Astronomy Domine
| Astronomy Domine | |
|---|---|
| Pink Floyd | |
| publication | 5th August 1967 |
| length | 4:12 |
| Genre (s) | Avant-garde rock , psychedelic rock |
| Author (s) | Syd Barrett |
| Publisher (s) | Columbia Graphophone Company ( UK ) - Tower Records ( US ) |
| album | The Piper at the Gates of Dawn |
Astronomy Domine is a psychedelic rock song by British group Pink Floyd . It was written by their singer and guitarist Syd Barrett and opens their debut album The Piper at the Gates of Dawn . The song is sung by Syd Barrett and keyboardist Richard Wright .
Music and sound engineering
The song begins with the voice of manager Peter Jenner , who reads the names of some stars through a megaphone . Barrett's electric guitar can be heard in the background, slowly increasing in volume as if it were getting closer. On the studio recording, short tones can be heard from 0:19 min, the sequence of which is reminiscent of a Morse code . A few seconds later Nick Mason joins in, followed by Barrett's electric guitar, which is based on the piece Mars, the Warbringer from Holst's orchestral suite The Planets . In the background you can hear Richard Wright's Farfisa organ, plus a repeated bass motif by Roger Waters . The song finally ends with Syd Barrett's singing describing the landing of the spaceship and Wright's Arabic-sounding improvisation on the organ.
Astronomy Domine has an unusual harmonic structure in which only major chords are strung together: E - Eb - G - A - E6 - F - E6 - G. The use of a Binson reverb also creates a psychedelic mood. The use of effects devices anticipates Pink Floyd's later musical development, as can be heard on the studio LP of the double album Ummagumma (1969) and later on The Dark Side of the Moon (1973).
Alternatives and live versions
Astronomy Domine can be heard in a live version on the album Ummagumma , where it is sung by David Gilmour and Richard Wright. In the middle section of this longer version, Wright plays a solemn organ solo that ends in the last verse. The original studio version can be heard on the album A Nice Pair (a re-release of the band's first two studio albums as a double album) as well as on the compilation album Echoes: The Best of Pink Floyd .
Astronomy Domine was no longer played live from the middle of 1971 and was only included in the setlist again in 1994 : on The Division Bell Tour, it was played at the opening of the concert. At a concert in Miami, the version that appeared as the B-side of the single Take it Back was recorded. Another recording from a concert in London appeared on the double live album Pulse .
David Gilmour played the song at a session at Abbey Road Studios and released this version on the On an Island bonus DVD . He also presented it at several concerts on his on-an-island tour.
Cover versions
- 1989: Voivod on the album Nothingface .
- 2003: Mike Keneally on the tribute album A Fair Forgery of Pink Floyd .
- 2008: The Atomic Bitchwax on album 4 .
- 2008: Dredg on the tribute album Like Black Holes in the Sky: The Tribute to Syd Barrett .
- 2017: The Claypool Lennon Delirium on the EP Lime & Limpid Green .
Trivia
For several years, the intro was the theme song of the TV show ARD-Brennpunkt , today a variation of the original is used.
literature
- Julian Palacios: Syd Barrett & Pink Floyd: Dark Globe , London, Plexus, 2010 - 443 pages. ISBN 978-0-85965-431-9 .
Web links
- Astronomy Domine at Allmusic (English)