"Scream Thy Last Scream" is a song by
Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd are an English Rock music, rock band formed in London in 1965. Gaining an early following as one of the first British psychedelic music, psychedelic groups, they were distinguished by their extended compositions, sonic experiments ...
, written by frontman
Syd Barrett
Roger Keith "Syd" Barrett (6 January 1946 – 7 July 2006) was an English singer, guitarist and songwriter who co-founded the rock band Pink Floyd in 1965. Until his departure in 1968, he was Pink Floyd's frontman and primary songwriter, ...
and scheduled to be the band's next single after "
See Emily Play
"See Emily Play" is a song by the English rock band Pink Floyd, released as their second single on 16 June 1967 on the Columbia label. Written by original frontman Syd Barrett, it was released as a non-album single but appeared as the opening ...
".
Its first official release was on ''
The Early Years 1965–1972
''The Early Years 1965–1972'' is a box set that compiles the early work of the English rock band Pink Floyd, released on 11 November 2016. It was released by Pink Floyd Records with distribution held by Warner Music for the UK and Europe and ...
'' box set in November 2016.
Recording
Only two takes are complete.
[ It was recorded in the same sessions as " Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun", on 7–8 August 1967.][
]
Music and lyrics
The song features several changes in tempo, a sped-up double-tracked vocal part by Barrett, while drummer Nick Mason
Nicholas Berkeley Mason (born 27 January 1944) is an English drummer and a founder member of the progressive rock band Pink Floyd. He has been the only constant member since the band's formation in 1965, and the only member to appear on every ...
simultaneously sings the normal part[Mason, Nick. ''Inside Out: A Personal History of Pink Floyd'' (Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 2004). .] a range of bells,[
]
Aborted release and other versions
The two tracks were arranged to be released as a single on 8 September 1967, before it was vetoed by the band's record company, EMI.Nick Mason
Nicholas Berkeley Mason (born 27 January 1944) is an English drummer and a founder member of the progressive rock band Pink Floyd. He has been the only constant member since the band's formation in 1965, and the only member to appear on every ...
," noted David Gilmour
David Jon Gilmour ( ; born 6 March 1946) is an English guitarist, singer and songwriter who is a member of the rock band Pink Floyd. He joined in 1967, shortly before the departure of the founder member Syd Barrett. By the early 1980s, Pink F ...
in 2002. "We did actually perform that one a few times in my very early years with Pink Floyd. I don't know if they Scream Thy Last Scream' and 'Vegetable Man'were ever finally mixed."
A late-Barrett era rendition was recorded live in Rotterdam
Rotterdam ( , ; ; ) is the second-largest List of cities in the Netherlands by province, city in the Netherlands after the national capital of Amsterdam. It is in the Provinces of the Netherlands, province of South Holland, part of the North S ...
in November 1967, at the Hippy-Happy Fair.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 lengthy recording history, with work beginning in May 1968, but the bul ...
'' album) remixed " Vegetable Man" and "Scream Thy Last Scream", for inclusion on the Barrett rarities album ''Opel
Opel Automobile GmbH (), usually shortened to Opel, is a German automobile manufacturer which has been a subsidiary of Stellantis since 16 January 2021. It was owned by the American automaker General Motors from 1929 until 2017 and the PSA Gr ...
'' (1988). However, the band blocked their inclusion.promotional video
In video production, a promotional video is marketing or advertising:
Arts, media and entertainment
* Promotional recording, an audio or video recording distributed to publicize a recording
* Trailer (promotion), a commercial advertisement for a ...
was made for the track, directed by poet Spike Hawkins.[ A final studio cut of "Scream Thy Last Scream" was completed along with a somewhat different BBC radio version (which features both Barrett and Mason on lead vocals)][http://pinkfloydhyperbase.dk/unreleased/index.html#SCREAM THY LAST SCREAM] All are widely available on bootleg recordings.
Personnel
*Syd Barrett
Roger Keith "Syd" Barrett (6 January 1946 – 7 July 2006) was an English singer, guitarist and songwriter who co-founded the rock band Pink Floyd in 1965. Until his departure in 1968, he was Pink Floyd's frontman and primary songwriter, ...
– guitar, sped-up double-tracked vocals, vocals
*Roger Waters
George Roger Waters (born 6 September 1943) is an English musician and singer-songwriter. In 1965, he co-founded the rock band Pink Floyd as the bassist. Following the departure of the group's main songwriter Syd Barrett in 1968, Waters became ...
– bass guitar
* Richard Wright – Farfisa organ, Hammond organ
The Hammond organ is an electric organ invented by Laurens Hammond and John M. Hanert, first manufactured in 1935. Multiple models have been produced, most of which use sliding #Drawbars, drawbars to vary sounds. Until 1975, sound was created ...
*Nick Mason
Nicholas Berkeley Mason (born 27 January 1944) is an English drummer and a founder member of the progressive rock band Pink Floyd. He has been the only constant member since the band's formation in 1965, and the only member to appear on every ...
– drums, lead vocals
See also
*" Jugband Blues"
* List of unreleased songs recorded by Pink Floyd
References
{{Authority control
Pink Floyd songs
Songs written by Syd Barrett
2016 songs