''Syd Barrett'' is a 1974 double-album pairing of
Syd Barrett's two solo albums, ''
The Madcap Laughs
''The Madcap Laughs'' is the debut solo album by the English singer-songwriter Syd Barrett. It was recorded after Barrett had left Pink Floyd in April 1968. The album had a chequered recording history, with work beginning in mid-1968, but the ...
'' and ''
Barrett'', both originally released in the UK in 1970.
Cover
During the summer of 1965, Barrett had his first
acid trip in the garden of his friend Dave Gale,
Storm Thorgerson
Storm Elvin Thorgerson (28 February 1944 – 18 April 2013) was an English graphic designer and music video director. He is best known for closely working with the group Pink Floyd through most of their career, and also created album or other ar ...
.[ Thorgerson used this imagery when he added these items to the cover of ''Syd Barrett''.]
Release
After the unexpectedly massive success of Pink Floyd's ''The Dark Side of the Moon
''The Dark Side of the Moon'' is the eighth studio album by the English rock band Pink Floyd, released on 1 March 1973 by Harvest Records. The album was primarily developed during live performances, and the band premiered an early version of ...
'', EMI
EMI Group Limited (originally an initialism for Electric and Musical Industries, also referred to as EMI Records Ltd. or simply EMI) was a British Transnational corporation, transnational Conglomerate (company), conglomerate founded in March 1 ...
re-issued the Barrett-era albums ''The Piper at the Gates of Dawn
''The Piper at the Gates of Dawn'' is the debut studio album by English rock band Pink Floyd, released on 5 August 1967 by EMI Columbia. It is the only Pink Floyd album made under the leadership of founding member Syd Barrett (lead vocals, g ...
'' and '' A Saucerful of Secrets'' as '' A Nice Pair'' in the hope that fans would be interested in the band's earlier work with Barrett. Once that was a success, primarily in the US where neither album had been issued initially, ''Syd Barrett'' was compiled to meet demand.[ giving Barrett his only US chart album. '']Village Voice
''The Village Voice'' is an American news and culture paper, known for being the country's first alternative newsweekly. Founded in 1955 by Dan Wolf, Ed Fancher, John Wilcock, and Norman Mailer, the ''Voice'' began as a platform for the cr ...
'' critic Robert Christgau wrote of the album: "Admittedly, a lot of what results is worthy of the wimp-turned-acid-casualty Barrett is. But a lot of it is funny, charming, catchy--whimsy at its best... I know damn well it gives me more pleasure than ''The Dark Side of the Moon
''The Dark Side of the Moon'' is the eighth studio album by the English rock band Pink Floyd, released on 1 March 1973 by Harvest Records. The album was primarily developed during live performances, and the band premiered an early version of ...
''."
Track listing
All songs by Syd Barrett, except where noted.
Disc 1 – ''The Madcap Laughs''
;Side one
# "Terrapin
Terrapins are one of several small species of turtle (order Testudines) living in fresh or brackish water. Terrapins do not form a taxonomic unit and may not be closely related. Many belong to the families Geoemydidae and Emydidae.
The name ...
" – 5:04
# "No Good Trying" – 3:26
# "Love You" – 2:30
# "No Man's Land" – 3:03
# " Dark Globe" – 2:02
# " Here I Go" – 3:11
;Side two
#" Octopus" – 3:47
# "Golden Hair" (Syd Barrett/James Joyce
James Augustine Aloysius Joyce (2 February 1882 – 13 January 1941) was an Irish novelist, poet, and literary critic. He contributed to the modernist avant-garde movement and is regarded as one of the most influential and important writers of ...
) – 1:59
# "Long Gone" – 2:50
# "She Took a Long Cold Look" – 1:55
# "Feel" – 2:17
# "If it's in You" – 2:26
# "Late Night" – 3:11
Disc 2 – ''Barrett''
;Side one
# "Baby Lemonade
"Baby Lemonade" is the opening track to Syd Barrett's second studio album, '' Barrett''. "Baby Lemonade", and another song, "Gigolo Aunt", were recorded by Barrett playing and singing over a prerecorded backing track. The solo was performed by B ...
" – 4:11
# "Love Song" – 3:05
# "Dominoes" – 4:09
# "It is Obvious" – 3:00
# "Rats" – 3:02
# "Maisie" – 2:51
;Side two
#"Gigolo Aunt" – 5:47
# "Waving My Arms in the Air" – 2:07
# "I Never Lied to You" – 1:52
# "Wined and Dined" – 2:59
# "Wolfpack" – 3:41
# "Effervescing Elephant" – 1:54
Charts
Album - Billboard
References
{{Syd Barrett
Syd Barrett albums
1974 compilation albums
Albums produced by David Gilmour
Albums produced by Richard Wright (musician)
Harvest Records compilation albums
EMI Records compilation albums
Albums with cover art by Hipgnosis