| "See Emily Play" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Artwork by Syd Barrett for 1967 UK promotional release[a] | ||||
| Single byPink Floyd | ||||
| from the albumThe Piper at the Gates of Dawn(US release) | ||||
| B-side | "The Scarecrow" | |||
| Released | 16 June 1967[1] | |||
| Recorded | 21 May 1967 | |||
| Studio | Sound Techniques, London | |||
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| Songwriter(s) | Syd Barrett | |||
| Producer(s) | Norman Smith | |||
| Pink Floyd singles chronology | ||||
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| "See Emily Play" onYouTube | ||||
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"See Emily Play" is a song by the English rock bandPink Floyd, released as their second single on 16 June 1967 on theColumbia label.[8] Written by original frontmanSyd Barrett, it was released as a non-album single but appeared as the opening track ofPink Floyd, the US edition of the band's debut albumThe Piper at the Gates of Dawn (1967).
The song was written by Barrett following theGames for May concert and became a top 10 hit when released in the UK the following month. The group appeared three times onTop of the Pops, where Barrett started showing signs of erratic behaviour, which ultimately led to him leaving the group in early 1968. Although Pink Floyd seldom performed the song live, it has been recorded subsequently by at least seven diverse artists and regarded as a classicpsychedelic pop single.
"See Emily Play" is also known as "Games for May", named after afree concert on 12 May 1967 at theQueen Elizabeth Hall on London'sSouth Bank, in which Pink Floyd performed. It was the first show where the group set up aquadraphonic PA system, which would be a regular feature of future gigs.[9][10]
The song was reportedly about a girl named Emily, who Barrett claimed to have seen while sleeping in the woods after taking apsychedelic drug. According toA Saucerful of Secrets: The Pink Floyd Odyssey, byNicholas Schaffner, Emily is the HonourableEmily Young,[11][12] daughter ofWayland Young, 2nd Baron Kennet and nicknamed "the psychedelic schoolgirl" at theUFO Club.[13] Barrett's then-girlfriend, Libby Gausden, disputes this theory – she said that she and Syd had discussed marriage, and that "Emily" was going to be the name of their first child.[12] BassistRoger Waters later said the woods mentioned in the song were based next to theGog Magog Hills nearCambridge.[1]
It has been suggested by some that theslide guitar effect was produced by Barrett using aZippo lighter,[14] but elsewhere that he used a plastic ruler.[15]
The train depicted on the single's sleeve was drawn by Barrett.[16]
ProducerNorman Smith attempted to duplicate the sound of their first single, "Arnold Layne", which was produced byJoe Boyd, by returning toSound Techniques studios in London on 18 May 1967 because he was not able to get the same sound at the more advancedAbbey Road Studios.[17] The exact recording details are unclear because of a lack of paperwork in the EMI archive. Engineer Jeff Jarrett recalls that it was recorded in a much longer form, which was then edited down for the single release.[10] The recording involved backward tapes and much use of echo and reverb; the first piano bridge between the first chorus and second verse was recorded at a slow pace then sped up for the final master.[citation needed] The four-track master tape was wiped or misplaced.[citation needed] It no longer exists and has never been mixed into true stereo; it was reprocessed forDuophonic stereo on the 1971Relics compilation album.
Barrett, reputedly, was not happy with the final studio cut, and protested against its release, which Norman Smith speculated was based on his fear of commercialism. During sessions for the songDavid Gilmour visited the studio, on Barrett's invitation, and was shocked by the perceived changes in Barrett's personality when he did not appear to recognize him.[18][10] For many years Gilmour would recall this, saying, "I'll go on record as saying, that was when he changed".[10]
The UK single was released byColumbia Records on 16 June 1967, with "The Scarecrow" as the B-side. It reached number 6 in the charts.[19]Gary Brooker, reviewing the single forMelody Maker, said he recognised the single as Pink Floyd's "by the horrible organ sound" but said it was "much better thanArnold Layne".[20][21]
The US single was released byTower Records on 24 July 1967, both as a standard issue and awhite label promotional pressing.Cash Box said that it's "one of those hard to predict outings that could hit in a grand manner or fall flat."[22] It reached number 134 in the charts. A further white label promo was issued on 22 July 1968 with a note asking if DJs would play it.[16]
"See Emily Play" later appeared on a number of compilations:Relics (1971),Works (1983),Shine On (1992),Echoes: The Best of Pink Floyd (2001),[23]The Piper at the Gates of Dawn 40th Anniversary Edition (2007),[24]The Best of Pink Floyd: A Foot in the Door (2011) andThe Early Years 1965–1972 (2016). The song was also included on the Barrett retrospectiveAn Introduction to Syd Barrett (2010).
Pink Floyd performed the song three times on BBC TV'sTop of the Pops.[25][26] The appearances were taped at theBBC Studios inShepherd's Bush and broadcast on 6, 13 and 27 July.[27] For the final appearance, Barrett complained that the band shouldn't appear, because "John Lennon doesn't have to doTop of the Pops". He did perform, but without the enthusiasm of the previous week.[28] This was the first sign of Barrett exhibiting erratic behaviour, which caused problems for the group throughout the remainder of the year, and ultimately led to him leaving the band in early 1968.[29]
The BBC wiped the shows.[29] In late 2009, a badly damaged home video recording was recovered by theBritish Film Institute containing the first and third show the song was performed on, although only the first appearance was recoverable in part. Parts of the 6 July performance have been recovered from the damaged video recording.[30] It was given a public screening in London on 9 January 2010 at an event called "Missing Believed Wiped" devoted to recovered television shows. It was the first time any footage of the performance had been seen since its original broadcast.[citation needed] The Pink Floyd management used a copy of the footage inThe Early Years 1965–1972.[citation needed]
The band were booked to appear on the German television programmeBeat-Club.[citation needed] The appearance was cancelled, explaining Barrett had suffered "nervous exhaustion" and the band decided to take a month-long break in the hope his health would recover.[31]
In February 1968, Pink Floyd travelled to theRTB studios inBrussels to film a television special for the television programmeTienerklanken, broadcast on 31 March. The special featured promotional films for "See Emily Play", as well as for "Astronomy Domine", "The Scarecrow", "Apples and Oranges", "Paint Box", "Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun", and "Corporal Clegg". This was Gilmour's first television work with the band. The footage for "See Emily Play" was shot in the Parc de Laeken. Although Barrett was no longer performing with Pink Floyd, his departure had yet to be formally announced. Gilmour, Waters andRichard Wright mimed to Barrett's vocals.[32]
"See Emily Play" was very different from the usual content of Pink Floyd's live show, which was based around lengthy instrumentals, and the group avoided playing it. Promoters outside London insisted that they include the song in their live shows to avoid rioting.[33] As a response, the group wrote a piece called "Reaction in G" as a reaction against having to play "See Emily Play" on tour.[34]
The song stayed in the band's set list for only a few months; the last documented live performance was on 25 November 1967 inBlackpool as part of a package tour supportingJimi Hendrix.[35] On the group's late 1971 US tour supportingMeddle, a fan cried out for "See Emily Play", to which Waters retorted, "You must be joking!"[36]
Part of the vocal melody was played on aMinimoog byRick Wright at the very end of "Shine On You Crazy Diamond (Parts VI-IX)" at the end of 1975'sWish You Were Here, as a tribute to Barrett.[citation needed]
The final couplet from 1994's "High Hopes" ("The endless river/Forever and ever") recalls a line from "See Emily Play," ("Float on a river/Forever and ever"),[37] and inspired the name of the band's final studio album,The Endless River, released in 2014.[38]
The song was played byNick Mason's Saucerful of Secrets in 2018.[39]
"See Emily Play" has been covered byDavid Bowie, for hisPin Ups album in 1973;[40] Japanese new wave/rock groupSalon Music, for their 1984 albumLa Paloma Show;[41]The Grapes of Wrath, as a B-side on the 1991 CD single "I Am Here";[42]Arjen Lucassen, on his 1997 albumStrange Hobby;[43]Judy Dyble, for her albumSpindle;[44]Martha Wainwright, on her 2008 albumI Know You're Married But I've Got Feelings Too;[45] and by3, on the 2008 re-release of their albumThe End Is Begun.[46]John Frusciante has played it live.[47]All About Eve played the song live at theMarquee Club on 18 September 1992[48] and recorded a demo, which was not released until 2006 as part of theKeepsakes compilation.[49]
"See Emily Play" is included in theRock and Roll Hall of Fame's "500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll" list.[citation needed]
An EP including the song was released in Spain in 1967, on theLa Voz De Su Amo label. All tracks were written bySyd Barrett.[50]
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "See Emily Play" | 2:48 |
| 2. | "Scarecrow" | 2:05 |
| 3. | "Arnold Layne" | 2:50 |
| 4. | "Candy and a Currant Bun" | 2:40 |
| Total length: | 10:23 | |
Musicians
Technical
... whereas Barrett-penned Floyd singles like "See Emily Play" and "Arnold Layne" had been superbly assured slices of Brit psychedelia...
