That accounts for the drop during the solo, as Syd's rhythm guitar is no longer there!"
-Malcolm Jones, 'Madcap'
Shirley and Willie Wilson, the former Jokers Wild drummer, were both drafted into the making of the LP midway through April, helping in the recording of 'No Man's Land', with its incoherent spoken piece, and 'Here I Go', the second 'old timey' song on the album. Jones states categorically that this latter track, with its unusual music hall structure, was written in the studio in a matter of minutes, so refuting Roger Waters' assertion that all Syd's material was written prior to the split with Pink Floyd. The track was recorded "live" with the freshly written lyrics in front of Syd.
- "The Madcap Laughs: Mick Rock Photo Sessions, 1993
Here I Go
Syd Barrett Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
She didn't like my songs
And that made me feel blue
She said: "A big band is far better than you"
She don't rock 'n' roll, she don't like it
She don't do the stroll, well she don't do it right
Well, everything's wrong and my patience was gone
And remembered this song
O-oh-oh, kinda catchy, I hoped
That she would talk to me now
And even allow me to hold her hand
And forget that old band.
I strolled around to her pad
Her light was off and that's bad
Her sister said that my girl was gone
"But come inside, boy, and play, play, play me a song!"
I said "Yeah! Here I go"
She's kinda cute; don't you know,
That after a while of seeing her smile
I knew we could make it, a-make it in style!?
So now I've got all I need
She and I are in love, we've agreed
She likes this song and my others too
So now you see my world is...
'Cause of this tune!
What a boon this tune!
I tell you soon
We'll be lying in bed, happily wed,
And I won't think of that girl
Or what she said...
The lyrics to Syd Barrett's song Here I Go tell a story of unrequited love and the power of music to bring people together. The singer describes a girl he knew who did not appreciate his music and preferred big bands instead. This rejection made him feel down, but he continued writing songs hoping that one day she would talk to him and even hold his hand. He decides to visit her to play her one of his songs and finds out that she is not there. However, her sister encourages him to play a song for her, and he decides to perform "Here I Go." After playing the song, the singer believes that he and the girl can make it as a couple, and she even begins to appreciate his music. The song ends with the singer expressing his happiness and dismissing the girl who didn't like his songs.
The lyrics of "Here I Go" represent the story of Syd Barrett's life in the early 1960s, before he became famous as the founder of Pink Floyd. He was trying to make a name for himself as a musician in London's underground music scene, playing at clubs and smoking marijuana with the likes of Pink Floyd's Roger Waters and David Gilmour. Barrett's music was experimental and sometimes strange, and many people didn't understand it, including the girl described in the song. The song also reflects Barrett's interest in rock and roll, which he saw as a way to rebel against mainstream society and express his creativity. The power of music is a recurring theme in Barrett's work, and it is evident in the way he describes the effects of his song on the singer and the girl.
Line by Line Meaning
This is a story 'bout a girl that I knew
The song is about a girl who didn't appreciate the singer's music and how he fell in love with another girl.
She didn't like my songs
The mentioned girl didn't like the singer's songs, causing him distress.
And that made me feel blue
The singer was unhappy about the girl's lack of appreciation for his music.
She said: "A big band is far better than you"
The girl explicitly told the singer that she preferred a big band over his music.
She don't rock 'n' roll, she don't like it
The girl in question doesn't like rock 'n' roll music and doesn't enjoy it.
She don't do the stroll, well she don't do it right
The girl cannot do the stroll dance, and even if she tries, she does it wrong.
Well, everything's wrong and my patience was gone
The singer felt like everything was going wrong, and he was losing his patience.
When I woke one morning
The singer had a realization one morning.
And remembered this song
He remembered a particular song and found it to be catchy.
O-oh-oh, kinda catchy, I hoped
The song was catchy, and the singer hoped that the girl would finally show interest in him.
That she would talk to me now
The singer wanted the girl to talk to him now, presumably because he felt they could get together through the shared appreciation of the song.
And even allow me to hold her hand
The singer was hopeful that the girl would allow him to hold her hand.
And forget that old band.
The singer wanted the girl to move on from thinking about the big band and focus on him instead.
I strolled around to her pad
The singer walked around to her house.
Her light was off and that's bad
The girl's lights were off, and the singer felt that was not good.
Her sister said that my girl was gone
The girl's sister informed the singer that she wasn't home.
"But come inside, boy, and play, play, play me a song!"
The girl's sister invited the singer inside and requested him to play a song.
I said "Yeah! Here I go"
The singer agreed to play a song for the girl's sister, indicating his confidence in his skills as a musician.
She's kinda cute; don't you know,
The singer found the girl's sister to be cute.
That after a while of seeing her smile
The singer enjoyed seeing the girl's sister smile at him.
I knew we could make it, a-make it in style!?
The singer believed that they could have a successful relationship in a stylish manner.
So now I've got all I need
The singer feels like he has everything he needs with his new love interest.
She and I are in love, we've agreed
The singer and his new love interest mutually agreed to be in love.
She likes this song and my others too
The singer's love interest enjoys not just this song, but the singer's other songs as well.
So now you see my world is...
The singer's world is complete now that he has found love and someone who appreciates his music.
'Cause of this tune!
The singer feels that the song he played had a role in his newfound love interest.
What a boon this tune!
The singer reflects on how much of a blessing it was to have played that particular song.
I tell you soon
The singer then insinuates that he and his love interest might get married and be happy.
We'll be lying in bed, happily wed,
The singer imagines a happy future where he and his love interest are married and in bed together.
And I won't think of that girl
The singer won't think about the original girl who didn't appreciate his music.
Or what she said...
He won't think about the girl's negative remarks about his music either.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: SYD BARRETT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Long-HairedLuigi
aikodude lol, “kinda”?!
... make that INSTANTLY INFECTIOUS! :D
I remember when I first heard this in early 1990 and the second it started chugging I TOTALLY FELL IN LOVE WITH THIS SONG! :D
One of THE best, most lighthearted melodies I’ve ever heard!
And everyone I play this for always falls instantly in love with it as well. :)
Syd was so amazing...
@ffwlpe
This is a story about a girl that I knew
She didn't like my songs and that made me feel blue
She said, "A big band is far better than you"
She don't rock 'n' roll, she don't like it
She don't do the stroll, well she don't do it right
Well everything's wrong and my patience is gone
When I woke one morning and remembered this song
Kinda catchy
I hope that she will talk to me now and even allow me
To hold her hand and forget that old band
I strolled around to her pad
Her light was off and that's bad
Her sister said that my girl was gone
"But come inside boy, and play, play, play me a song"
I said, "Yeah" here I go
She's kinda cute don't you know
That after awhile of seeing her smile
I knew we could make it and make it in style?
So now I've got all I need
She and I are in love, we've agreed
She likes this song and my others too
So now you see my world is
'Cause of this tune what a boon this tune
I tell you soon we'll be lying in bed, happily wed
And I won't think of that girl and what she said
@liljanak.4235
And what we learnt from this story is when you dump Syd Barrett, he will get over you and get your sister instead.
@dbo514
Ck T No it’s not. This song was written in 1965, in happier times. Doesn’t have anything do to with his alienation from the band and the music business, unlike his last song on the second album
@graceantonio3573
😁aha😄ha😊ha! I'll take Syd, it must be a blast to have talked to him at least....sigh...😢
@martlinnas
Actually theres a couple more songs about this topic. Like "little Sister"
@thinginground5179
lol what a legend
@TheBoldImperator
@@dbo514 People say that a lot about the
majority of Barrett's solo output but the evidence is lacking. Seems more likely that some of these songs began as half formed ideas in the old days. For "Here I Go" in particular, Malcolm Jones has written that Mr. Barrett had written the song in a few minutes in April 1969. Maybe it was a preexisting tune. But I'd like to see evidence. None of these tracks ever showed up as Floyd material in 1965-67, with the exception of Opel/She Was A Millionaire. No written sheets date from the 1965 period regarding these songs, though I can accept at face that songs like Bob Dylan Blues probably really were 1965-vintage. But I'd like to see more solid evidence for this claim over simply taking it as truism, as has been so often the case regarding this particular songwriter in question. Much of Barrett's life and songwriting abilities has been endlessly mythologicalized and it makes it difficult to separate fact from fiction.
@SplinterAce
Probably the most authentic song I've heard. This guy said exactly what he was feeling and thinking.
@RTEHeydrich
I think Lennon lifted SOOOO much of Syd’s vibe concepts and style in the White Album… no one ever called him on it…
@martinethangrace2066
I listened to this song about 60 times in a row today and it just makes me feel so happy inside. RIP Syd Barrett 1946-2006
@mywordsmyhandle
Anyway The Madcap Laughs is a great great album, should be celebrated more