TCCDM Pulls One Out..."A Saucerful Of Secrets" - Pink Floyd (1968)

"A Saucerful Of Secrets" - Pink Floyd (1968)

Until I actually held the album in my own hands, I thought the front cover was ugly and dull.  Since I've had the chance to peruse it more closely, the album cover, designed by Hipgnosis, has now become my favorite Pink Floyd cover.  For the first time, I noticed Dr. Strange on the album, Sorcerer Supreme and Protector of the Earth, wielding a cosmic-cortical spell enveloping the world, specifically the band.  The album jacket was obviously meant to create a 1968 mind-rush.  And I enjoyed the effort.   

And the music contained within Pink Floyd's second album attempts to capture all the psychedelic forces the album cover implies.  Dark, spacey, and trippy.  Much more than I expected.  It's a great spin and has made me reevaluate my top-five PF albums.  If you dig the psych stuff...this square will be sugar in your tea.

Sadly, this was the last hurrah for the Syd Barrett/Pink Floyd era.  He just wasn't "mentally" present much of the time, but his contributions on this album were good when he was.  Also, hello David Gilmour.  Gilmour was brought in to help stop the leakage and steady the boat.  "A Saucerful Of Secrets" was an "all hands on deck" affair...and the band pulled it off.  MUSIC NERD ALERT:  The song “Set The Controls For The Heart Of The Sun” is the only Pink Floyd track to feature all five members.  That would be Syd Barret along with David Gilmour, Roger Waters, Richard Wright, and Nick Mason.  How cool is that!?

"A Saucerful Of Secrets" - Pink Floyd (back)

Favorites include:
"Let There Be More Light"
"Set The Controls For The Heart Of The Sun"
"Remember A Day"
"A Saucerful Of Secrets"

I got a smokin' deal on this original press.  I made a lowball, 'set-it-and-forget-it' kind of bid that ended later the same day and I really did forget about it.  When I checked my mail that evening, "A Saucerful Of Secrets" was mine...and for quite a bit less than my actual bid.  I'm not trying to be "that" guy...but seriously, I've seen worse copies go for twice as much.

This is an original 1968 pressing with a nice minimal-wear cover. The spine is beautiful and no split seams.  The vinyl still has a nice shine with two very light hairlines. It looks and plays a VG+ without having to cross my fingers.  It's on the sweet brown Tower Records label with the iconic lowercase "t."  At the very bottom of the label is printed "MFD. IN U.S.A."  

The deadwax is stamped with "△IAM" on both sides denoting a Scranton east coast pressing.  Gilmour's name is spelled wrong everywhere.  The album has no back cover number.  Later copies would add an identifying number near the bottom corner.  There are many variables to help fine-tune the actual date but this copy is definitely a 1968/very early '69 release.  An essential square for psych heads and Floyd fans alike and I'm glad I got it.

Tower Records

Cat #
ST-5131
SIDE 1  DEADWAX
ST1-5131-B2  △IAM
SIDE 2  DEADWAX
ST2-5131-B2  △IAM

"Let There Be More Light" - Pink Floyd / "A Saucerful Of Secrets" (1968)

TRACKS:
A1  "Let There Be More Light" 5:32
A2  "Remember A Day" 4:27
A3  "Set The Controls For The Heart Of The Sun" 5:23
A4  "Corporal Clegg" 4:07
B1  "A Saucerful Of Secrets" 11:52
B2  "See-Saw" 4:30
B3  "Jugband Blues" 2:57

PERSONNEL:
Roger Waters - bass, vocals, guitar, percussion, vocals
David Gilmour - guitars, vocals, kazoo
Richard Wright - Farfisa organ, piano, Hammond, Mellotron, vibraphone, celesta, xylophone, tin whistle, vocals
Nick Mason - drums, percussion, lead vocals (A4), kazoo
Syd Barrett - vocals (B3), guitar (A2, B7)
ADDITIONAL:
Norman Smith - producer, drums (A2), b-vocals (A2, B2), voice (B5)
The Stanley Myers Orchestra (A4)
The Salvation Army (The International Staff Band) - brass (B3)

Good stuff.

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Comments

Charlie Ricci said…
I first heard "A Saucerful of Secrets" in 1967 on and old radio show named The Marconi Experiment. It was the Summer of Love & it fit the period and at the time I thought it was the strangest thing I ever heard.
September 2, 2024 at 6:28 AM
Casey said…
The Marconi Experiment radio show must have been a mind-blow! And ASoS must have sounded deliciously strange and perfect for underground radio.
September 2, 2024 at 10:19 AM
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