History Music / TheMadcapLaughs

[[AC: Side One]]

[[AC: Side Two]]

!! Bonus Tracks (1993 Reissue):

!! ''No Man's Tropes'':

-->''When I woke up today''\\
''And you weren't there to play''\\
''Then I wanted to be with you''\\
''When you showed me your eyes''\\
''Whispered love at the skies''\\
''Then I wanted to stay with you''\\
''Inside me I feel alone and unreal...''

--> ''The sunlight's good for us''
--> '''Cause we're the fishes and all we do''
--> ''The move about is all we do''
--> ''Well, oh, baby, my hair's on end about you...''

[[caption-width-right:350:''"I'm only a person with Eskimo chain/I tattooed my brain all the way/Won't you miss me?/Wouldn't you miss me at all?"'']]

The TroubledProduction behind the album was colourful enough that an entire book has been written about it: ''The Making Of The Madcap Laughs'' (2003) by Malcolm Jones. Barrett's mental problems were so bad that he had to persuaded at times to work on his own album. His musicians would ask him questions to which he gave [[CrypticallyUnhelpfulAnswer little to no helpful responses]]. As a result the recordings crept on for over a year. Barrett also didn't allow the musicians to rehearse or re-record their overdubs, which explains why a lot of tracks sound [[{{Improv}} improvised]], full of amateurish mistakes and moments where Barrett is out of tune. But there is an overall charm to the innocent fantasies he describes in his lyrics and the absence of too much ExecutiveMeddling gives the music actually a genuine authenticity and spontaneity lacking in many other PsychedelicRock recordings of the time.

The TroubledProduction behind the album was colourful enough that an entire book has been written about it: "The Making Of The Madcap Laughs" (2003) by Malcolm Jones. Barrett's mental problems were so bad that he had to persuaded at times to work on his own album. His musicians would ask him questions to which he gave [[CrypticallyUnhelpfulAnswer little to no helpful responses]]. As a result the recordings crept on for over a year. Barrett also didn't allow the musicians to rehearse or re-record their overdubs, which explains why a lot of tracks sound [[{{Improv}} improvised]], full of amateurish mistakes and moments where Barrett is out of tune. But there is an overall charm to the innocent fantasies he describes in his lyrics and the absence of too much ExecutiveMeddling gives the music actually a genuine authenticity and spontaneity lacking in many other PsychedelicRock recordings of the time.

* SpecialGuest: Willie Wilson from David Gilmour (Music/PinkFloyd)'s old band Jokers Wild and Music/RobertWyatt (Music/SoftMachine) contribute to the album.

* NonAppearingTitle: "Terrapin", although the song does fit the song's mood of underwater fantasy.

''The Madcap Laughs'' is the debut studio album by Music/SydBarrett, released in 1970. Recording commenced immediately after Barrett's departure from Music/PinkFloyd in 1968, lasting for well over a year. Apart from Barrett, the album went through four different producers: Peter Jenner for the 1968 sessions, Malcolm Jones for the early-to-mid 1969 sessions and former band-mates Music/RogerWaters and David Gilmour for the mid-1969 sessions. Gilmour also played bass, guitar and (on "Octopus") drums.

'''''The Madcap Laughs''''' is the debut studio album by Music/SydBarrett, released in 1970. Recording commenced immediately after Barrett's departure from Music/PinkFloyd in 1968, lasting for well over a year. Apart from Barrett, the album went through four different producers: Peter Jenner for the 1968 sessions, Malcolm Jones for the early-to-mid 1969 sessions and former band-mates Music/RogerWaters and David Gilmour for the mid-1969 sessions. Gilmour also played bass, guitar and (on "Octopus") drums.

Still, upon release, this album was a modest commercial success, enough for a second solo album (''Music/{{Barrett}}'') to be recorded and released. Critically it was relatively well-received, and like ''Music/{{Barrett}}'' has a strong cult following. It is seen as one of the earliest OutsiderMusic albums and together with ''Music/ThePiperAtTheGatesOfDawn'' and ''Music/{{Barrett}}'' often considered his MagnumOpus.

** "Dark Globe" was covered by Music/{{REM}} and appeared as a B-side to "Orange Crush"

* DesignStudentsOrgasm: The album cover was shot by famed rock photographer Mick Rock and designed by Storm Thorgerson and Aubrey Powell (Creator/{{Hipgnosis}}). Barrett painted the floor of his bedroom in orange and purple, specifically for the album cover. The [[http://hipgnosiscovers.com/images/Madcap_uklp_inside.jpg inside gatefold]] is apparently a simulation of and LSD trip.

* StudioChatter: Near the end of "She Took A Long Cold Look" Barrett mumbles: "That's short". The studio engineer then says "Take One". Halfway through "If It's In You" he suddenly interrupts and says he wants to start over again. After some responses from the studio he starts over, but sings even more out of tune than before.

'''The Madcap Laughs''' is the debut studio album by Music/SydBarrett, released in 1970. Recording commenced immediately after Barrett's departure from Music/PinkFloyd in 1968, lasting for well over a year. Apart from Barrett, the album went through four different producers: Peter Jenner for the 1968 sessions, Malcolm Jones for the early-to-mid 1969 sessions and former band-mates Music/RogerWaters and David Gilmour for the mid-1969 sessions. Gilmour also played bass, guitar and (on "Octopus") drums.

'''Tracklist'''

[[AC:Side One]]

[[AC:Side Two]]

'''''The Madcap Laughs''''' is the debut studio album by Music/SydBarrett, released in 1970. Recording commenced immediately after Barrett's departure from Music/PinkFloyd in 1968, lasting for well over a year. Apart from Barrett, the album went through four different producers: Peter Jenner for the 1968 sessions, Malcolm Jones for the early-to-mid 1969 sessions and former band-mates Music/RogerWaters and David Gilmour for the mid-1969 sessions. Gilmour also played bass, guitar and (On "Octopus") drums.

----
!! Tracklist:

----
!! No Man's Tropes:

* SpecialGuest: Willie Wilson from David Gilmour (Music/PinkFloyd)'s old band Jokers Wold and Music/RobertWyatt (Music/SoftMachine) contribute to the album.

Still, upon release, this album was a modest commercial success, enough for a second solo album (''Music/{{Barrett}}'') to be recorded and released. Critically it was relatively well-received, and like ''Music/{{Barrett}}'' has a strong cult following. It is seen as one of the earliest OutsiderMusic albums and together with ''Music/ThePiperAtTheGatesOfDawn'' and ''Barrett'' often considered his MagnumOpus.

The TroubledProduction behind the album was colourful enough that an entire book has been written about it: "The Making Of The Madcap Laughs" (2003) by Malcolm Jones. Barrett's mental problems were so bad that he had to persuaded at times to work on his own album. His musicians would ask him questions to which he gave [[CrypticallyUnhelpfulAnswer little to no helpful responses]]. As a result the recordings crept on for over a year. Barrett also didn't allow the musicians to rehearse or re-record their overdubs, which explains why a lot of tracks sound [[{{Improv}} improvised]], full of amateuristic mistakes and moments where Barrett is out of tune. But there is an overall charm to the innocent fantasies he describes in his lyrics and the absence of too much ExecutiveMeddling gives the music actually a genuine authenticity and spontanenity lacking in many other PsychedelicRock recordings of the time.

Still, upon release, this album was a modest commercial success, enough for a second solo album (''Barrett'') to be recorded and released. Critically it was relatively well-received, and like ''Barrett'' has a strong cult following. It is seen as one of the earliest OutsiderMusic albums and together with ''Music/ThePiperAtTheGatesOfDawn'' and ''Barrett'' often considered his MagnumOpus.

!!No Man's Tropes:

!! No Man's Tropes:

--> ''Well, the madcap laughed at the man on the border''

* DesignStudentsOrgasm: The album cover was shot by famed rock photographer Mick Rock and designed by Storm Thorgerson and Aubrey Powell (Creator/{{Hipgnosis}}). Barrett painted the floor of his bedroom in orange and purple, specifically for the album cover.

[[caption-width-right:350:''The Madcap Laughs''.]]

* OutsiderMusic: Irwin Chusid calls this one of the earliest albums in the genre. And it's understandable why. Barrett's lyrics are bizarre and he is sometimes heard stumbling over his lines or playing. During songs like "Dark Globe" he even sings out of tune. In "She Took A Long Cold Look" we can him hear pausing for a brief moment to turn pages of his lyric sheets.

* TheShowMustGoWrong: The engineers and musicians had a tough time trying to make something out of what Barrett gave to them. In the end it was decided to keep everything according to his wishes, no matter which mistakes he made during recording.

The TroubledProduction behind the album was colorful enough that an entire book has been written about it: "The Making Of The Madcap Laughs" (2003) by Malcolm Jones. Barrett's mental problems were so bad that he had to persuaded at times to work on his own album. His musicians would ask him questions to which he gave [[CrypticallyUnhelpfulAnswer no or no helpful responses]]. As a result the recordings crept on for several months. Barrett also didn't allow the musicians to rehearse or re-record their overdubs, which explains why a lot of tracks sound [[{{Improv}} improvised]], full of amateuristic mistakes and moments where Barrett is out of tune. But there is an overall charm to the innocent fantasies he describes in his lyrics and the absence of too much ExecutiveMeddling gives the music actually a genuine authenticity and spontanenity lacking in many other PsychedelicRock recordings of the time.

Still, upon release, this album was a modest commercial success, enough for a second solo album (''Barrett'') to be recorded and released. Critically it was relatively well-received, and like ''Barrett'' has a strong cult following. It is seen as one of the earliest OutsiderMusic albums and together with ''Barrett'' often considered his MagnumOpus.

Upon release, this album was a modest commercial success, enough for a second solo album (''Barrett'') to be recorded and released. Critically it was relatively well-received, and like ''Barrett'' has a strong cult following.

# "Terrapin"
# "No Good Trying"
# "Love You"
# "No Man's Land"
# "Dark Globe"
# "Here I Go"
# "Octopus"
# "Golden Hair"
# "Long Gone"
# "She Took A Long Cold Look"
# "Feel"
# "If It's In You"
# "Late Night"

* CoverVersion: "Golden Hair", a poem by James Joyce.
* IncrediblyLongNote: On "If It's In You":
--> ''Yes I'm Thiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiinnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnking''

* SillyLoveSong: "Terrapin", among others.

--> ''Yes I'm Thiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiinnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnking''