Atom Heart Mother is the fifth studio album by Pink Floyd, released in 1970… Read Full Bio ↴Atom Heart Mother is the fifth studio album by Pink Floyd, released in 1970 by Harvest and EMI Records in the United Kingdom and Harvest and Capitol in the United States. It was recorded at Abbey Road Studios, London, England, and reached number 1 in the United Kingdom, and number 55 in the United States charts, and went gold in the U.S. in March 1994. A re-mastered CD was released in 1994 in the UK, and in 1995 in the U.S.
The original album cover shows a cow standing in a pasture with no text nor any other clue as to what might be on the record. (Some later editions have the title and artist name added to the cover.) This concept was the group's reaction to the psychedelic space rock imagery associated with Pink Floyd at the time of the album's release; the band wanted to explore all sorts of music without being limited to a particular image or style of performance. They thus requested that their new album have "something plain" on the cover, which ended up being the image of the cow. Storm Thorgerson, inspired by Andy Warhol's famous "cow-wallpaper," has said that he simply drove out into a rural area near Potters Bar and photographed the first cow he saw. The cow's owner identified her name as "Lulubelle III." More cows appear on the back cover (again, with no text or titles), and on the inside gatefold.
The title track was to have been called "The Amazing Pudding", though Ron Geesin's original score referred to it as "Epic". Its name was changed after Geesin—who co-wrote the piece and arranged the orchestration on the recording—pointed to a copy of The Evening Standard (dated Thursday 16 July 1970), and suggested to Roger Waters that he would find a title in there. The headline was: "ATOM HEART MOTHER NAMED".
The piece is a progression from Pink Floyd's earlier instrumental pieces such as "A Saucerful of Secrets". The "Atom Heart Mother" suite takes up all of side one, and is split into six parts, featuring a full brass section and choir which take most of the lead melody lines, while Pink Floyd mainly provide the backing tracks; a reverse of the 1960s pop music practice of using orchestration as the background, and putting the rock band in front. However, there is one section where a bluesy electric guitar solo by David Gilmour takes the lead.
Critical reaction to the suite has always been mixed, and all band members have expressed negativity toward it in recent times, as shown in the quotes section later in this article. But they appear to have been enthusiastic about the suite in the early 1970s, taking a full brass section and choir on tour just for the purpose of performing this piece; a move which caused the tour to lose money. A later arrangement without brass or choir, and pared down from 25 minutes to 15 by omitting the strange "collage" sections and closing reprise of the main theme, remained in their live repertoire into 1972, performed in concerts that also previewed The Dark Side of the Moon.
Side two opens with three five-minute songs: one by each of the band's three resident songwriters, and closes with a suite with sound effects primarily conceived by Nick Mason, but credited to the whole group (and based mostly on musical ideas by Gilmour). Therefore, this album's concept is similar to their previous Ummagumma album, in that it features the full band in the first half, and focuses on individual members in the second half. Roger Waters contributes a folk ballad called "If" which he would play frequently at live shows in support of his Radio KAOS album, more than a decade later. This is followed by Rick Wright's brass-heavy "Summer '68", a critique of the "rock 'n' roll" lifestyle that would soon become characteristic of Pink Floyd. Next is David Gilmour's "Fat Old Sun", for which a 15 minute extended arrangement spent two years as a key part of the band's live set, and is a staple of Gilmour's various solo tours.
The final track, "Alan's Psychedelic Breakfast", is divided into three segments, each with its own descriptive title, joined by dialogue and sound effects of then-roadie Alan Stiles preparing, discussing, and eating breakfast.
The original LP ends with the sound of a dripping tap which continues into the inner groove, and thus plays on indefinitely.
The album cover appears in Stanley Kubrick's film A Clockwork Orange. It is viewable on a shelf in the music shop scene.
The original album cover shows a cow standing in a pasture with no text nor any other clue as to what might be on the record. (Some later editions have the title and artist name added to the cover.) This concept was the group's reaction to the psychedelic space rock imagery associated with Pink Floyd at the time of the album's release; the band wanted to explore all sorts of music without being limited to a particular image or style of performance. They thus requested that their new album have "something plain" on the cover, which ended up being the image of the cow. Storm Thorgerson, inspired by Andy Warhol's famous "cow-wallpaper," has said that he simply drove out into a rural area near Potters Bar and photographed the first cow he saw. The cow's owner identified her name as "Lulubelle III." More cows appear on the back cover (again, with no text or titles), and on the inside gatefold.
The title track was to have been called "The Amazing Pudding", though Ron Geesin's original score referred to it as "Epic". Its name was changed after Geesin—who co-wrote the piece and arranged the orchestration on the recording—pointed to a copy of The Evening Standard (dated Thursday 16 July 1970), and suggested to Roger Waters that he would find a title in there. The headline was: "ATOM HEART MOTHER NAMED".
The piece is a progression from Pink Floyd's earlier instrumental pieces such as "A Saucerful of Secrets". The "Atom Heart Mother" suite takes up all of side one, and is split into six parts, featuring a full brass section and choir which take most of the lead melody lines, while Pink Floyd mainly provide the backing tracks; a reverse of the 1960s pop music practice of using orchestration as the background, and putting the rock band in front. However, there is one section where a bluesy electric guitar solo by David Gilmour takes the lead.
Critical reaction to the suite has always been mixed, and all band members have expressed negativity toward it in recent times, as shown in the quotes section later in this article. But they appear to have been enthusiastic about the suite in the early 1970s, taking a full brass section and choir on tour just for the purpose of performing this piece; a move which caused the tour to lose money. A later arrangement without brass or choir, and pared down from 25 minutes to 15 by omitting the strange "collage" sections and closing reprise of the main theme, remained in their live repertoire into 1972, performed in concerts that also previewed The Dark Side of the Moon.
Side two opens with three five-minute songs: one by each of the band's three resident songwriters, and closes with a suite with sound effects primarily conceived by Nick Mason, but credited to the whole group (and based mostly on musical ideas by Gilmour). Therefore, this album's concept is similar to their previous Ummagumma album, in that it features the full band in the first half, and focuses on individual members in the second half. Roger Waters contributes a folk ballad called "If" which he would play frequently at live shows in support of his Radio KAOS album, more than a decade later. This is followed by Rick Wright's brass-heavy "Summer '68", a critique of the "rock 'n' roll" lifestyle that would soon become characteristic of Pink Floyd. Next is David Gilmour's "Fat Old Sun", for which a 15 minute extended arrangement spent two years as a key part of the band's live set, and is a staple of Gilmour's various solo tours.
The final track, "Alan's Psychedelic Breakfast", is divided into three segments, each with its own descriptive title, joined by dialogue and sound effects of then-roadie Alan Stiles preparing, discussing, and eating breakfast.
The original LP ends with the sound of a dripping tap which continues into the inner groove, and thus plays on indefinitely.
The album cover appears in Stanley Kubrick's film A Clockwork Orange. It is viewable on a shelf in the music shop scene.
More Genres
No Artists Found
More Artists
Load All
No Albums Found
More Albums
Load All
No Tracks Found
Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Search results not found
Song not found
Atom Heart Mother
Pink Floyd Lyrics
Fat Old Sun When the fat old sun in the sky is falling…
If If I were a swan, I'd be gone If I were…
Summer '68 Would you like to say something before you leave Perhaps you…
John Nahory
on Sheep
the lyrics were on the inner sleeve of the album. the first word of the song is "Harmlessly" not "Hopelessly" as stated above. its an important word because at the end of the song, after the sheep rise up and take over, the lyrics say "You better stay home and do as you're told. Get out of the road if you want to grow old" because the sheep are not harmless any more. now that they are in control they are no better than the dogs and pigs they displaced. Its a big part of the meaning behind the whole Album. And what an amazingly written album it is.
David G. Morris
on One of My Turns
Oh my God! What a fabulous room! Are all these your guitars?
Expressing amazement at seeing many guitars in a fabulous room.
I'm sorry sir, I didn't mean to startle you
Apologizing for startling someone.
This place is bigger than our apartment
Stating the obvious, that the place is bigger than an apartment.
Let me know when you're entering a room
Requesting to be informed before anyone enters the room.
Yes sir
Replying affirmatively to a question made by someone.
Um, Can I get a drink of water?
Asking for permission to drink water.
I was wondering about
Starting a sentence with no clear substance or direction.
You want some, huh?
Asking if someone wants something.
Oh wow, look at this tub? Do you want to take bath?
Expressing amazement at seeing a tub and asking if someone wants to take a bath.
I'll have to find out from Mrs. Bancroft what time she wants to meet us, for her main
Saying you have to check with Mrs. Bancroft to find out the time she wants to meet for her main meal.
What are watching?
Asking someone what they are watching.
If you'll just let me know as soon as you can Mrs Bancroft
Requesting to be informed as soon as possible by Mrs. Bancroft.
Mrs Bancroft
Mentioning the name of someone.
Hello?
Answering the phone, asking for a greeting.
I don't understand
Admitting not to comprehend something.
Are you feeling okay?
Asking someone if they are feeling alright.
Day after day, love turns grey
Expressing the monotony of love over time.
Like the skin of a dying man
Comparing the color of love to the skin of a dying man.
And night after night, we pretend its all right
Continuing the theme of monotony, pretending things are alright.
But I have grown older and
An admission of aging.
You have grown colder and
An admission of emotional distance between two people.
Nothing is very much fun any more
Stating that nothings as fun as it used to be.
And I can feel one of my turns coming on
Sensing the onset of an unusual behavior pattern.
I feel cold as a razor blade
Describing the feeling of being cold as a razor blade.
Tight as a tourniquet
Describing the feeling of being tight as a tourniquet.
Dry as a funeral drum
Describing the feeling of being dry like a funeral drum.
Run to the bedroom,In the suitcase on the left You'll find my favorite axe
Instructing someone to bring a suitcase and in it is an axe.
Don't look so frightened This is just a passing phase One of my bad days
Assuring someone that you are only having one of your bad days and that it'll pass.
Would you like to watch T.V.?
Asking if someone would like to watch T.V.
Or get between the sheets?
Asking if someone would rather lie in bed.
Or contemplate the silent freeway?
Asking if someone wants to think about something peaceful.
Would you like something to eat?
Asking if someone wants to eat.
Would you like to learn to fly? Would'ya?
Would you like to jump off the building & die?
Would you like to see me try?
Would you like to see me jump off the building & die?
Would you like to call the cops?
Asking if someone wants to call the police.
Do you think it's time I stopped?
Asking if someone thinks you should stop.
Why are you running away?
Asking why someone is running away.
Amicus Colloquii
on Comfortably Numb
I mean, don’t work so hard guys - watch the TheWall. This is just a literal recounting of the scene where they slam some dope into Bob Geldoff’s character and send him out there to do his Hitler thing his demagogue performance
Thang Leminh
on Wearing the Inside Out
Trần trụi dễ thương....
Thang Leminh
on Hey You
Tôi yêu PinkPloyd