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Pink Floyd — If
Album: Atom Heart Mother
Avg rating:
7.3

Your rating:
Total ratings: 2506









Released: 1970
Length: 4:24
Plays (last 30 days): 1
If I were a swan, I'd be gone
If I were a train, I'd be late
And if I were a good man
I'd talk with you more often than I do

If I were asleep, I could dream
If I were afraid, I could hide
If I go insane
Please, don't put your wires in my brain

If I were the moon, I'd be cool
If I were the rule, I would bend
If I were a good man
I'd understand the spaces between friends

If I were alone, I would cry
And if I were with you, I'd be home and dry
And if I go insane
Will you still let me join in with the game?

If I were a swan, I'd be gone
If I were a train, I'd be late again
If I were a good man
I'd talk with you more often than I do
Comments (218)add comment
 obankenobi wrote:
For some reason I think this is the only Pink Floyd album I have not owned, typically vinyl, vinyl, cassette, cassette, cassette, CD, remastered CD - and vinyl again.  I'll have to fix that
 
The Final Cut is the one I have never purchased in any form.
 kenslvr wrote:


I were thinking the same thing.

I weren't
 bdwhitepm wrote:

Bill:  I like that you dig deeper.  While this is not a Floyd favorite of mine, I do like the stuff that isn't all over classic rock radio.

Set the Controls for the Heart of the sun!



This is not one of their most played songs but is still great. It shows how deep their catalog is 
 bdwhitepm wrote:

Bill:  I like that you dig deeper.  While this is not a Floyd favorite of mine, I do like the stuff that isn't all over classic rock radio.

Set the Controls for the Heart of the sun!



Yes to "Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun!" Also yes to "Several Small Species of Small Furry Animals Gathered Together in a a Cave and Grooving with a Pict!" Both are personal favorites, but ya know, I just don't break these out like I used to. The decreased listening of these songs is possibly correlated to my decreased use of cannabis. Let's break those songs out!
hmm, is this partly about Syd Barrett or a take on the Kipling poem?
 dischuckin wrote:

reminds me of the velvet underground. not sure which song. a quick search got this, but i think there is either another version or a different song that sounds very similar



now that you mention it, i kinda see that for sure! 

i'm ashamed to say i'm not familiar with this song. i'm going to have to remember to listen to this with headphones when i get home from work today.
Is it deliberate that this refrain reappears on Goodbye Cruel World on The Wall?
It's interesting to look at the wide variety of music that Pink Floyd created during their reasonably long career.  It would be difficult, for example, to extrapolate "Wish You Were Here" from this song.
This is as shitty as Pink Floyd ever got. Velvet, Lou WHAT? What are you smokin’ and where can I get some?
reminds me of the velvet underground. not sure which song. a quick search got this, but i think there is either another version or a different song that sounds very similar
Sublime 
So lovely to hear this played out. Waters at his finest.
 fredriley wrote:

A pedant writes: how nice to hear the subjunctive used properly - "if I were" rather than the increasingly common, and grammatically wrong, "if I was". That's all, folks :o)



I were thinking the same thing.
 lizardking wrote:

Well now...there IS someone else that wants to hear that tune (which I like to abbreiveate for obviousl reasons) - and I don't think we'll hear SSoSFAGTiaCaGwaP on RP...or maybe we will?  Long Live RP and whatever tunes BnR play!!


Doubt it, popular opinion has it that they had to fill 4.24 seconds to make the album and that was errr it.
Edit: but you do get Unconditional Lookout Kid.
 sqqqrly wrote:


What made you think the playlists are random?   Obviously not.  BillG puts quite a bit of effort into them.


Why would we want a random playlist? Isn't it the point to have an intentional eclectic mix. 
Thanks Bill
 idiot_wind wrote:

this is some trippy stuff




I Agree!! Great tune!!  Thank You RP!
this is some trippy stuff
 obankenobi wrote:

For some reason I think this is the only Pink Floyd album I have not owned, typically vinyl, vinyl, cassette, cassette, cassette, CD, remastered CD - and vinyl again.  I'll have to fix that




Hurry up!  
For some reason I think this is the only Pink Floyd album I have not owned, typically vinyl, vinyl, cassette, cassette, cassette, CD, remastered CD - and vinyl again.  I'll have to fix that
ICONIC!!
 acferrad wrote:





So this song just came after The Proclaimers in 2021, and apparently also in 2019. So the tracklist is not random, but the same over the years? Not the first time I have evidenced this.


What made you think the playlists are random?   Obviously not.  BillG puts quite a bit of effort into them.
 kbs wrote:

After the Proclaimers it surely should have been "Several Species of Small Furry Animals Gathered Together in a Cave and Grooving With a Pict" from Ummagumma...






So this song just came after The Proclaimers in 2021, and apparently also in 2019. So the tracklist is not random, but the same over the years? Not the first time I have evidenced this.
 radioparadise9 

You come across as a whingeing git.



with a wincing gait
 Lemonhead wrote:
Rubbish. Make it stopppppppppppp
 

Are you sure your name is lemonhead?
Dickhead would be more accurate.

 santorkra wrote:
Enough already with this maudlin pap.  This song is evidently on constant rotation. So many better PF alternatives.
 
There is plenty of fine PF music - pity you didn't share your selections.

You come across as a whingeing git.


Bill:  I like that you dig deeper.  While this is not a Floyd favorite of mine, I do like the stuff that isn't all over classic rock radio.

Set the Controls for the Heart of the sun!
 capandjudy wrote:

After Meddle it was all over for me. 
 
too cool for the room crowd^
I thought, what an odd song and, that’s reminds me of Dark Side. Who the heck is it? ....Oh. Well that explains things.
 lizardking wrote:

Well now...there IS someone else that wants to hear that tune (which I like to abbreiveate for obviousl reasons) - and I don't think we'll hear SSoSFAGTiaCaGwaP on RP...or maybe we will?  Long Live RP and whatever tunes BnR play!!
 
LOVE that tune  - now THAT would be radical to hear - even for RP!
 kbs wrote:
After the Proclaimers it surely should have been "Several Species of Small Furry Animals Gathered Together in a Cave and Grooving With a Pict" from Ummagumma...
 
Well now...there IS someone else that wants to hear that tune (which I like to abbreiveate for obviousl reasons) - and I don't think we'll hear SSoSFAGTiaCaGwaP on RP...or maybe we will?  Long Live RP and whatever tunes BnR play!!
After the Proclaimers it surely should have been "Several Species of Small Furry Animals Gathered Together in a Cave and Grooving With a Pict" from Ummagumma...
 tkosh wrote:
Still love the old PF best.  After Dark Side of the Moon (best album ever!) it was all over for me...

 
After Meddle it was all over for me. 
Great song apart from the pace and the vocals. 
Enough already with this maudlin pap.  This song is evidently on constant rotation. So many better PF alternatives.
Drum Hat Buddha followed by Atom Heart Mother. I see what you did there Bill. {#Clap}
S
N
O
R
E
💤
 Skydog wrote:
let's kick it up a few notches with "Astronomy Domaine"
 

 
Astronomy Domine
{#Sleep}
Beautiful tender song not played enough anywhere
let's kick it up a few notches with "Astronomy Domaine"
 
All I can think of is Blutowski grabbing the guitar and smashing it.
Rubbish. Make it stopppppppppppp
 tkosh wrote:
Still love the old PF best.  After Dark Side of the Moon (best album ever!) it was all over for me...

 
Really?  I'm not arguing that DSOTM was a great album, but to disregard Wish You Were Here, Animals, and The Wall seems short sighted.  Personally, I think their high-water mark was either Shine On You Crazy Diamond (both halves) or Dogs.

Also, old PF would best be considered to be the material that preceded DSOTM, like this great album Atom Heart Mother.
 tkosh wrote:
Still love the old PF best.  After Dark Side of the Moon (best album ever!) it was all over for me...

 
I concur...
Not sure why I gave this a 4 originally, must have been in a bad mood.   Going up to a 6 or 7.  Not the best Floyd but interesting non the less.
goodbye cruel world.. oops wrong Floyd era..{#Think}
Still love the old PF best.  After Dark Side of the Moon (best album ever!) it was all over for me...
 misterbearbaby wrote:
If it wasn't all a dream, I saw a modern dance troupe do a one of those flailing, wacked-out modern ballets to (the full-length recording of) "Atom Heart Mother" in upstate New York in the winter of 1971-72. It impaired my enjoyment of this fine album essentially for life.
 
Now THAT is a 'word picture'!  I'm sorry for your impairment, but I'm laughing my brain out thinking about the 'ballet'!
It's incredible how much genius can hide in such a simple tune.
I recently cranked up my nearly abandoned turntable and played a fantastic Japanese pressing of this album that I bought for $1 at a yard sale about 10 years ago (flawless condition). With the possible exception of Alan's Psychedelic Breakfast, which rather wears out its welcome, the album is really enjoyable. I understand that Pink Floyd did not consider it so great, but having seen much of the album performed in the Case Western Reserve gymnasium in 1971, it seared itself into the brain. I was totally straight, but the psychic energy in the room overwhelmed this lapse on my part. Great if simple song, anyway.
Just LOVE this tune - fantastic!
 
Now, there's some damn fine bands right there, damn fine.

 
bpkengor wrote:

So, the consensus is that RP plays a lot PF, PG, LZ, TH, & PT, is that right?  



 


 spacemoose wrote:

I suggest applied use of psychadelics, or empathogens.  They are very effective at breaking and/or reprogramming associations.  This mechanism is what makes them so effective in treating alcoholism and trauma. 

Get some good friends in a nice environment, take some shrooms, lsd or extacy, and have a nice trip while listening to the album.  Thatl'll probably fix the problem.


 
A friend cured blinding migraine attacks that would have him bedridden for three days, by ingesting a quarter dose of  ecstacy just prior to the onset. Go figure.
 spacemoose wrote:

I suggest applied use of psychadelics, or empathogens.  They are very effective at breaking and/or reprogramming associations.  This mechanism is what makes them so effective in treating alcoholism and trauma. 

Get some good friends in a nice environment, take some shrooms, lsd or extacy, and have a nice trip while listening to the album.  Thatl'll probably fix the problem.

 



That will work a whole lot better than wires in the brain.
Such a great song.
lame
 Xstar wrote:

Awe dude, give it another chance!  I totally get it, but it was the dance and not the Floyd twas the flailing!
 
I suggest applied use of psychadelics, or empathogens.  They are very effective at breaking and/or reprogramming associations.  This mechanism is what makes them so effective in treating alcoholism and trauma. 

Get some good friends in a nice environment, take some shrooms, lsd or extacy, and have a nice trip while listening to the album.  Thatl'll probably fix the problem.

 misterbearbaby wrote:
If it wasn't all a dream, I saw a modern dance troupe do a one of those flailing, wacked-out modern ballets to (the full-length recording of) "Atom Heart Mother" in upstate New York in the winter of 1971-72. It impaired my enjoyment of this fine album essentially for life.
 
Awe dude, give it another chance!  I totally get it, but it was the dance and not the Floyd twas the flailing!


If it wasn't all a dream, I saw a modern dance troupe do a one of those flailing, wacked-out modern ballets to (the full-length recording of) "Atom Heart Mother" in upstate New York in the winter of 1971-72. It impaired my enjoyment of this fine album essentially for life.
 bpkengor wrote:

So, the consensus is that RP plays a lot PF, PG, LZ, TH, & PT, is that right?  
 
Are you implying that this is a bad thing?  When bands put out as much fantastic material as they have, it's hard to not play it.

 bpkengor wrote:

So, the consensus is that RP plays a lot PF, PG, LZ, TH, & PT, is that right?  
 
I think they meant not enough.

 horstman wrote:

Let's not forget Peter Gabriel, Led Zeppelin, and Porcupine Tree!

Love the PF and most of what Mr. Goldsmith plays, hey it's his station, and I thank him for his creative efforts.

 
So, the consensus is that RP plays a lot PF, PG, LZ, TH, & PT, is that right?  


 Furgas wrote:
"Goodbye Cruel World" comes to my mind when I listen to this song. Anyone else hear some resemblance?
 
Yes, I hear it. Both songs written by Waters.

I like cows....and PF.
"Goodbye Cruel World" comes to my mind when I listen to this song. Anyone else hear some resemblance?
I love Pink Floyd. Inclusive.{#Daisy}
 coomerfan wrote:
"I gave my love a chicken that had no bone...."

YAWN
  I'm not a fan of your comment....Coomer
This song is extraordinary in it's simplicity....


"I gave my love a chicken that had no bone...."

YAWN
I kind of missed the pre DSM Floyd in my journey - and I thank Bill for playing some now and then.

Apparently it pisses some listeners off to hear PF. . .yeah, I've worn out an LP or two in my day, but I bet someone will enjoy being introduced to those songs I've gotten tired of, so can the negative vibes. . . Viva RP!
9 to 10.  regardless of how I feel about Waters.
Quite mooooving.
My favorite Pink Floyd album
Grandpa talks about the good old times!

AS STUPID AS THE COVER COW!
 mgoldman wrote:
Here at RP you can count on Pink Floyd every Day.  And if you get tired of that, you can always listen to the Talking Heads EVERY DAY.  With the Billions of recorded tunes there are, a day OFF once in a while would be really nice.  Just my 2 cents, which ain't worth a nickle.
 
Let's not forget Peter Gabriel, Led Zeppelin, and Porcupine Tree!

Love the PF and most of what Mr. Goldsmith plays, hey it's his station, and I thank him for his creative efforts.

 mgoldman wrote:
Here at RP you can count on Pink Floyd every Day.  And if you get tired of that, you can always listen to the Talking Heads EVERY DAY.  With the Billions of recorded tunes there are, a day OFF once in a while would be really nice.  Just my 2 cents, which ain't worth a nickle.
 
Y'know, I sorta like Bill's PF jones. I wasn't a big PF fan back then, and he's opened my ears considerably to the variety and complexity of their recorded heritage. But...to your point, if this were my station, there would be a whole lot more Joe Jackson, Split Enz, Grateful Dead, Miles Davis, Allmans, and others. But it's not. So, I'm good with PF and whatever else Bill chooses to serve up. BTW I have all the Talking Heads stuff, and I love 'em; so for all you haters out there...{#Nyah}


 GriffinMN wrote:
You don't like hearing PF every day? I sure do! And I would love it if RP would play the whole Animals album one time. As for AHM - how great to hear it at all on radio. Great song - beautifully minimalist and wonderful understated guitar from Gilmour.
 
I love the juxtaposition of acronyms that permeates our daily existence...one man's Adaptive Harvest Management (AHM) is another's Atom Heart Mother (AHM).

Now why does this song makes me crave Chang's Chinese?

 mgoldman wrote:
Here at RP you can count on Pink Floyd every Day.  And if you get tired of that, you can always listen to the Talking Heads EVERY DAY.  With the Billions of recorded tunes there are, a day OFF once in a while would be really nice.  Just my 2 cents, which ain't worth a nickle.
 
If recorded songs are anything like web pages, blogs or opinions, 90% of them aren't worth your time. 

Nice song. I like that I get exposed to PF here that I wouldn't normally hear. Thanks Bill.  
Love the separation of the instruments in this tune.
Any chance we could hear "Alans Psychedelic Breakfast" for old times sake {#Lol}...... no marmalade.....

You don't like hearing PF every day? I sure do! And I would love it if RP would play the whole Animals album one time. As for AHM - how great to hear it at all on radio. Great song - beautifully minimalist and wonderful understated guitar from Gilmour.
Here at RP you can count on Pink Floyd every Day.  And if you get tired of that, you can always listen to the Talking Heads EVERY DAY.  With the Billions of recorded tunes there are, a day OFF once in a while would be really nice.  Just my 2 cents, which ain't worth a nickle.
And if I hear this again
I'll.... something that rhymes with again.
 DaveInVA wrote:

Nice Akai GX-620D! I restore and use old reel to reel machines daily. Mostly studio stuff like Studer, Ampex. Magnecord etc. I especially like the earlier tube stuff and even use them for live recording of bands for "vintage" sound... Here is a Tapesonic 70 I still use:


  I still have an Akai Tape Deck, which i use and it works perfektly since more than 20 Years! By the way, this is a nice song!


 justin4kick wrote:
This prehistoric piece of equipment has played this recording till the tape finally broke.
 
Nice Akai GX-620D! I restore and use old reel to reel machines daily. Mostly studio stuff like Studer, Ampex. Magnecord etc. I especially like the earlier tube stuff and even use them for live recording of bands for "vintage" sound... Here is a Tapesonic 70 I still use:


As a certified Floyd disliker (hate is such a strong word). I must say I really like this.
 h_in_bristol wrote:
I love Atom Heart Mother....
 


I have always thought of Trey and Phish when I listen to this track...intro tease at a live show.
If I were a swan, I'd be gone.
If I were a train, I'd be late.
And if I were a good man, I'd talk with you more often than I do.
If I were to sleep, I could dream.
If I were afraid, I could hide.
If I go insane, please don't put your wires in my brain.
If I were the moon, I'd be cool.
If I were a book, I would bend.
If I were a good man, I'd understand the spaces between friends.
If I were alone, I would cry.
And if I were with you, I'd be home and dry.
And if I go insane, will you still let me join in with the game?
If I were a swan, I'd be gone.
If I were a train, I'd be late again.
If I were a good man, I'd talk to you more often than I do.

I love Atom Heart Mother....
Oi... early Floyd was so stunning... specially aided by a few enhancing substances. I had such fun {#Lol}
One of the most undervalued songs by the Floyd, and you can see the origins of Dark Side in the lyrics and chord progressions.  Great track.
 justin4kick wrote:
This prehistoric piece of equipment has played this recording till the tape finally broke.
 
I've got an old R-to-R machine, too.  They were great for long stretches of music.  Use the 3 3/4 ips speed and you still get better fidelity than a cassette player! 

 cyaleah30 wrote:
This is a very soothing song...it's making me sleepy {#Sleep}
 

agreed
absolutely love this one - used to play it myself on the acoustic
 carl wrote:
I normally think of Floyd as having such distinct phases... but polish this old tune a bit, and it could have fit right in with later day albums like Animals, The Wall, or Final Cut. Anyway, it's all Floyd. It's all good... and I sure appreciate hearing hidden gems like this.
 
{#Clap} Good post from Dec 2001. 
This is a very soothing song...it's making me sleepy {#Sleep}
 justin4kick wrote:


This prehistoric piece of equipment has played this recording till the tape finally broke.
 
Mine was a 10-1/2" TEAC 7010 GSL with automatic reverse. It was awesome for the time, along with a pair of JBL L200 Studio Monitors being driven by 250W per side. And I knew how to splice!

(Breakfast in Los Angeles....macrobiotic stuff...)


A pedant writes: how nice to hear the subjunctive used properly - "if I were" rather than the increasingly common, and grammatically wrong, "if I was". That's all, folks :o)
justin4kick wrote:
This prehistoric piece of equipment has played this recording till the tape finally broke.
I used to have a r to r ...... what a classic .... much more elegant for music than a CD player. About the song .......... What a wonderful tune. Perfectly suited to today's weather; sunny, cool, clear, gentle breeze, peaceful. Great accompaniment to a bottle of Mojito with a Rocky Patel Series 1992. Bliss..............
This is classic Roger Waters - say what you will about his lack of melody, or whatever, but he was the idea man in the 70's - he just needed help polishing things up.
This prehistoric piece of equipment has played this recording till the tape finally broke.
classic floyd... luverly!
this is way to slow for me.... if i had a gun....
Love all the old Pink Floyd on RP. I own this album, but would never think to put it on. Takes me back to college.
braincloud wrote:
This is a fascinating album. Floyd is the greatest band of all time.
Damn, it is comments like this that I so wish the RP had the ability to 'digg-up'. :: sigh :: I'm only left with the profoundly lame, 'Yeah, me too'.
How funny....I don't know Floyd at all and thus didn't recognize this song. To my ear it sounded like some sappy young hipster strumming his acoustic. That is, until I heard the line that ended with "put wires in my brain" and thought "that sounds like something Pink Floyd would say". Only then did I look and see it was them. Made me chuckle.
This is a fascinating album. Floyd is the greatest band of all time.
their personal matters and issues are not important at all , they are producer of PF they offered it as a gift to the world which means whats going on behind the name of pink floyd is their own business . enjoy the music and dont ruin its great name with their bullshit conflicts .
j-mccull wrote:
....i love gilmour solo stuff, and like newer PF stuff, but roger waters(and earlier,sid barrett) was the sound...
How wrong you are. Joining right after Piper At the Gates of Dawn was released, Gilmour had to battle regularly with Waters to have some melody in their music. It's Gilmour playing trippy guitar sounds on Astronomy Domain, et al., Gilmour playing outstanding blues-laden guitar riffs, Gilmour with the beautiful lead vocal work. And Rick Wright, though it's little known, is quite accomplished on the keyboards. This is borne out in the DVD, Classic Albums: The Making of DSOM, which you can rent from your favorite mail subscription service. As an aside, on Rick's MySpace site he writes: "I'd like to meet a bass player (who) doesn't just write songs about his dad" — a poignant dig at Waters' The Wall. floydslips.blogspot.com
wild_mercury wrote:
I remember reading that David Gilmour finds AHM to be his least favorite PF effort, embarrassing and a complete failure. Not my favorite one either. I much prefer Green is the Colour....
That's Gilmour's opinion. Though the Floyd had little to do with the orchestration and final mix, I love the AHM Suite. I'm also fond of marmalade ("Marmalade, I like marmalade"), thanks very much. (wink) Listen to this CD in its entirety before you blast it, and try not to let Gilmour's comments sway your opinion.
govna wrote:
this album was great, you get a little taste of everybody. wait...EEEEEWWWWWW!!! ...oh and then there was the recipe for that wierd goat stew or whatever. it had like goat heads and shit. wait...EEEEEEEEWWWWWWWWW!!!
You're seriously confused. This LP had a cow on its jacket, but no recipe—not even for BBQ'd tri-tip. Perhaps you're thinking of the Stones' Goat Head Soup?
Odyzzeuz wrote:
Maybe they can get Syd Barrett to play. Oh, wait.
Have a look at the Pulse concert DVD...it's especially fabulous on a home theater system. floydslips.blogspot.com
Odyzzeuz wrote:
Pink Floyd was a completely different band several times. Band membership continually changed.
That's a big load of bunk. The only change was when David Gilmour came aboard after Piper At the Gates of Dawn due to Syd's declining ability to do anything. From that point own, it was always Gilmour, Waters, Wright, and Mason.
pevend wrote:
I must be a cretin, but I don't have any appreciation for pre-Meddle Pink Floyd. It seems like a completely different band.
Pink Floyd was a completely different band several times. Band membership continually changed.
I must be a cretin, but I don't have any appreciation for pre-Meddle Pink Floyd. It seems like a completely different band.
Nabla wrote:
If... I could turn back the clock, I would try to enjoy many, many concerts of those masters! That's a big pity that Pink Floyd nowadays is in our memory only! Why don't they play again...?
Maybe they can get Syd Barrett to play. Oh, wait.
If... I could turn back the clock, I would try to enjoy many many concerts of those masters! That's a big pity that Pink Floyd nowadays is a memory only!
. . . Goodbye, cruel world . . .
I like the sound in the background during "don't put your wires in my brain"