Corporal Clegg

Last updated
"Corporal Clegg"
Song by Pink Floyd
from the album A Saucerful of Secrets
PublishedLupus Music Ltd
Released29 June 1968 (1968-06-29)(UK)
27 July 1968 (US)
RecordedFebruary 1968
Studio Abbey Road Studios, London, UK
Genre
Length4:12
Label EMI Columbia (UK)
Tower (US)
Songwriter(s) Roger Waters
Producer(s) Norman Smith

"Corporal Clegg" is a song by English rock band Pink Floyd and is featured on their second album, A Saucerful of Secrets (1968). [1] It was written by Roger Waters [1] and features David Gilmour, Nick Mason and Richard Wright sharing the lead vocals, which is the only Floyd song to do so. [2] The song also features a kazoo.

Contents

The Pink Floyd website credits the brass parts to "The Stanley Myers Orchestra". [3]

Lyrics

The song is about a shell-shocked soldier who lost his leg in World War II. He is described as having a medal of "orange, red and blue", which may be a reference to the Burma Star. It is the first mention of war in a Pink Floyd song, something that would become a common theme in Roger Waters' lyrics, Roger having lost his father thus in 1944. [1] Waters told Mojo magazine[ citation needed ] that this song is autobiographical. He explained: "Corporal Clegg is about my father and his sacrifice in World War II. It's somewhat sarcastic—the idea of the wooden leg being something you won in the war, like a trophy." [4] This can be seen as rather lighter in tone than Pink Floyd's later tackling of the subject, though, despite the irony (Clegg "won" his wooden leg in the war) and darkness behind the lyrics; indeed, among the cacophony of voices towards the end we hear an officer telling his one-legged man: "Clegg! Been meaning to speak to you. About that leg of yours! You're excused parade from now on!" and members of the band actually corpsing in the chorus. It is possible that the main character got his name after Thaddeus von Clegg, a German clockmaker, who invented the kazoo in the 1840s.

Music videos

Although the song was never performed live, two videos of the song exist. The first one was shot on 19 or 20 February 1968 for Belgian RTB TV's Tienerklanken show, and features the band miming to a work-in-progress version of the song with a different ending. [5] The second one was shot on 22 July 1969 for the West-German SDR TV and broadcast on 21 September that year. [6] The video takes place in a room with a dining table covered with exquisite food, and all four band members, wearing helmets, officer's caps, and Roger Waters wearing a trench coat, are there enjoying the food. An accidental spillage of wine triggers a full scale food fight, resulting in the room getting completely trashed and all four band members covered in food (even the cameraman gets dragged into it), whilst the Dove of Peace (an actual white dove) is caught in the "crossfire". Interspersed throughout the video is footage of war and the band performing the song.

Reception

In a negative review for A Saucerful of Secrets, Jim Miller of Rolling Stone described "Corporal Clegg" as having "the virtue of brevity, as well as not sounding like it was written in a drugged stupor". [7] Continuing, Miller described the song's "unoriginal melody" as being "much too Beatley for these post- Sgt. Pepper days". [7]

Personnel

with:

See also

Related Research Articles

<i>A Saucerful of Secrets</i> 1968 studio album by Pink Floyd

A Saucerful of Secrets is the second studio album by English rock band Pink Floyd, released on 28 June 1968 by EMI Columbia in the UK and on 27 July 1968 in the US by Tower Records. The mental health of singer and guitarist Syd Barrett deteriorated during recording, so guitarist David Gilmour was recruited; Barrett left the band before the album's completion.

"A Saucerful of Secrets" is a multi-part instrumental composition by English rock band Pink Floyd from their 1968 album of the same name. It is nearly 12 minutes long and was composed by Roger Waters, Richard Wright, Nick Mason and David Gilmour. The track features guitar feedback, a percussion solo section and wordless vocals.

<i>A Nice Pair</i> 1973 compilation album by Pink Floyd

A Nice Pair is a compilation album by Pink Floyd, re-issuing their first two albums—The Piper at the Gates of Dawn and A Saucerful of Secrets—in a new gatefold sleeve. The album was released in December 1973 by Harvest and Capitol in the United States and the following month in the United Kingdom by Harvest and EMI. It reached number 36 in the US Billboard album charts, and was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) in March 1994.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Guy Pratt</span> British bassist

Guy Adam Pratt is a British bassist. He has worked with artists including Pink Floyd, Roxy Music, Gary Moore, Madonna, Peter Cetera, Michael Jackson, the Smiths, Robert Palmer, Echo & the Bunnymen, Tears for Fears, Icehouse, Bananarama, Iggy Pop, Tom Jones, Debbie Harry, Whitesnake, Womack & Womack, Kirsty MacColl, Coverdale•Page, Lemon Jelly, the Orb, All Saints, Stephen Duffy, Robbie Robertson and A. R. Rahman. In addition to his work as a session musician, Pratt has been a member of the Australian rock band Icehouse, and is currently a member of the band Nick Mason's Saucerful of Secrets with Gary Kemp of Spandau Ballet.

"Atom Heart Mother" is a six-part suite by the progressive rock band Pink Floyd, composed by all members of the band and Ron Geesin. It appeared on the Atom Heart Mother album in 1970, taking up the first side of the original vinyl record. At 23:44, it is Pink Floyd's longest uncut studio piece. Pink Floyd performed it live between 1970 and 1972, occasionally with a brass section and choir in 1970–71.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">See Emily Play</span> 1967 song by Pink Floyd

"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 track of Pink Floyd, the US edition of the band's debut album The Piper at the Gates of Dawn (1967).

"Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun" is a song by the English rock band Pink Floyd, appearing on their second album, A Saucerful of Secrets (1968). It was written by Roger Waters, taking lyrics from a Chinese poetry book, and features a drum part by Nick Mason played with timpani mallets. It is the only song recorded by Pink Floyd to feature material from all five band members, as there are several different guitar parts recorded by both David Gilmour and Syd Barrett, although the guitar parts are buried in the mix.

"Jugband Blues" is a song by English rock band Pink Floyd, released on their second album, A Saucerful of Secrets, in 1968. Written by Syd Barrett, it was his sole compositional contribution to the album, as well as his last published for the band. Barrett and Pink Floyd's management wanted the song to be released as a single, but were vetoed by the rest of the band and producer Norman Smith. "Jugband Blues" is directed towards anyone within Barrett's proximity.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Let There Be More Light</span> Song by Pink Floyd

"Let There Be More Light" is a song by English rock band Pink Floyd and the opening track on their second album, A Saucerful of Secrets. It was also released in edited form as the fourth American single by the group.

"Remember a Day" is a song by the English rock band Pink Floyd, written and sung by their keyboardist Richard Wright, appearing on their second album, A Saucerful of Secrets (1968). It was performed by Pink Floyd only once, as an encore in May 1968; it was subsequently performed by David Gilmour in September 2008 in memory of Wright, who had recently died of cancer, on Later... with Jools Holland, and by Nick Mason during his Saucerful of Secrets tour. The dreamy, poetic lyrics are about nostalgia for the lost paradise of early childhood.

"Astronomy Domine" is a song by the English rock band Pink Floyd. The song, written and composed by the original vocalist/guitarist Syd Barrett, is the opening track on their debut album, The Piper at the Gates of Dawn (1967). The lead vocal was sung by Barrett and the keyboard player Richard Wright. Its working title was "Astronomy Dominé ". "Domine" is a word frequently used in Gregorian chants.

"Burning Bridges" is a song from Pink Floyd's 1972 album Obscured by Clouds. It shares a similar tune to the instrumental "Mudmen" on the same album.

"See-Saw" is a song by English rock band Pink Floyd and the Sixth track on their second studio album A Saucerful of Secrets.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Point Me at the Sky</span> Song by Pink Floyd

"Point Me at the Sky" is the fifth UK single by the English band Pink Floyd, released on 6 December 1968. It was their last single in the UK for nearly a decade. The song was an early collaboration by bassist Roger Waters and guitarist David Gilmour. The single was not released in the US, but was in Canada, Japan, and some European countries.

"Cirrus Minor" is a song written and performed Pink Floyd. It is the first track on their 1969 album Soundtrack from the Film More. The song would later be released on the compilation album Relics.

"Green Is the Colour" is a track on Pink Floyd's 1969 More. It was composed and written by Roger Waters and sung by David Gilmour. A tin whistle is heard in the song, played by drummer Nick Mason's then-wife Lindy. A live version of the song was released as the third single to promote The Early Years 1965–1972 box set in October 2016.

Pink Floyd World Tour 1968 was a Pink Floyd world tour spanning February to December 1968 in which the group visited Europe and North America.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Richard Wright (musician)</span> English keyboardist, co-founder of Pink Floyd (1943–2008)

Richard William Wright was an English musician who co-founded the progressive rock band Pink Floyd. He played keyboards and sang, appearing on almost every Pink Floyd album and performing on all their tours. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1996 as a member of Pink Floyd.

<i>The Early Years 1965–1972</i> 2016 box set by Pink Floyd

The Early Years 1965–1972 is a box set that details 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 Sony Music for the rest of the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nick Mason's Saucerful of Secrets</span> English rock band

Nick Mason's Saucerful of Secrets are an English rock band formed in 2018 to perform the early music of Pink Floyd. The band comprises the Pink Floyd drummer and co-founder Nick Mason, the bassist Guy Pratt, the guitarists Gary Kemp and Lee Harris, and the keyboardist Dom Beken. As many fans had discovered Pink Floyd with their bestselling 1973 album TheDark Side of the Moon, Mason wanted to bring their earlier material to a wider audience.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Mabbett, Andy (1995). The Complete Guide to the Music of Pink Floyd. London: Omnibus. ISBN   0-7119-4301-X.
  2. Schaffner, Nicholas (2005). "Shine On You Crazy Diamond". Saucerful of Secrets: The Pink Floyd Odyssey (New ed.). London: Helter Skelter. p. 132. ISBN   1-905139-09-8.
  3. "Musicians (Studio)". Pink Floyd Music (1987) Limited. Retrieved 26 January 2019.
  4. Corporal Clegg Songfacts.
  5. Povey, Glenn; The Complete History of Pink Floyd, 2006, p. 91.
  6. Ibidem, p. 111.
  7. 1 2 Miller, Jim (26 October 1968). "A Saucerful of Secrets". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 27 July 2017.