007.{{cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/a-breath-of-fresh-air-a-harvest-records-anthology-1969-1974-mw0000477986 |title=A Breath of Fresh Air: A Harvest Records Anthology, 1969-1974 - Various Artists : Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards |publisher=AllMusic |access-date=13 September 2012}} For later release in 2010, on An Introduction to Syd Barrett, David Gilmour added bass to one track, "Here I Go".{{cite web|url=http://www.brain-damage.co.uk/archive/an-introduction-to-syd-barrett-coming-from-emi-harvest-in-oc.html |title=Pink Floyd news :: Brain Damage - 'An Introduction to Syd Barrett' coming from EMI/Harvest in October |publisher=Brain Damage |date=12 August 2010 |access-date=9 August 2012}} In 2011, as part of Record Store Day Black Friday, a limited edition tin-set featuring a replica of the "Octopus" single yellow vinyl, with a 120-page book of photos of Barrett by photographer, Mick Rock, was released in the US.{{cite web|author=oojavaguru |url=http://new-vinyl.blogspot.co.uk/2011/10/record-store-day-presents-black-friday.html |title=Wax Poetic-Vinyl Fanatics Unite!: Record Store Day Presents Black Friday 2011 |publisher=New-vinyl.blogspot.co.uk |date=14 October 2011 |access-date=21 September 2012}}
Personnel
- Syd Barrett – vocals, acoustic and electric guitars, producer
- David Gilmour – bass guitar, drums, co-producer
References
{{reflist}}
{{Syd Barrett}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Octopus (Song)}}
Category:Songs written by Syd Barrett
Category:Song recordings produced by David Gilmour