Embryo (Pink Floyd song)
Encyclopedia
"Embryo" is a song by Pink Floyd
. It was a concert
staple in 1970–71, but a full band version was never released on a Pink Floyd studio album
— though a greatly shortened studio version did appear form on the compilation
Works
in 1983 and also on a rare multi-artist album entitled Picnic - A Breath of Fresh Air
.
with a duration of under five minutes. The song ends with an organ solo and high-pitched vocal gibberish (with bassist Roger Waters
having sped his voice up, much like he did on Several Species of Small Furry Animals Gathered Together in a Cave and Grooving with a Pict
). This studio take has not appeared on any Pink Floyd album except Works
, an American
compilation. A short version similar to the studio cut was recorded "live" for a December 2, 1968 BBC session.
The next recorded instance of the song being played was February 11, 1970, in Birmingham
. By then it had reached the stage at which it would remain for the rest of its existence. It lasted a minimum of around 12 minutes but the jam section was often extended and the song could last up to around 25 minutes. Wright moved from the vibraphone back to the Hammond organ
, Gilmour played a distinct lead part (making the arrangement less soft and more like a rock song), and as well as a reprise added a new section of music in the middle of the song. After the second verse Roger Waters opened up the jam section with a simple bass ostinato
playing the blues scale
. In lieu of Roger Waters' chirping on the studio version, a tape machine from the soundboard played a recording of children playing as the band continued to jam. Near the end of the section, David Gilmour created the famous "whalesong" effect (by reversing the cables on his wah pedal). This effect would appear much more prominently and famously in "Echoes
", a year later.
On some occasions, for various reasons, the "children" tape was not played. This was usually replaced with Roger Waters making various squeaks and squeals into his reverberated vocal mic (similar to those in "Careful with That Axe, Eugene
").
"Embryo" was played in most shows from January 18, 1970, to November 20, 1971.
In 1971, after the addition of Echoes (or, as it was first called, The Return of the Son of Nothing), The Embryo lost the "whalesong" effect, as the "children" tape was filled with more jamming. At this stage, Rick Wright played a bluesy organ while David Gilmour produced a fair amount of processed background guitar textures with heavy use of volume pedal and effects created with the Binson Echo Unit the band often employed.
Including the early vibraphone-led Birmingham version, a handful of versions of The Embryo have appeared during the era in which it was played. One notable version played approximately three times began with another ten-minute improvised instrumental for which no title exists (it is often referred to as "The Librest Spacement Monitor" (a misinterpretation of Waters introducing "Mr. Nicholas Mason on the drums"), "Corrosion", or is assumed to be part of the jam section from Interstellar Overdrive
). On one occasion this was followed by a loud rant by Waters consisting of mostly-indistinguishable words in a thick Scottish accent (another element of "Several Species of Small Furry Animals Gathered Together in a Cave and Grooving with a Pict
"). Only after this did a regular version of "Embryo" begin.
The last time "Embryo" was played was on November 20, 1971 at the conclusion of the band's North American tour. On this occasion, the middle jam-section was interrupted when Wright's Hammond suddenly failed, resulting in the remaining three members of the band continuing to jam for an extra fifteen minutes while waiting for the instrument to be repaired. This improvisation included elements of other Pink Floyd songs, most notably what appears to be an instrumental version of "Breathe
" as well as the intro to "Raving and Drooling" (the 1974-75 precursor to "Sheep
") and a rough "Any Colour You Like
".
radio program. Floydian Slip News
Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd were an English rock band that achieved worldwide success with their progressive and psychedelic rock music. Their work is marked by the use of philosophical lyrics, sonic experimentation, innovative album art, and elaborate live shows. Pink Floyd are one of the most commercially...
. It was a concert
Concert
A concert is a live performance before an audience. The performance may be by a single musician, sometimes then called a recital, or by a musical ensemble, such as an orchestra, a choir, or a musical band...
staple in 1970–71, but a full band version was never released on a Pink Floyd studio album
Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
— though a greatly shortened studio version did appear form on the compilation
Compilation album
A compilation album is an album featuring tracks from one or more performers, often culled from a variety of sources The tracks are usually collected according to a common characteristic, such as popularity, genre, source or subject matter...
Works
Works (Pink Floyd album)
Works is a Pink Floyd compilation album released in 1983 by their former American label, Capitol Records, to compete with their then-current album The Final Cut...
in 1983 and also on a rare multi-artist album entitled Picnic - A Breath of Fresh Air
Picnic - A Breath of Fresh Air
Picnic – A Breath of Fresh Air is a sampler issued by the Harvest Records label, originally released in 1970 and notable for including the previously unreleased Pink Floyd song, "Embryo"....
.
History
The studio version of the song, recorded in 1968, was a quiet, almost acoustic piece sung by David GilmourDavid Gilmour
David Jon Gilmour, CBE, D.M. is an English rock musician and multi-instrumentalist who is best known as the guitarist, one of the lead singers and main songwriters in the progressive rock band Pink Floyd. In addition to his work with Pink Floyd, Gilmour has worked as a producer for a variety of...
with a duration of under five minutes. The song ends with an organ solo and high-pitched vocal gibberish (with bassist Roger Waters
Roger Waters
George Roger Waters is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. He was a founding member of the progressive rock band Pink Floyd, serving as bassist and co-lead vocalist. Following the departure of bandmate Syd Barrett in 1968, Waters became the band's lyricist, principal songwriter...
having sped his voice up, much like he did on Several Species of Small Furry Animals Gathered Together in a Cave and Grooving with a Pict
Several Species of Small Furry Animals Gathered Together in a Cave and Grooving with a Pict
"Several Species of Small Furry Animals Gathered Together in a Cave and Grooving with a Pict" is a track written and performed by Roger Waters from the two-part 1969 Pink Floyd album, Ummagumma....
). This studio take has not appeared on any Pink Floyd album except Works
Works (Pink Floyd album)
Works is a Pink Floyd compilation album released in 1983 by their former American label, Capitol Records, to compete with their then-current album The Final Cut...
, an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
compilation. A short version similar to the studio cut was recorded "live" for a December 2, 1968 BBC session.
Live performances
The earliest known instance of Embryo played live was January 18, 1970, in Croydon. It was far longer than the studio take, lasting twelve minutes. It more closely resembled the studio take in arrangement, with Gilmour playing the acoustic rhythm part on electric guitar and Wright playing the piano and organ parts on the vibraphone. It closed with a reprise of the first verse.The next recorded instance of the song being played was February 11, 1970, in Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
. By then it had reached the stage at which it would remain for the rest of its existence. It lasted a minimum of around 12 minutes but the jam section was often extended and the song could last up to around 25 minutes. Wright moved from the vibraphone back to the Hammond organ
Hammond organ
The Hammond organ is an electric organ invented by Laurens Hammond in 1934 and manufactured by the Hammond Organ Company. While the Hammond organ was originally sold to churches as a lower-cost alternative to the wind-driven pipe organ, in the 1960s and 1970s it became a standard keyboard...
, Gilmour played a distinct lead part (making the arrangement less soft and more like a rock song), and as well as a reprise added a new section of music in the middle of the song. After the second verse Roger Waters opened up the jam section with a simple bass ostinato
Ostinato
In music, an ostinato is a motif or phrase, which is persistently repeated in the same musical voice. An ostinato is always a succession of equal sounds, wherein each note always has the same weight or stress. The repeating idea may be a rhythmic pattern, part of a tune, or a complete melody in...
playing the blues scale
Blues scale
The term blues scale is used to describe a few scales with differing numbers of pitches and related characteristics. See: blues.The hexatonic, or six note, blues scale consists of the minor pentatonic scale plus the 4th or 5th degree...
. In lieu of Roger Waters' chirping on the studio version, a tape machine from the soundboard played a recording of children playing as the band continued to jam. Near the end of the section, David Gilmour created the famous "whalesong" effect (by reversing the cables on his wah pedal). This effect would appear much more prominently and famously in "Echoes
Echoes (Pink Floyd song)
"Echoes" is a song by Pink Floyd including lengthy instrumental passages, sound effects, and musical improvisation. Written in 1970 by all four members of the group , "Echoes" provides the extended finale to Pink Floyd's album Meddle...
", a year later.
On some occasions, for various reasons, the "children" tape was not played. This was usually replaced with Roger Waters making various squeaks and squeals into his reverberated vocal mic (similar to those in "Careful with That Axe, Eugene
Careful with That Axe, Eugene
"Careful with That Axe, Eugene" is an instrumental song by the British band Pink Floyd. The studio recording was originally released as the B-side of their single "Point Me at the Sky" and is also featured on the Relics compilation album; live versions can also be found on Ummagumma and in the film...
").
"Embryo" was played in most shows from January 18, 1970, to November 20, 1971.
In 1971, after the addition of Echoes (or, as it was first called, The Return of the Son of Nothing), The Embryo lost the "whalesong" effect, as the "children" tape was filled with more jamming. At this stage, Rick Wright played a bluesy organ while David Gilmour produced a fair amount of processed background guitar textures with heavy use of volume pedal and effects created with the Binson Echo Unit the band often employed.
Including the early vibraphone-led Birmingham version, a handful of versions of The Embryo have appeared during the era in which it was played. One notable version played approximately three times began with another ten-minute improvised instrumental for which no title exists (it is often referred to as "The Librest Spacement Monitor" (a misinterpretation of Waters introducing "Mr. Nicholas Mason on the drums"), "Corrosion", or is assumed to be part of the jam section from Interstellar Overdrive
Interstellar Overdrive
"Interstellar Overdrive" is a psychedelic composition written by Pink Floyd in 1966, which appears on their 1967 debut album The Piper at the Gates of Dawn at almost ten minutes in length. An earlier, longer recording, 16:52, can be heard on the soundtrack to the film Tonite Let's All Make Love in...
). On one occasion this was followed by a loud rant by Waters consisting of mostly-indistinguishable words in a thick Scottish accent (another element of "Several Species of Small Furry Animals Gathered Together in a Cave and Grooving with a Pict
Several Species of Small Furry Animals Gathered Together in a Cave and Grooving with a Pict
"Several Species of Small Furry Animals Gathered Together in a Cave and Grooving with a Pict" is a track written and performed by Roger Waters from the two-part 1969 Pink Floyd album, Ummagumma....
"). Only after this did a regular version of "Embryo" begin.
The last time "Embryo" was played was on November 20, 1971 at the conclusion of the band's North American tour. On this occasion, the middle jam-section was interrupted when Wright's Hammond suddenly failed, resulting in the remaining three members of the band continuing to jam for an extra fifteen minutes while waiting for the instrument to be repaired. This improvisation included elements of other Pink Floyd songs, most notably what appears to be an instrumental version of "Breathe
Breathe (Pink Floyd song)
"Breathe" is a song by progressive rock band Pink Floyd and appears on their album The Dark Side of the Moon.-Authorship and composition:...
" as well as the intro to "Raving and Drooling" (the 1974-75 precursor to "Sheep
Sheep (song)
"Sheep" is a song by the English band Pink Floyd. It was released on the album Animals in 1977. In 1974, it was originally titled "Raving and Drooling".-History:...
") and a rough "Any Colour You Like
Any Colour You Like
"Any Colour You Like" is the eighth track from English progressive rock band Pink Floyd's 1973 album, The Dark Side of the Moon. It is instrumental and was written by David Gilmour, Richard Wright and Nick Mason, making it one of two songs on the album that Roger Waters did not contribute to, and...
".
Cover version
In September 2010 Pink Floyd tribute band Which One's Pink? released a full band version of Embryo on the "Just the Basic Facts" album. In July 2011, the Which One's Pink? version of Embryo won a contest for best Pink Floyd cover song sponsored by the syndicated Floydian SlipFloydian Slip
Floydian Slip is a weekly, one-hour syndicated radio program featuring the music of British rock band Pink Floyd.The show is created and hosted by Craig Bailey of Winooski, Vermont, who aired his first episode in January 1989 on Ithaca College's 106-VIC in Ithaca, N.Y., as a senior Television-Radio...
radio program. Floydian Slip News