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Pink Floyd — See Emily Play
Album: Relics
Avg rating:
7.3

Your rating:
Total ratings: 1491









Released: 1967
Length: 2:49
Plays (last 30 days): 2
Emily tries but misunderstands
She's often inclined to borrow somebody's dreams till tomorrow

There is no other day
Let's try it another way
You'll lose your mind and play
Free games for may
See Emily play

Soon after dark Emily cries
Gazing through trees in sorrow, hardly a sound till tomorrow

There is no other day
Let's try it another way
You'll lose your mind and play
Free games for may
See Emily play

Put on a gown that touches the ground
Float on a river forever and ever
Emily, Emily

There is no other day
Let's try it another way
You'll lose your mind and play
Free games for may
See Emily play
Comments (257)add comment
ALWAYS "settle in" to enjoy this one - what a classic!
Ziehe die frühen Pink Floyd vor, eindeutig.

Prefer the early Pink Floyd. 
I think it has a bit of the Zombies sound..   Proclivities wrote:

There is the obvious '60s effect but I don't get any Moody Blues vibe from this - there's no gong, or mellotron, or quasi-mystical-Eastern-religion stuff.

 

 tkosh wrote:
When Pink Floyd was still Pink Floyd.
 

Before
Pink Floyd was Pink Floyd by my reckoning. Not that I dislike the Barrett era at all (quite the contrary). Just considering he was legally disassociated with the band (and just generally disassociated) 5 years before I was even born, that's my frame of reference. *shrug*
There was a simple equation in those days: you took the correct drugs and they decoded the music for you. Otherwise it sounded sorta "weird". My prescription has lasted all these years, thank God!~ 
 moodfood wrote:
 this resonates more Moody Blues even than early Floyd, or was it just the 60's effect? {#Cheesygrin}
 
There is the obvious '60s effect but I don't get any Moody Blues vibe from this - there's no gong, or mellotron, or quasi-mystical-Eastern-religion stuff.

Just read an article in the latest UNCUT magazine that 74 year-old Nick Mason is out there drumming on a small pub tour in the U.K. playing music from "Syd Barrett Era" Pink Floyd leading a small combo of musicians (but not Waters and/or Gilmour).

It sounds pretty interesting, and I'd definitely check it out, but I don't expect him to show up in the Upper Midwest U.S.A. anytime soon.  Are there any U.K. Radio Paradise listeners out there who have seen this thing and care to report on it?
 misterbearbaby wrote:
I think it's HIGH TIME we launch into a spiral of increasingly meaningless debate over who's a GEN-YOO-INE Pink Floyd fanboy and set the music aside entirely... 

"Piper at the Gates of Dawn (from The Wind in the Willows...) was breathtaking in 1967. Maybe you had to be there...  10 times a day you heard the Association singin' "Windy" and the Monkees "I'm a Believer" —it was enough to make you mop up The Strawberry Alarm Clock's puke. Runaway American free-enterprise (which Normal Mailer called in that era "The Great Plastic Asshole") was marketing "psychedelic" everything  (after fixing the name from "psychodelic" so your mom didn't have to worry that your cool new albums would make you a psycho...) 

The essence of that landmark album centered around the powerful, amazing, infinite songs "Astronomy Domine" and "Interstellar Overdrive", which knocked my world right out the window of my little farmhouse, sending  me on a journey that's perhaps nearly over now, but was made infinitely richer by PF's music. Yeah, it's a damn religious article for me; no one pisses up Pink Floyd's leg, EVER. 

"See Emily Play"  remains in my opinion, the band injecting a little break from their "serious" music via a 3-minute power pop song as a little inside joke.  A moment of ordinariness, like an AM radio suddenly was switched on for a few minutes, silencing the roar of a surreal ocean. Like Hendrix doing "Little Miss Strange" on Electric Ladyland. Get the joke? No? Move along, nothing here to see...

Great post!!  New phrase of the week = "The Great Plastic Asshole")

And damn, I wish I was there then...or not....I'd probably would've ended up more like Syd than David. 

I think it's HIGH TIME we launch into a spiral of increasingly meaningless debate over who's a GEN-YOO-INE Pink Floyd fanboy and set the music aside entirely... 

"Piper at the Gates of Dawn (from The Wind in the Willows...) was breathtaking in 1967. Maybe you had to be there...  10 times a day you heard the Association singin' "Windy" and the Monkees "I'm a Believer" —it was enough to make you mop up The Strawberry Alarm Clock's puke. Runaway American free-enterprise (which Normal Mailer called in that era "The Great Plastic Asshole") was marketing "psychedelic" everything  (after fixing the name from "psychodelic" so your mom didn't have to worry that your cool new albums would make you a psycho...) 

The essence of that landmark album centered around the powerful, amazing, infinite songs "Astronomy Domine" and "Interstellar Overdrive", which knocked my world right out the window of my little farmhouse, sending  me on a journey that's perhaps nearly over now, but was made infinitely richer by PF's music. Yeah, it's a damn religious article for me; no one pisses up Pink Floyd's leg, EVER. 

"See Emily Play"  remains in my opinion, the band injecting a little break from their "serious" music via a 3-minute power pop song as a little inside joke.  A moment of ordinariness, like an AM radio suddenly was switched on for a few minutes, silencing the roar of a surreal ocean. Like Hendrix doing "Little Miss Strange" on Electric Ladyland. Get the joke? No? Move along, nothing here to see...


 Schmoogsley wrote:
  "This song is brilliant!"  LMAO!  Hey, I'm a Pink Floyd fan, but, most of their accolades come from those who think it's 'cool' to be a Pink Floyd fan. lol  Always thought it was hilarious. 

 
So you're a fan, but not one of those fans who "think it's 'cool' to be a Pink Floyd fan"?

Are you sure about that?

LMAO 
 Jota wrote:
The name of the band gets this song and extra 5 points on average.  Taken on it's own merits it's bordering on crap.

 
Very well said. I second that.
It's a great song - absolutely and positively brilliant
  "This song is brilliant!"  LMAO!  Hey, I'm a Pink Floyd fan, but, most of their accolades come from those who think it's 'cool' to be a Pink Floyd fan. lol  Always thought it was hilarious. 
The name of the band gets this song and extra 5 points on average.  Taken on it's own merits it's bordering on crap.
 coloradojohn wrote:
Ain't this song a frickin' SONIC RIOT? So much effervescent fun going on here, such ~wow~ and who in the world is doing such now?

 
xactly! this track is the shit! where's my acid?
Ain't this song a frickin' SONIC RIOT? So much effervescent fun going on here, such ~wow~ and who in the world is doing such now?
Brilliant song IMHO.

Apparently, PF didn't/wouldn't play this live and it tended to anger some of their audiences to the point that people threw stuff at the band on stage.

John Lydon has said that Syd Barrett was the original Sid Vicious.

 
I agree. Some of the harmonics seemed to appear in many groups' creations.

Proclivities wrote:

Well, we all hear different things, but to me, musically, this is much more quirky than any Moody Blues stuff, and lyrically, this has none of the quasi-mystical/spiritual gibberish that The Moody Blues indulged in.  But I guess the psychedelic era connected a lot of the artists who recorded the music, so there were similar sounds.

 


 moodfood wrote:
 this resonates more Moody Blues even than early Floyd, or was it just the 60's effect? {#Cheesygrin}

 
Well, we all hear different things, but to me, musically, this is much more quirky than any Moody Blues stuff, and lyrically, this has none of the quasi-mystical/spiritual gibberish that The Moody Blues indulged in.  But I guess the psychedelic era connected a lot of the artists who recorded the music, so there were similar sounds.
Light years ahead of the Times.

Who is on the vocal?  Is it Syd?
How could do anything BUT expand your mind when listening to this?
Yup
Simply NEVER get tired of this one...always engages me.  Classic!
 coloradojohn wrote:
Such mad, playful brilliance! I love it still! Music like this has an atmosphere, and I like it up here! Every time takes me back to the 1st...

 
Yes atmosphere is a good way to describe it, John. It's that feeling you get with almost any of the great tunes or albums from this era. Takes me to the time I was a kid and we lived in Phoenix, my older sibs were sort of into the hippie thang. People were more laid back, more accepting, into trying new things, everything was an adventure or a new mystery.
Such mad, playful brilliance! I love it still! Music like this has an atmosphere, and I like it up here! Every time takes me back to the 1st...
 this resonates more Moody Blues even than early Floyd, or was it just the 60's effect? {#Cheesygrin}
This is (the real) Floyd!

10 (for this song only) 
 linzie wrote:
Love Floyd, but Bowie's cover is pretty good, too....

 
Agreed, Bowie did a nice cover on Pin Ups.

Also, for another nice Barrett cover check out The Hotrats (Supergrass) version of Bike on the Turn Ons CD. 
Love Floyd, but Bowie's cover is pretty good, too....
Oh YES! Oh YES INDEED!  Love it.
don't know what the fuss is about... this conjurs up dusty faded yellowed photos for me, not a past I want to dig into!  I far prefer Pink Floyd's more spacious stuff (ie post- this claustrophobic tune).... 3 for me (to balance all you 10s)
So very excellent!! Thanks!
{#Bananapiano} ...... "put on a gown that touches the ground, ahoooooooo".  10
I am loving all the old Floyd that has been playing lately. You sir, may borrow my bike (if you like).
 tkosh wrote:
When Pink Floyd was still Pink Floyd.

 

Back when David St Hubbins was still in the band.
 tkosh wrote:
When Pink Floyd was still Pink Floyd.

 

EXAAAAAAACTLY!!!!

 

Perfectly said!


10+++
 Proclivities wrote:

By the same hypothesis: I wonder if the 1970s version of Pink Floyd would have become what they did if it were not for this "truly groundbreaking stuff" which Syd was responsible for.  

 
If you read the books it is quite evident that the "NON" artistic driving force was undoubtedly Gilmour.  He seems to be a strong and focused character.    Even in his NO WAY track he states "There's no way, I'm gonna let go  because It's my show!"
Just by giving the band a suitably abstract and timeless name, Syd played a huge part in the future success of the band.
  scrubbrush wrote:
I wonder if the older Pink Floyd stuff would've been lost in obscuity along with a bunch of other late 60s bands if they hadn't gone on to do such truly groundbreaking stuff after Syd moved on.
Proclivities wrote (in response to above):

By the same hypothesis: I wonder if the 1970s version of Pink Floyd would have become what they did if it were not for this "truly groundbreaking stuff" which Syd was responsible for.  

 
it's the which came first syndrome: chicken or egg. doesn't matter . . . it's ALL good!
New Floyd for me. Nice.
its been awhile...
 
Proclivities wrote:

By the same hypothesis: I wonder if the 1970s version of Pink Floyd would have become what they did if it were not for this "truly groundbreaking stuff" which Syd was responsible for.  
 

Well played, sir!
 oldsaxon wrote:
Pass the bong?    thanks
 



Sure... Here you go... Oh crap!!!! It spilled all over the Persian rug..sorry, hope that wasn't expensive! classic song by the way. Love it..
Great to hear this on RP! That's what I enjoy, an eclectic mix of old classics and newer artists back-to-back. You can't find this on other stations!
When Pink Floyd was still Pink Floyd.
"The" Pink Floyd.  I think this is the first and only time I've seen them referred to as "The" Pink Floyd.

Oh, by the way, which one's Pink?
 

On_The_Beach wrote:

 
popsike.com
 


 scrubbrush wrote:
I wonder if the older Pink Floyd stuff would've been lost in obscuity along with a bunch of other late 60s bands if they hadn't gone on to do such truly groundbreaking stuff after Syd moved on.
 
By the same hypothesis: I wonder if the 1970s version of Pink Floyd would have become what they did if it were not for this "truly groundbreaking stuff" which Syd was responsible for.  
Pass the bong?    thanks
I wonder if the older Pink Floyd stuff would've been lost in obscuity along with a bunch of other late 60s bands if they hadn't gone on to do such truly groundbreaking stuff after Syd moved on.
Ha! - I was just curled up with a cup of coffee and the new Prog magazine reading an article on Piper...
Syd you had that mad look in your eye because WELL, BECAUSE YOU WERE MAD, as David said recalling how he saw that look after coming around at the request of the others and not having seen you since school days...  You truly saw how Emily played...  You cried for the moon...  and left us too soon...  I forever love your stuff!
 (former member) wrote:
You know, this is good. But maybe if they had a better guitarist they could go someplace.
 
Yeah, somebody who plays the blues maybe. 
Thanks for digging, Bill and Becky! One of their finer earlier moments, IMHO!
 DaveInVA wrote:

 
Looks like part of my room, back in the day!

still sounds great
SYD !!!!
 jagdriver wrote:
Syd Barrett 's Psychedelic London


                                           Photo credit: Baron Wolman
 
Was RW air brushed in for this?

 hamish9876 wrote:
Wow, I finally found a Pink Floyd song that I actually like!
Is it their only decent song? 
 

Um....Uh.....down in your bomb shelter, maybe....you can come out now, the sirens have stopped...all clear....

 
popsike.com



syd = genius
 cybrbug wrote:

You know, I can still enjoy this but you cannot discount everything that came after. Pink Floyd ruled the seventies.
 
Maybe for you they did.
 hamish9876 wrote:
Wow, I finally found a Pink Floyd song that I actually like!
Is it their only decent song? 
 

Say What!?!


Syd Barrett 's Psychedelic London


                                           Photo credit: Baron Wolman
 HazzeSwede wrote:

And a sound technician that knows his way around the mixing table and a producer with magic ears,maybe they will make an impact on wester pop-music !

 

....true, with any luck, this band could catch on!!!
BTW, anyone ever hear Bowie's cover?
 dmax wrote:
You know, this is good. But maybe if they had a better guitarist they could go someplace.
 
And a sound technician that knows his way around the mixing table and a producer with magic ears,maybe they will make an impact on wester pop-music !

This song has aged well.  Still sounds good after 42 years.
Wow, totally different Pink Floyd - I would have had no idea it was Floyd if not for the playlist!
No HERMANN's HERMITS today!
There are some good  songs on "Piper at the Gates of Dawn" my favorites are "Lucifer Sam" (named my cat after that song, he was black, of course.)
INDEED - FINEST!!!
Amazing...
 Papernapkin wrote:
Sounds like Herman's Hermits, which isn't much of a complement.
 

Sounds like Syd Barrett's Pink Floyd to me.{#Stupid}
This is the very definition of Psychedelic music. {#Daisy}
Sounds like Herman's Hermits, which isn't much of a complement.
I would really love to hear the Bowie version of this off the Pinups album.   there are a ton of great old covers on that album.  this one is exceptional.

One of my favorite 'Royd songs. I like their psychedelic period the best :)

Psychedelic bliss...
Some of the guitar in this song reminds me of Roxy Music's "Sentimental Fool" from the Siren Album. Phil Manzanera must have been a Floyd fan.
 doctec wrote:


The way I think of it:

Barrett era Floyd was the party: joyous, freewheeling and full of possibilities.

Post-Barrett era Floyd was the morning after: gloomy, hung over and full of regret.

This would seem to mirror what the band, and even perhaps the early post-hippie generation, was going through at the time.

I know the band vascillated between being glad that Syd was out of the band - his erratic and disruptive behavior continually created problems by the time of Saucerful Of Secrets - and at the same time felt they were guilty of aiding and abetting the conditions that led to his breakdown and disintegration.

Thankfully we do have that first album of theirs - when Syd was at his best.


 
You know, I can still enjoy this but you cannot discount everything that came after. Pink Floyd ruled the seventies.

One of the handful (or saucerful) of Pink Floyd songs I can still enjoy.


The way I think of it:

Barrett era Floyd was the party: joyous, freewheeling and full of possibilities.

Post-Barrett era Floyd was the morning after: gloomy, hung over and full of regret.

This would seem to mirror what the band, and even perhaps the early post-hippie generation, was going through at the time.

I know the band vascillated between being glad that Syd was out of the band - his erratic and disruptive behavior continually created problems by the time of Saucerful Of Secrets - and at the same time felt they were guilty of aiding and abetting the conditions that led to his breakdown and disintegration.

Thankfully we do have that first album of theirs - when Syd was at his best.


 fredriley wrote:

Quite :o). The cover must be of a re-issue because my vague memory has a black and white cartoony cover in mind, though I'm casting my mind back some 30 years here to the release of the album. Lovely stuff. 8 from the Nottingham jury.
 
This one?


The 1996 reissue (shown at the top of the page) was a 3-D rendition of the orignal cover.


 mandolin wrote:
...what a total ripoff of martha wainwright's original...

 

lol
 NoEnzLefttoSplit wrote:
Sorry, but I just can't see how a Kinks cover band will ever make it.
 
Well, this was a one hit wonder for them, wasn't it? I'm glad we never heard anything from these guys again.{#Smile}

 mandolin wrote:
...what a total ripoff of martha wainwright's original...

 
Uhm, Syd Barrett wrote it, so it would seem that perhaps Martha ripped it off?

Not right mate , at least not here in the states . i stil lhave the orginal album in my collection

 
fredriley wrote:

Quite :o). The cover must be of a re-issue because my vague memory has a black and white cartoony cover in mind, though I'm casting my mind back some 30 years here to the release of the album. Lovely stuff. 8 from the Nottingham jury.
 

 denmom wrote:


What an awful thing to say about the Floyd!  {#Eek}
 

But it's so true!  Their sound changed signficantly over the years....
 Aesic wrote:
Sounds like the Beatles... Even knowing that it's not, it could pass well enough.
 

What an awful thing to say about the Floyd!  {#Eek}
Sounds like the Beatles... Even knowing that it's not, it could pass well enough.
Always a good fun bit of psychedelic wankery.
 Oscar_the_Grouch wrote:
That's some fine cutting jive you smoking there. Pass it when your done, son.

...yeah, good stuff, man...


 mandolin wrote:
...what a total ripoff of martha wainright's original...
 
That's some fine cutting jive you smoking there. Pass it when your done, son.

...what a total ripoff of martha wainwright's original...

Yeah.  Not bad, I guess, but if this is the "Syd" PF that some of y'all so lament the passing of, I can't say as I'm with ya there, no I can't.
Sorry, but I just can't see how a Kinks cover band will ever make it.
 Odyzzeuz wrote:
Badly dated.
 
So is this...

...but that doesn't interfere with my appreciation for it.

Photo source: https://faculty.evansville.edu/rl29/art105/img/bernini_ecstacydet.jpg
 aragon wrote:
I like it. It's so unpinkfloydian!
 
Quite :o). The cover must be of a re-issue because my vague memory has a black and white cartoony cover in mind, though I'm casting my mind back some 30 years here to the release of the album. Lovely stuff. 8 from the Nottingham jury.


Danny_G
(Lima)
Posted: Sep 20, 2008 - 10:24 < Reply >

TheFriendlyCat wrote: Hah hah! I love this song!


Ditto

Me, too! Thanks for playing it this past Saturday. It was especially interesting to pay closer attention Rick Wright's keyboard work and reflect back on PF's music post-Syd.

(And I can really do without the Martha Wainwright version.)
There are limits to my level of acceptability.  Bleh.
Just Brilliant!{#Dancingbanana}

I also liked the Martha Wainwright version that you played yesterday.
TheFriendlyCat wrote:
Hah hah! I love this song!


Ditto

please don't play again
Love it
I like it. It's so unpinkfloydian!
It is dated and kinda corny but I still love it.
nate917 wrote:
Definitely, and their nadir was that ridiculous tripe called "The Moon Side of the Dark" or something like that. Who buys that rubbish anyway?
I know you're being sarcastic, but I actually agree. Me and Johnny Lydon.
Odyzzeuz wrote:
Badly dated.
yep a true classic, a true amazing psicodellic song from Pink floyd's core! Oscar
I just changed my rating from 6 to 7, I am beginning to appreciate it more and more...
Badly dated.
Love me some Syd.
1wolfy wrote:
I really enjoy this tune by Bowie
He does do a great cover of this song on Pinups.
Hah hah! I love this song!
EssexTex wrote:
No no just proves that every band has it's wonky, early days
wow, this is a goofy pop song!
out_to_lunch wrote:
This is Syd Barrett. Bravo Syd, I love his stuff. Pink Floyd sucked ass after he was booted.
Definitely, and their nadir was that ridiculous tripe called "The Moon Side of the Dark" or something like that. Who buys that rubbish anyway?
No no just proves that every band has it's wonky, early days
On August 28, a remastered version (in stereo and mono) of Piper is coming out to commemorate its 40th anniversary. James Guthrie did the work with input from the four surviving members.