Pow R. Toc H.

Last updated
"Pow R. Toc H."
Instrumental by Pink Floyd
from the album The Piper at the Gates of Dawn
PublishedMagdalene Music/Essex Music
Released5 August 1967
RecordedMarch–April 1967
Studio Abbey Road Studios, London, UK
Genre Experimental [1]
Length4:26
Label EMI Columbia (UK)
Tower (US)
Songwriter(s) Syd Barrett, Roger Waters, Richard Wright, Nick Mason
Producer(s) Norman Smith

"Pow R. Toc H." is an instrumental, with vocal effects, by the English rock band Pink Floyd on their 1967 album The Piper at the Gates of Dawn . [2] [3] In addition to the vocal effects, the piano is a prominent instrument in the piece.

Contents

Background

Toc H. was the army signallers' code for "TH", representing Talbot House, a club where officers and enlisted men were equals, which later became an interdenominational Christian fellowship organization serving the community. [4] (The emblem of Toc H. is an oil lamp, so a "power Toc H." would be an electric torch—probably with a dim bulb, as per the saying "as dim as a Toc H. lamp".)[ citation needed ]

According to Nick Mason, the original four members of Pink Floyd (Syd Barrett, Roger Waters, Richard Wright and Mason) were present at Abbey Road Studios and watched the Beatles record "Lovely Rita" from Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band . [5] [6] Voice effects and noises similar to those used in "Lovely Rita" could be heard in "Pow R. Toc H.", recorded in the next studio during the same period.

Waters also uses the "scream" he later used in "Careful with That Axe, Eugene".

Alternative and live versions

"Pow R. Toc H." was renamed "The Pink Jungle" in the "Journey" part of The Man and The Journey . Pink Floyd performed the song live from 1967 to 1969.

Personnel

Related Research Articles

<i>The Piper at the Gates of Dawn</i> 1967 studio album by Pink Floyd

The Piper at the Gates of Dawn is the debut studio album by the English rock band Pink Floyd, released on 4 August 1967 by EMI Columbia. It is the only Pink Floyd album made under the leadership of founder member Syd Barrett ; he wrote all but three tracks, with additional composition by members Roger Waters, Nick Mason (drums), and Richard Wright. The album followed the band's influential performances at London's UFO Club and their early chart success with the 1967 non-album singles "Arnold Layne" and "See Emily Play".

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

A Saucerful of Secrets is the second studio album by the 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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shine On You Crazy Diamond</span> 1975 composition by Pink Floyd

"Shine On You Crazy Diamond" is a nine-part Pink Floyd composition written by David Gilmour, Roger Waters, and Richard Wright, which appeared on Pink Floyd's 1975 concept album Wish You Were Here. The song is written about and dedicated to founder member Syd Barrett, who departed from the band in 1968 after becoming mentally ill.

<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">Lovely Rita</span> 1967 song by the Beatles

"Lovely Rita" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles from their 1967 album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. It was written mainly by Paul McCartney and credited to Lennon–McCartney. It is about a meter maid and the narrator's affection for her.

"Bike" is a song by British rock band Pink Floyd, which is the final track featured on their 1967 debut album, The Piper at the Gates of Dawn.

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

"Let There Be More Light" is the opening track on Pink Floyd's second album, A Saucerful of Secrets. It was also released in edited form as the fourth American single by the group.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flaming (song)</span> 1967 single by Pink Floyd

"Flaming" is a song by the English rock band Pink Floyd, featured on their 1967 debut album, The Piper at the Gates of Dawn. Written and sung by Syd Barrett, the song remained in their set until late 1968; David Gilmour sang the lead vocal after Barrett's departure.

"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.

"Lucifer Sam" is a song by the English rock band Pink Floyd, featured on the band's debut album The Piper at the Gates of Dawn (1967).

Games for May was a rock music concert that took place at the Queen Elizabeth Hall on 12 May 1967, three months after the venue opened. It was one of the first significant concert events held by Pink Floyd. The show was organized by Pink Floyd managers Andrew King and Peter Jenner of Blackhill Enterprises, and promoted by classical music promoter Christopher Hunt.

"Scream Thy Last Scream" is a song by Pink Floyd, written by frontman Syd Barrett and scheduled to be the band's next single after "See Emily Play".

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.

<i>Oh, by the Way</i> 2007 box set by Pink Floyd

Oh, by the Way is a compilation boxed set by Pink Floyd released on 10 December 2007, by EMI Records in the United Kingdom and the following day in the United States through Capitol Records.

<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.

The Man and The Journey tour was an informal concert tour of a few dates by Pink Floyd during which the conceptual music piece The Man and The Journey was played.

<i>1965: Their First Recordings</i> 2015 EP by Pink Floyd

1965: Their First Recordings is an EP by Pink Floyd released in 2015. It is made up of music recorded around Christmas 1964, at which time the band was known as the Tea Set. These are the earliest Pink Floyd recordings available commercially, with four songs written by Syd Barrett, one written by Roger Waters, and one cover of a song by American blues musician Slim Harpo.

<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. Guesdon, Jean-Michel; Margotin, Philippe (2017). Pink Floyd All the Songs: The Story Behind Every Track. Running Press. p. 90. ISBN   978-0-316-43923-7.
  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. "The GreatWar 1914-1918 The Story of Talbot House (Toc H), Poperinge". THe Great War 1914-1918. Retrieved 26 May 2022.
  5. Mason, Nick (2004). Inside Out: A Personal History of Pink Floyd .
  6. Runtagh, Jordan (29 May 2017). "Beatles' 'Sgt. Pepper' at 50: When Pink Floyd, David Crosby Visited 'Lovely Rita' Sessions". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 26 May 2022.