'' is a
Progressive Rock album by
Pink Floyd .
''Ummagumma'' is a double album. One disc was recorded live at
Mothers Club ,
Birmingham , on
April 27 ,
1969 and the following week at
Manchester College Of Commerce , on
May 2 ; the other included five solo segments, one each by David Gilmour, Richard Wright, and Nick Mason, and two by Roger Waters.
The album was released in the
UK on
October 25 ,
1969 and then in the
USA on
November 10 . The album would reach #5 on the UK album charts and #74 on the US album charts, marking the first time the band reached the top 100 in the US. The album was certified Gold in the US in February, 1974 and Platinum in March, 1994.
In
1987 , the album was re-released on a two CD set. A digitally re-mastered two CD set was released in
1994 in the UK and
1995 in the US. Neither CD release includes the picture of Waters' first wife, which had appeared on the inner-gatefold sleeve of the original vinyl issue.
The cover of the original LP varies between the British (and Canadian) and American releases. The British version has the album ''
Gigi '' leaning against the wall immediately above the 'Pink Floyd' letters. On the original American album version, however, this was airbrushed to a plain white sleeve, apparently because of copyright concerns (though the Gigi cover appears in US CD version's booklet). Inside the cover is a picture of David Gilmour in front of the
Elfin Oak . The rear cover (or cover of the Live Album) shows the band's equipment laid out on a runway at
Biggin Hill Airfield .
- David Gilmour - guitar, vocals, all instruments and vocals on "The Narrow Way" (guitars, vocals, keyboards, drums and bass guitar)
- Roger Waters - bass guitar, guitar on "Grantchester Meadows" and vocals, all tape effects on "Several Species…"
- Richard Wright - keyboards, vocals, all instruments on "Sysyphus" (keyboards, drums, guitar and voices)
- Nick Mason - drums, percussion, all instruments on "The Grand Vizier's Garden Party" (except flute)---
with
- Lindy Mason (then Mason's wife) - Flute (uncredited)
The title ''Ummagumma'' comes from a British slang word for
Sexual Intercourse .
#"
Astronomy Domine " - 8:29
#"
Careful With That Axe, Eugene " - 8:50
#"
Set The Controls For The Heart Of The Sun " - 9:12
#"
A Saucerful Of Secrets " - 12:48
#"Sysyphus: Part 1" (Wright) - 1:03 (4:29)
#"Sysyphus: Part 2" (Wright) - 3:30 (1:49)
#"Sysyphus: Part 3" (Wright) - 1:49 (3:07)
#"Sysyphus: Part 4" (Wright) - 6:59 (3:38)
#"
Grantchester Meadows " (Waters) - 7:26
#"
Several Species Of Small Furry Animals Gathered Together In A Cave And Grooving With A Pict " (Waters) - 4:59
#"
The Narrow Way Part 1 " (Gilmour) - 3:27
#"
The Narrow Way Part 2 " (Gilmour) - 2:53
#"
The Narrow Way Part 3 " (Gilmour) - 5:57
#"The Grand Vizier's Garden Party: Part 1 (Entrance)" (Mason) - 1:00
#"The Grand Vizier's Garden Party: Part 2 (Entertainment)" (Mason) - 7:06
#"The Grand Vizier's Garden Party: Part 3 (Exit)" (Mason) - 0:38
On the original vinyl release, "The Narrow Way" and "The Grand Vizier's Garden Party" were single tracks. On the remastered re-release, Part 1 of "Sysyphus" was split into two tracks and labelled "Part 1" and "Part 2". Part 2 on vinyl became "Part 3" on CD, while "Part 4" of the re-release consists of Parts 3 and 4 ("Part 4" beginning with the large orchestral thud). Original track times are listed in brackets above. The band had also recorded a live version of "Interstellar Overdrive" (from ''
The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn '', which was intended to be placed on the album. The track was dropped at the last minute, but numerous
Bootlegs were given to friends of the band, including
John Peel .
"What was your inspiration for ''The Narrow Way'' (on ''Ummagumma'') your first major Floyd composition?"
:"Well, we'd decided to make the damn album, and each of us to do a piece of music on our own... it was just desperation really, trying to think of something to do, to write by myself. I'd never written anything before, I just went into a studio and started waffling about, tacking bits and pieces together. I haven't heard it in years. I've no idea what it's like." - David Gilmour - ''Sounds "Guitar Heroes" Magazine'', May 1983
-
Billboard (North America)
