Pink Floyd – Jugband Blues

My journey continues into early Pink Floyd. This is a Syd Barrett contribution to the group, and the only song on the album that he wrote and sang on the album. The album was  A Saucerful of Secrets that peaked at #9 in the UK and #158 in the Billboard Album Charts.

The middle part of the song was a contribution from a Salvation Army band that Barrett asked to guest on the song…he told them to play what they wanted.

The song itself has said to be Barrett’s self-diagnosis of schizophrenia, explained by the lines “I’m most obliged to you for making it clear that I’m not here” and “I wonder who could be writing this song?” This would Barrett’s last contribution to Pink Floyd. Shortly before it was released, he was kicked out of the band.

From Songfacts

Pink Floyd made a promo film for this song, which shows a seemingly depressed Barrett wandering around aimlessly, singing the song.

40 seconds to the end of the track is another “secret” song that Barrett plays guitar on, while asking “What exactly is a dream?” and “What exactly is a joke?” 

The instrumental passage towards the end features a brass section which would be later explored more in Atom Heart Mother.

Jugband Blues

It’s awfully considerate of you to think of me here
And I’m much obliged to you for making it clear
That I’m not here
And I never knew we could be so thick
And I never knew the moon could be so blue
And I’m grateful that you threw away my old shoes
And brought me here instead dressed in red
And I’m wondering who could be writing this song

I don’t care if the sun don’t shine
And I don’t care if nothing is mine
And I don’t care if I’m nervous with you
I’ll do my loving in the winter

And the sea isn’t green
And I love the queen
And what exactly is a dream
And what exactly is a joke

Author: Badfinger (Max)

Power Pop fan, Baseball, Beatles, old movies, and tv show fan. Also anything to do with pop culture in the 60s and 70s... I'm also a songwriter, bass and guitar player.

12 thoughts on “Pink Floyd – Jugband Blues”

  1. “Jugband Blues” and “Remember a Day” are my favorite tunes from that album. While I dig Pink Floyd’s transformation to a more spacy sound on later albums like “Meddle”, “The Dark Side of the Moon” and “Wish You Were Here”, I also love the Syd Barrett era. His exit due to deteriorating mental health is truly sad.

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    1. This era is new to me and I really like the experimentation they do.
      It’s like they are half way between the band they would become and a regular band with great melodies.

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  4. brand new to me, thanks for sharing it! Would say, on first run-through , to me it’s only a so-so song but sure is interesting to see where the band came from…also interesting video. I find it quite amazing how many of the British acts were making videos right back to the late-60s. It’s a wonder MTV took as long to arrive as it did.

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    1. It’s one of those songs that grew on me after a few listens.
      I would say the only thing missing in the MTV early creation was a united cable network to get it out…

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    1. I guess the reason I like all of these…they sound like a band band…not a studio band playin g knobs in the studio…I liked that to don’t get me wrong but yea this is cool.

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      1. You can enjoy it for me. And, if you enjoy it, that’s the whole point.

        I still like being introduced to new stuff. I never know what I may or may not like.

        It took Dave to reintroduce me to Ian Golm.

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