The song was the on their 1967 debut album The Piper at the Gates of Dawn…the song was released 2 months earlier as the B side to the single See Emily Play. I really like this early Pink Floyd. You can see the beginning and know where it went from here.
It’s more like a psychedelic folk song. Syd Barrett wrote the song. Barrett compares his own existence to that of the scarecrow, who, while sadder is also resigned to his fate.
The single, See Emily Play/Scarecrow peaked at #6 in the UK and #134 in the Billboard 100 in 1967.
From Wiki:
A promotional film for the song, made for a Pathé newsreel and filmed in early July 1967, features the band in an open field with a scarecrow, generally fooling around. It shows Roger Waters falling down as if he were shot, and Nick Mason exchanging his hat with the scarecrow’s.[5] Part of this film has been featured in Waters’ live performances of “Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun”.
A second promo was filmed in 1968 in Brussels, Belgium, with David Gilmour replacing Barrett, and Waters lip-syncing while playing his Rickenbacker bass with a violin bow.
Scarecrow
The black and green scarecrow as everyone knows
Stood with a bird on his hat and straw everywhere
He didn’t care
He stood in a field where barley grows
His head did no thinking
His arms didn’t move except when the wind cut up
Rough and mice ran around on the ground
He stood in a field where barley grows
The black and green scarecrow is sadder than me
But now he’s resigned to his fate
‘Cause life’s not unkind – he doesn’t mind
He stood in a field where barley grows
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I like this song. It seems like it should have charted higher at the time, but maybe there were too many songs trying to sound similarly psychedelic and it got lost in the pack. It’s sad that Syd saw himself that way.
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Syd’s story is so sad. I would have loved to see what would have happened if he would have managed to get help. I love these earlier songs that have been lost in time…compared to their later songs.
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The only thing stranger than this song is the video.
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I’d never heard this one but like “See Emily Play” a lot. This sounds quite good too, obviously very Eastern/psychedelic. George Harrison was probably a fan back then.
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It was some good stuff earlier on and I can see how they ended up where they did.
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I like their sound at this time also. I wonder too about some of the greats who suffered from mental illness and/or substance abuse and if it could have kept them creating longer…
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The sad part is…part of that illness probably helped them to create what they did in some cases. Pink Floyd would have been different I think if he would have stayed and could function.
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you’re right Max – I think I was commenting something like that on one of my music posts not long ago. It’s terrible but it’s likely the diseases – the schizophrenia, the bipolar issues etc – are largely responsible for the creativity of some of these greats. But often as not, it also results in their demise. Sadder still, some know it but refuse treatment after feeling like “not themselves” once they start therapy and medication.
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I’ve have known a bi-polar person…he stopped taking the medicine because it calmed him down too much…you can’t win. I do feel bad for him….because he doesn’t feel right with the medicine.
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Psychedelic folk song… yes, that’s exactly what it is. Sounds like something Donovan would write…
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It does John…I really enjoy their earlier stuff.
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This stuff is out there man. LOL Amazing how they shifted gears continuously once the 70’s began
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Yea…they were out there in the 70s but this is really out there.
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What a wonderful sound! So unclouded and crystal.
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It is isn’t it? How are you Matt? I’ve been working a lot lately so it takes me a while to respond sometimes.
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I watched the video before reading the spiel and was confused to see Gilmour there. Cool video though.
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It is….great atmosphere music
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Have to admit I’ve never really been into Pink Floyd – they’ve just never clicked with me. Its interesting to see how far they developed from this song to their later years.
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These early ones are interesting. I like the early stuff better. I have an unknown power pop band coming tomorrow.
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Looking forward to it!
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My entry to Pink Floyd were the “Wish You Were Here” and “Dark Side of the Moon” albums.
The compilation “Relics” was my first foray into their earlier music. Certain tunes like “Arnold Layne” and “See Emily Play” spoke to me right away, while others were more of an acquired taste.
In general, I’ve come to like their early music. Some of it I’d characterize as weirdly charming!😀
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I got burned out some on their seventies stuff and this era has renewed my interest in them…it’s fun to see where they started out at.
Some people thought they were out in left field in the 70s…they were out there also in the 60s…just in a different way.
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This also sounds like a child’s nursery rhyme in a way.
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I really like their roots
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Love hearing this old Floyd.
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