If (Pink Floyd song)

Last updated
"If"
Song by Pink Floyd
from the album Atom Heart Mother
PublishedWorld Copyrights
Released2 October 1970 (UK)
10 October 1970 (US)
Recorded12 June - 21 July 1970 [1]
Studio Abbey Road Studios, London
Genre
Length4:31
Label Harvest
Songwriter(s) Roger Waters
Producer(s) Pink Floyd, Norman Smith (executive producer)

"If" is a song by English rock band Pink Floyd on their 1970 album Atom Heart Mother . [2] [3] This song was one of several to be considered for the band's "best of" album, Echoes: The Best of Pink Floyd . [4]

Contents

Writing

Written and sung by Roger Waters, like "Grantchester Meadows" before it, "If" carries on a pastoral and folky approach, [5] [6] but instead deals with introspection. [7] The song is in the key of E major.

Live

The song was performed live at a John Peel session on 16 July 1970, at BBC's Paris Theatre, London. Waters performed it on several occasions, [6] during the 1984–85 'Pros and Cons' tour, and in support of Radio K.A.O.S. in 1987. For these performances, "If" was expanded with additional lyrics and chord sequences. The song was later played by Nick Mason's Saucerful of Secrets in 2018, 2019 and 2022 in a medley with Atom Heart Mother. [8]

Reception

In a review for the Atom Heart Mother album on release, Alec Dubro of Rolling Stone gave "If" a negative review, calling the song "English folk at its deadly worst. It's soft and silly." Dubro said the same for "Fat Old Sun". [9] Rolling Stone would later praise the song in 2007, however, writing "Roger Waters' pastoral ballad on this flawed album was a moving examination of the terror of isolation; Floyd were finally rooting their astral travels in true songwriting." [10] In another positive review, Stephen Deusner of Paste described "If" as one of Roger Waters' best compositions. [11] In another positive review, Irving Tan of Sputnik Music believes "If" contains "very introspective lyrics that end up making a memorable outing", but also believed the track was not as well-written as some of his later and earlier pieces. [12] Tan also believed the track was reminiscent of "Grantchester Meadows", another Waters-penned track from Ummagumma a year before. [12]

Personnel

Related Research Articles

<i>Atom Heart Mother</i> 1970 studio album by Pink Floyd

Atom Heart Mother is the fifth studio album by English rock band Pink Floyd. It was released by Harvest on 2 October 1970 in the UK, and by Capitol on 10 October 1970 in the US. It was recorded at EMI Studios in London, and was the band's first album to reach number 1 in the UK, while it reached number 55 in the US, eventually going gold there.

<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.

<i>Ummagumma</i> 1969 album by Pink Floyd

Ummagumma is the fourth album by English rock band Pink Floyd. It is a double album and was released on 7 November 1969 by Harvest Records. The first disc consists of live recordings from concerts at Mothers Club in Birmingham and the College of Commerce in Manchester that contained part of their normal set list of the time, while the second contains solo compositions by each member of the band recorded at EMI Studios. The artwork was designed by regular Pink Floyd collaborators Hipgnosis and features a number of pictures of the band combined to give a Droste effect. It was the last album cover to feature the band.

"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>Works</i> (Pink Floyd album) 1983 compilation album by Pink Floyd

Works is a compilation album of songs by British progressive rock band Pink Floyd, released in 1983. It features a variety of material, including two of the band's early singles, "Arnold Layne" and "See Emily Play," alternative mixes of tracks from The Dark Side of the Moon and the studio outtake "Embryo."

"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.

"Grantchester Meadows" is the second track from the studio disc of the Pink Floyd album Ummagumma.

"Alan's Psychedelic Breakfast" is the fifth and final track from the 1970 Pink Floyd album Atom Heart Mother, credited to the whole group. It is a three-part instrumental.

"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">Fearless (Pink Floyd song)</span> Song by Pink Floyd

"Fearless" is the third track on the 1971 album Meddle by Pink Floyd. It is a slow acoustic guitar-driven song written by Roger Waters and David Gilmour, and includes audio of football fans singing "You'll Never Walk Alone". It was also released as the B-side of the single along with "One of These Days", and was praised by critics as one of the better songs from Meddle.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arnold Layne</span> 1967 Pink Floyd single

"Arnold Layne" is a song by English rock band Pink Floyd. Released on 10 March 1967, it was the band's first single and was written by Syd Barrett.

"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.

"A Pillow of Winds" is the second track from Pink Floyd's 1971 album Meddle.

"Fat Old Sun" is a song by English rock band Pink Floyd, written and sung by David Gilmour. It appears on their 1970 album Atom Heart Mother, and was performed live by the group from 1970-71 in a different arrangement. Gilmour has since played the track on several of his solo tours.

"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.

"Summer '68" is a song by English rock band Pink Floyd on their 1970 album Atom Heart Mother.

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">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. ↑ Guesdon, Jean-MIchel (2017). Pink Floyd All The Songs. Running Press. ISBN   9780316439237.
  2. ↑ Strong, Martin C. (2004). The Great Rock Discography (7th ed.). Edinburgh: Canongate Books. p. 1177. ISBN   1-84195-551-5.
  3. ↑ Mabbett, Andy (1995). The Complete Guide to the Music of Pink Floyd. London: Omnibus Press. ISBN   0-7119-4301-X.
  4. ↑ Guthrie, James. "James Guthrie: Audio: Building A Compilation Album". Pink Floyd. Archived from the original on 2 June 2010. Retrieved 17 June 2013.
  5. ↑ Manning, Toby (2006). "The Albums". The Rough Guide to Pink Floyd (1st ed.). London: Rough Guides. p. 162. ISBN   1-84353-575-0.
  6. 1 2 Schaffner, Nicholas (2005). "The Amazing Pudding". Saucerful of Secrets: The Pink Floyd Odyssey (New ed.). London: Helter Skelter. p. 162. ISBN   1-905139-09-8.
  7. ↑ Manning, Toby (2006). "Set the Controls". The Rough Guide to Pink Floyd (1st ed.). London: Rough Guides. p. 63. ISBN   1-84353-575-0.
  8. ↑ Bailie, Geoff (19 April 2022). "Concert Review: Nick Mason's Saucerful Of Secrets - Ulster Hall, Belfast - April 14th, 2022". The Prog Report. Retrieved 24 April 2022.
  9. ↑ Dubro, Alec (10 December 1970). "Atom Heart Mother". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 21 July 2017. Retrieved 22 July 2017.
  10. ↑ Gilmore, Mikal; David Fricke (5 April 2007). "The Madness & Majesty of Pink Floyd". Rolling Stone. No. 1023. Straight Arrow Publishers. p. 79 – via ProQuest.
  11. ↑ Deusner, Stephen (6 October 2011). "Pink Floyd: Atom Heart Mother ("Why Pink Floyd?" Reissue)". pastemagazine.com. Retrieved 22 July 2017.
  12. 1 2 Tan, Irving (18 September 2010). "Review: Pink Floyd - Atom Heart Mother | Sputnikmusic". www.sputnikmusic.com. Retrieved 23 July 2017.


This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.