"Flaming" (formerly titled "Snowing") is a song by English rock band

Pink Floyd Pink Floyd are an English rock band formed in London in 1965. Gaining an early following as one of the first British psychedelic music, psychedelic groups, they were distinguished by their extended compositions, sonic experimentation, philo ...

, featured on their 1967 debut album, '' The Piper at the Gates of Dawn''. Written and sung by

Syd Barrett Roger Keith "Syd" Barrett (6 January 1946 – 7 July 2006) was an English singer, songwriter, and musician who co-founded the rock band Pink Floyd in 1965. Barrett was their original frontman and primary songwriter, becoming known for his ...

, the song remained in their set until late 1968;

David Gilmour David Jon Gilmour ( ; born 6 March 1946) is an English guitarist, singer, songwriter, and member of the rock band Pink Floyd. He joined as guitarist and co-lead vocalist in 1967, shortly before the departure of founding member Syd Barrett. P ...

sang the lead vocal after Barrett's departure.

Writing

Barrett's lyrics describe a childlike game with fantastical imagery, including a line "here we go, ever so high". Prominent organ and driving bass guitar carry the uptempo music.

Single

"Flaming" was also the third US Pink Floyd single (Tower 378) and was released by Tower Records, but it did not chart. The mono US single mix of "Flaming" is slightly edited from other stereo or mono versions of the recording. This US single was released in place of the UK single, " Apples and Oranges" (backed with " Paint Box"), which had then just failed to break into the UK charts. It was the first of two US Pink Floyd singles released on Tower that were not released on a single in the UK. The other US single that was not released in the UK was " Let There Be More Light" b/w "

Remember a Day "Remember a Day" is a song by the British rock band Pink Floyd, written and sung by their keyboardist Richard Wright, appearing on their second album, '' A Saucerful of Secrets'' (1968). It was performed by Pink Floyd only once, as an encore in ...

" (Tower 440).

Live performances

A live version of "Flaming" (at that time known as "Snowing") was played in London's All Saints Hall in 1966. The song remained a live staple until the end of 1968, with

singing the lead vocal after Barrett left the band early in the year. A version performed at the Paradiso, Amsterdam on 31 May was broadcast on NTS, while a performance in L'Antene du Chapiteau du Kremlin-Bicêtre, Paris, on 31 October was broadcast on ORTF.

Personnel

– lead vocals, electric guitar,

12-string acoustic guitar A twelve-string guitar (or 12-string guitar) is a steel-string guitar with 12 strings in six courses, which produces a thicker, more ringing tone than a standard six-string guitar. Typically, the strings of the lower four courses are tuned in o ...

, vocal percussion, wind-up toys * Rick Wright – Farfisa organ, tack piano,

Hammond organ The Hammond organ is an electric organ invented by Laurens Hammond and John M. Hanert and first manufactured in 1935. Multiple models have been produced, most of which use sliding drawbars to vary sounds. Until 1975, Hammond organs generated s ...

, Lowrey organ, backing vocals, vocal percussion, wind-up toys *

Roger Waters George Roger Waters (born 6 September 1943) is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. In 1965, he co-founded the progressive rock band Pink Floyd. Waters initially served as the bassist, but following the departure of singer-so ...

– bass guitar,

slide whistle A slide whistle (variously known as a swanee or swannee whistle, lotos flute piston flute, or jazz flute) is a wind instrument consisting of a fipple like a recorder's and a tube with a piston in it. Thus it has an air reed like some woodwinds ...

, backing vocals, vocal percussion, wind-up toys *

Nick Mason Nicholas Berkeley Mason, (born 27 January 1944) is an English drummer and a founder member of the progressive rock band Pink Floyd. He is the only member to feature on every Pink Floyd album, and the only constant member since its formation in ...

– drums, finger cymbals, wind-up toys

References

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Flaming (Pink Floyd Song) 1967 singles Pink Floyd songs Psychedelic pop songs Songs written by Syd Barrett 1967 songs