It Would Be So Nice
Encyclopedia
"It Would Be So Nice" is a 1968
song by the rock band, Pink Floyd
, written by Richard Wright
. It was released as the fourth single
by the group. The song was left out of the 1971 collection Relics
and prior to the release of The Early Singles in 1992 with the box set Shine On
it was only available on the Masters of Rock compilation. Its B-side, "Julia Dream
," was written by bassist Roger Waters
and was also re-released on The Early Singles.
According to a newspaper story published in 1968, there are two versions of the original single with slightly different lyrics. The story goes that the first lyric had a passing reference to the British newspaper, the Evening Standard
. This was said to be banned by the BBC
because of a strict no-advertising policy which did not allow the mention of any product by name. The group was forced to spend additional time and expense to record a special version for the BBC which changed the lyric to "Daily Standard." This version is the only one that has been reissued on LP and CD. It is unknown how many of the "Evening Standard" discs, if any, actually exist. Despite the added publicity the single got very little airplay and failed to chart.
In The Dark Side of the Moon: The Making of the Pink Floyd Masterpiece, John Harris writes about the song:
Nick Mason was even more vocal than Waters in his dislike for the song, referring to it as "fucking awful".
A cover version of the song appears on Captain Sensible
's second solo album "The Power of Love."
1968 in music
-Events:*January 4 – Guitarist Jimi Hendrix is jailed by Stockholm police, after trashing a hotel room during a drunken fist fight with bassist Noel Redding.*January 6 – Gibson Guitar Corporation patents its Gibson Flying V electric guitar design....
song by the rock band, Pink Floyd
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...
, written by Richard Wright
Richard Wright (musician)
Richard William Wright was an English pianist, keyboardist and songwriter, best known for his career with Pink Floyd. Wright's richly textured keyboard layers were a vital ingredient and a distinctive characteristic of Pink Floyd's sound...
. It was released as the fourth single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
by the group. The song was left out of the 1971 collection Relics
Relics (Pink Floyd album)
Relics is a compilation album by Pink Floyd released in 1971. The album was released on 14 May in the UK and 15 July in the United States. A re-mastered CD was released in 1995 with a different album cover, a three-dimensional version of the original sketch drawn by drummer Nick Mason for the...
and prior to the release of The Early Singles in 1992 with the box set Shine On
Shine On (Pink Floyd)
Shine On is a 1992 nine-CD box set by Pink Floyd which was released through EMI Records in the United Kingdom and Columbia Records in the United States to coincide with Pink Floyd's 25th anniversary as a recording and touring band...
it was only available on the Masters of Rock compilation. Its B-side, "Julia Dream
Julia Dream
"Julia Dream" is the B-side of the Pink Floyd single "It Would Be So Nice". It was later issued on several compilation albums: The Best of the Pink Floyd, Relics, and The Early Singles disc included in the Shine On box set...
," was written by 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...
and was also re-released on The Early Singles.
According to a newspaper story published in 1968, there are two versions of the original single with slightly different lyrics. The story goes that the first lyric had a passing reference to the British newspaper, the Evening Standard
Evening Standard
The Evening Standard, now styled the London Evening Standard, is a free local daily newspaper, published Monday–Friday in tabloid format in London. It is the dominant regional evening paper for London and the surrounding area, with coverage of national and international news and City of London...
. This was said to be banned by the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
because of a strict no-advertising policy which did not allow the mention of any product by name. The group was forced to spend additional time and expense to record a special version for the BBC which changed the lyric to "Daily Standard." This version is the only one that has been reissued on LP and CD. It is unknown how many of the "Evening Standard" discs, if any, actually exist. Despite the added publicity the single got very little airplay and failed to chart.
In The Dark Side of the Moon: The Making of the Pink Floyd Masterpiece, John Harris writes about the song:
Nick Mason was even more vocal than Waters in his dislike for the song, referring to it as "fucking awful".
A cover version of the song appears on Captain Sensible
Captain Sensible
Captain Sensible is a singer, songwriter, guitarist who grew up in Croydon, England, and co-founded the punk rock band The Damned in 1976. After leaving the band, he reinvented himself as an alternative pop singer with a rebellious, self-conscious image...
's second solo album "The Power of Love."
Personnel
- Richard WrightRichard Wright (musician)Richard William Wright was an English pianist, keyboardist and songwriter, best known for his career with Pink Floyd. Wright's richly textured keyboard layers were a vital ingredient and a distinctive characteristic of Pink Floyd's sound...
— lead vocals, organOrgan (music)The organ , is a keyboard instrument of one or more divisions, each played with its own keyboard operated either with the hands or with the feet. The organ is a relatively old musical instrument in the Western musical tradition, dating from the time of Ctesibius of Alexandria who is credited with...
, pianoPianoThe piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
, mellotronMellotronThe Mellotron is an electro-mechanical, polyphonic tape replay keyboard originally developed and built in Birmingham, England in the early 1960s. It superseded the Chamberlin Music Master, which was the world's first sample-playback keyboard intended for music... - David GilmourDavid GilmourDavid 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...
— rhythm guitarRhythm guitarRhythm guitar is a technique and rôle that performs a combination of two functions: to provide all or part of the rhythmic pulse in conjunction with singers or other instruments; and to provide all or part of the harmony, ie. the chords, where a chord is a group of notes played together...
, backing vocals - Roger WatersRoger WatersGeorge 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...
— bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, backing vocals - Nick MasonNick MasonNicholas Berkeley "Nick" Mason is an English drummer and songwriter, best known for his work with Pink Floyd. He was the only constant member of the band since its formation in 1965...
— drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....