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The Worst Songs on Each PF Album (from Ultimate Classic Rock)

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    The Worst Songs on Each PF Album (from Ultimate Classic Rock)

    I don't know if everyone checks out the Ultimate Classic Rock website (you should) but this topic just popped up on a feed. They pick the worst song on each album and I would agree with most. . Article is here if you want to read their comments. Discuss.

    Piper - Pow R. Toc H
    Saucer - Corporal Clegg
    More - A Spanish Piece
    Ummagumma - Several Species of Small Furry Animals....
    Atom Heart Mother - Alan's Psychedelic Breakfast
    Meddle - Seamus
    Obscured by Clouds - Absolutely Curtains
    Dark Side of the Moon - Speak to Me
    Wish You Were Here - Welcome to the Machine
    Animals - Pigs on the Wing (Pt 1)
    The Wall - Don't Leave Me Know
    The Final Cut - Two Suns in the Sunset
    A Momentary Lapse of Reason - A New Machine (Pt 1)
    The Division Bell - A Great Day for Freedom
    The Endless River - Side 3: The Lost Art of Conversation/On Noodle Street/Night Light/Allons-y (1)/Autumn ’68/Allons-y (2)/Talkin’ Hawkin’

    I think most of us would say that Dark Side through Animals really don't have a bad song but you have to pick one.
    For every mile of road, there's two miles of ditch. Three if you're on the Interstate. - Derek Bieri, Vice Grip Garage

    PF - April 18, 1988, Denver
    PF - June 22, 1994, Minneapolis
    Rog - July 16, 2017, Atlanta (Taped)
    Rog - Aug 20, 2022, Atlanta (Taped)
    Nick - March 29, 2019, Atlanta (Taped)

    #2
    Hmm.....

    Piper - for me, Stethoscope is far and away the poorest song on Piper. There's some excellent wild guitar from Syd going on in Pow R Toc H.
    Saucer - Yep, Corporal Clegg hands down
    More - I like the whole album but A Spanish Piece is on the weak side
    Ummagumma - yep, I never liked Several Species
    AHM - I really like APB! there are some nice guitar interludes. I wish Nick Mason's band would have a go at this one. Summer 68 is the weakest song for me.
    Meddle - agree, Seamus

    I don't really have an opinion on the remaining albums. I've never even heard AMLoR

    Comment


      #3
      I strongly disagree with Two Suns in the Sunset being the worst song on TFC but not sure what I'd choose in it's place. I remember well just before the TFC was released that the local radio station would play The Post War Dream and it always came on as I was waking up for school. It felt like I was in his dream until the volume cranks up with the crescendo just before "Should we shout?..." at which point it always startled me out of semi-consciousness. None of my friends believed me that I knew the opening lyrics and they all thought I was making it up. I might pick that song just because of the sleep trauma. I also would pick Stethoscope instead of Pow R Toch H. I'm in lock step, or could be persuaded to be, with the rest of the list.

      Comment


        #4
        I normally loathe list things like this because they're so subjective and everyone's tastes vary. But I can't help myself this time.

        Count me in as another one who nominates Stethoscope as the weakest on Piper. Many years ago I possibly would have agreed with the Pow R Toc H choice but have since come to appreciate its avant gardeness.
        Corporal Clegg is silly, and I know people adore Rick's work (and normally I'd agree) but I'm sorry but See-saw just doesn't do it for me. It just goes nowhere.
        I'd agree that A Spanish Piece is a bit cringe-worthy.
        Totally disagree with the choice of Several Species... That's actually a very well constructed piece of musique concrete. Or at least tape manipulation. There's a lot going on there, and there are some beautiful in jokes. So it's probably Grand Vizier for me, because drum solos.
        I personally like Alan's Psychedelic Breakfast even though it does meander. Sorry Rog fans, but If is my vote for this one. It's another acoustic guitar plucking number that doesn't tread any new ground he didn't already cover far better in Grantchester Meadows.
        I agree with the Seamus choice.

        For the next bunch, I'm not sure. I'd probably pick something else off Obscured by Clouds. I'd rather hear them doing experimental things than mainstream things that anyone could do. I agree with the sentiment that the classic run of three albums don't really have duds. I definitely wouldn't have picked Welcome to the Machine as the worst. Though I may agree with Pigs on the Wing because of the indifference I expressed above about Rog on acoustic guitar.

        For The Wall, while I'm close to agreeing with the choice of Don't Leave Me Now, since that's around the point I'd really start skipping tracks, for me it's probably got to be the Vera / Bring the Boys back Home pair.
        I'm not a fan of The Final Cut, so I can't actually pick a worst.
        I'm also pretty indifferent to the Gilmour years as well, so not going to pick any there; not right now at least.

        So there you go, just another opinion on the internet. And we all now what they say about opinions.

        Comment


          #5
          Piper: Hmm, probably Stethoscope. Piper is so incredibly strong and inventive overall.
          Saucerful: See Saw.
          More: Party Theme or A Spanish Piece. That being said along with other material they were writing and performing at this time, More is one of my favorites.
          Ummagumma: Sysyphus pts 1 and 4.
          AHM: Summer of ‘68. You can see that if they kept this song at a consistent tempo and made it moodier like some of the Zabriskie Love Song outtakes, Summer of ‘68 would’ve been one of their strongest cult songs à la Stay.
          Meddle: Seamus BUT I like Mademoiselle Nobs.
          Obscured through The Final Cut: None, all excellent.
          AMLOR: Probably One Slip.
          Division Bell: What Do You Want, Keep Talking, and or Take It Back.
          The Endless River: I haven’t listened to it enough.
          Favorite Bootlegs: Santa Monica - 5/1/1970, Brescia - 06/19/1971, Los Angeles - 09/22/1972, Boston - 06/18/1975, NYC - 07/02/1977

          Comment


            #6
            The list seems pretty reasonable to me, although I love almost all of the selections. I especially don't like it when people hate on Seamus and Alan's Psyhchedelic Breakfast, and I would have to swap at least the latter, for If.

            Piper - maybe Stethoscope instead?
            Saucerful - Agree with The List. Clegg is good fun, but he's gotta go. He probably committed war crimes, so it's fine.
            More - agree with Spanish Piece, even though I enjoy it a lot. I just wish we had as many outtakes from More as we do from ZP.
            Ummagumma - SSOSFAGTIACAGWAP is barely music, but it's also quite entertaining. Unlike part 2 of Nick's bit, unironically subtitled "Entertainment". I'll say that's the worst track.
            AHM - If. Roger's grown into a handsome older man, but in 1970, he looked like a freakishly large pubescent boy. He was so grotesque, he frightened Pete Townshend! His face had simply not yet settled into the kind of face people want singing - or even looking directly - at them.
            Meddle - I'll say St Tropez just to be the one guy sticking up for a poor defenseless dog while a crowd of people are kicking it to death. That's just who I am.
            OBC - agree with Ab Curt (as the kids call it). It's the most soundtracky track on the album, and brings it to a trippy close, but there's little happening. I'm also not crazy about the tribal chanting (incidentally, someone whould try swapping this chanting and the football crowd on Fearless, give both songs a new spin).
            DSOTM - sure, STM is the obvious pick. I'd be tempted to nominate one of the songs I'm sick of, but they're actually all good, so STM stays on the list.
            WYWH - I think Have A Cigar is slightly less fantastic than Welcome To The Machine, so I disagree with The List.
            Animals - POTW 1 or 2, toss a coin. Don't dislike them, but they're obviously not as good as the three biggies.
            The Wall - strongly disagree with The List. DLMN is really good. Vera, Bring The Boys Back Home or Stop would be my nominees, just because they're short and don't do much musically.

            Then there's a cutoff where I don't really care enough about the albums that follow. But there's still nothing that sticks out as really bad on those albums either.

            Comment


              #7
              Originally posted by Astronought View Post
              Meddle - I'll say St Tropez just to be the one guy sticking up for a poor defenseless dog while a crowd of people are kicking it to death. That's just who I am
              Good point. To be totally honest, when I got to that point in the list I'd totally forgotten about the existence of St Tropez, that's how inconsequential it is.

              Comment


                #8
                Piper: Stethoscope. Sort of a very poor man's IO. Sort of. Really it adds nothing to the album.
                Saucerful: See-Saw. I agree with the supposed old working title of "Most Boring Song I've Heard Save Two".
                More: A Spanish Piece. Ridiculous.
                Ummagumma: Grand Vizier's. Drum solos by virtuoso drummers don't turn me on, let alone this simple noodling. Nick is perfect for PF, but a solo drummer he's not.
                AHM: APB. From the old Sheffield show, probably a passable bit of performance art, but the studio version is just boring.
                Meddle: Seamus. No more need be said.
                Obscured: Absolutely Curtains. Always impressed me as filler to lengthen the album.
                DSOTM: I would have to go with Any Colour.You Like simply because there's no other song I'd take off in it's place. I kept Speak To Me as I think is essential for setting the mood of the album.
                WYWH: Welcome To The Machine. Obviously another "got to choose something" pick.
                Animals: This may be blasphemy, but I pick Pigs (3DO). Pigs On The Wing 1 and 2, slight as they are, I once again see necessary for the overall mood of the album. Pigs is fun, but really is a very meager composition. I enjoy it, but got to pick...
                Wall: Bring The Boys Back Home. I know Roger has said it's very important to his concept, but once again seems to take up space more than anything.
                The Final Cut: The whole album except Not Now John, but if I must pick one, I guess One Of The Few - another space-holder.
                AMLOR: A New Machine Part 2. I'll accept Part One as an intro to Terminal Frost, but Part 2 not needed.
                TDB: Probably Cluster One - just doesn't do much.
                Endless River: Not picking anything because to me it's a compilation-of-outtakes album, not an organic piece.
                Last edited by jaman57; 06-30-2023, 03:35 PM.

                Comment


                  #9
                  Originally posted by jaman57 View Post
                  Animals: This may be blasphemy, but I pick Pigs (3DO). Pigs On The Wing 1 and 2, slight as they are, I once again see necessary for the overall mood of the album. Pigs is fun, but really is a very meager composition. I enjoy it, but got to pick...
                  Correct, blasphemy.

                  Guide to picking worst song on a PF album when all songs on it are perfect:
                  1. List songs in alphabetical order.
                  2. Choose last song on list.
                  Finish.
                  There you go, Sheep's gone and you didn’t have to decide and it removes all guilt from actually selecting one yourself

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Piper: Bike. Why does this annoying, pompous music hall pastiche get a free pass? It is actively annoying to listen to. The fade out of looping geese really seals the deal.


                    Saucerful: Actually, I'm not here to make friends. Jugband Blues is dire as well. People searching for poignancy and meaning in those moon/June/spoon lyrics, the dire musique concrete marching band interlude, the annoying Syd-ism of mixing time signatures purely to fit lumpy prose over tenuous bar lines. The rest of the band sound like they barely know the structure of the song coherently.

                    More: A Spanish Piece - sorta racist, no?

                    Ummagumma: The Grand Vizier’s Garden Party, Part 2.

                    Atom Heart Mother: If - twee and insincere.

                    Meddle: Seamus and San Tropez - songs that don't need to exist.

                    Obscured by Clouds: Obscured by Clouds and When You're In - two dull instrumentals that don't equal one decent tune.

                    Dark Side of the Moon: Any Colour you Like - blatant filler.

                    Wish You Were Here: I don't like slow blues tunes, so all of SOYCD is avoidable. Roger's singing voice is horrible as well.

                    Animals: Dogs - long and boring.

                    The Wall: Half of it. A punchy single album bloated out into a double. Somewhere between a musical, a film score and a concept album.

                    The Final Cut: Fletcher Memorial Home. Maudlin, wailing and tortuous. Sixth form debating club 'war is bad' takes in the lyrics.

                    A Momentary Lapse of Reason: Learning to Fly. Formulaic '80s proggers-turned-commercial. Hide the bald spots with ponytails and volumising spray, put on an Armani suit and do a couple of lines. All bashy gated drums, samples and rack-mounted guitar processing. That subtle whiff of faux-worldly, ethnic DX7 sounds as well.

                    The Division Bell - I don't like anything on this album.

                    The Endless River: Not a Pink Floyd album.

                    Comment


                    • Simond
                      Simond commented
                      Editing a comment
                      I'm most certainly not going to fall out with you here but Bike and Jugband Blues? [reaches for smelling salts]. But I accept, each to his/her own.

                    #11
                    Originally posted by MrFender View Post
                    Piper - Pow R. Toc H
                    Saucer - Corporal Clegg
                    More - A Spanish Piece
                    Ummagumma - Several Species of Small Furry Animals....
                    Atom Heart Mother - Alan's Psychedelic Breakfast
                    Meddle - Seamus
                    Obscured by Clouds - Absolutely Curtains
                    Dark Side of the Moon - Speak to Me
                    Wish You Were Here - Welcome to the Machine
                    Animals - Pigs on the Wing (Pt 1)
                    The Wall - Don't Leave Me Know
                    The Final Cut - Two Suns in the Sunset
                    A Momentary Lapse of Reason - A New Machine (Pt 1)
                    The Division Bell - A Great Day for Freedom
                    The Endless River - Side 3: The Lost Art of Conversation/On Noodle Street/Night Light/Allons-y (1)/Autumn ’68/Allons-y (2)/Talkin’ Hawkin’
                    Agree with Piper. No comment on Saucerful, but Clegg is a great song and I think the only reason that people dunk on it is the kazoo, which isn't even that bad. Agreed with More, Ummagumma, Atom, Meddle, Obscured By Clouds (Curtains would be amazing if it wasn't for the horrific sounds that start in the middle of it). I gotta say I really don't fancy Great Gig. So maybe that for Dark Side, because Speak To Me is what starts the album and has a crash into Breathe. Agree with WYWH, but every song is incredible there. Agree with Animals. For The Wall; The Trial. It use to not be that way but I can't even bear it now lol. Final Cut; Two Suns??? Really??? I'm not sure about the worst track on that one, but it certainly, in my opinion, is not Two Suns. Agree with AMLOR. Division Bell; maybe Lost For Words. People always shit on that song for the one lyric (you know the one), but I never minded it. I just don't like it THAT MUCH because in a lot of places, it's a blatant rip off of Wish You Were Here. The intro acoustic riff is literally WYWH but down a string, starting on C instead of G. Endless River; I don't care about any of this album lol
                    - The Pink Floyd Research Group -

                    Comment


                      #12
                      Originally posted by Alanko View Post
                      Actually, I'm not here to make friends.
                      You had me word for word until you mentioned Atom Heart Mother 🤣🤣
                      - The Pink Floyd Research Group -

                      Comment


                        #13
                        I have enjoyed reading this thread immensely - everyone's take is intriguing to me. Using jaman57's format:

                        Piper: Stethoscope
                        Saucerful: See-Saw
                        More: A Spanish Piece
                        Ummagumma: Grand Vizier's not that I mind it too much, but something has to be chosen...and I find Several Species somewhat interesting (maybe just the fact that anyone would put it on an album garners points from me?)
                        AHM: If generally skip the whole song, even the BBC version...APB is a very close second though.
                        Meddle: Seamus
                        Obscured: Absolutely Curtains Since I have to choose something...I find this their most underrated album by far (the blokes just having a good time!).
                        DSOTM: Great Gig I cannot image the album w/o Speak to Me as an intro and, unlike some, I find ACYL as the one song I will almost always listen to for live performances. Oddly enough, I will listen to DSotM completely through as long as it is a 1972 gig, but for 1973-1975 I generally skip the entire suite, barring maybe ACYL.
                        WYWH: Wish You Were Here sacrilege I am sure...for some reason this is like You Shook Me All Night Long on Back in Black - it just doesn't fit the rest of the album to me.
                        Animals: PotW, 1 or 2
                        Wall: Stop Not my favorite album either but gotta pick something...I actually dig Vera and BtBBH...
                        The Final Cut: One of the Few
                        AMLOR: A New Machine Part 2
                        TDB: Lost for Words

                        ts

                        Comment


                          #14
                          my first thought is that I just cannot pick a worst song from any PF album... no way I can really do it... maybe only from some of them.

                          Piper - unable to pick a worst one... if you just put a gun on my head and force to choose one, I "might" say Chapter 24 but, no... I just cannot say that one either... this album doesn't have any worst songs, sorry.

                          Saucerful - maybe See Saw, but it's a big maybe (sorry Rick!)

                          More - here it's easier... can maybe pick 2 or 3... party sequence, more blues (not a great lover of classic "standard" blues songs) , a spanish piece

                          Ummagumma - impossible to pick any, sorry... the studio album is just my favourite PF album and the live album has 4 true early classics.

                          AHM - impossible to pick any from here too... it's one of my most favourite PF albums and love any of the songs, included APB which I loved since the first time I've listened to it.

                          Meddle - very difficult to choose from here, but I can say Seamus just because it's a sort of standard blues and a bit of a filler.

                          OBC - one of the PF albums I've listened to the least... but even here it's not too easy to choose... anyways, I say Free Four (even if the harder part at the end is NICE) and the ending of Absolutely Curtains which is a part I can do without (but what's before on that song is great).

                          Dark Side - are you joking?

                          WYWH - also here it's impossible to pick one... but, hey, I will say the title track but only because it's one of those songs I've played on guitar (and sung) so many times (most of the times on request by friends) that I don't want to play or listen to it again for the rest of my life... so, it's more a matter of love which turned out to hate because when it's enough it's enough, even with such a beautiful song.

                          Animals - any of the Pig on the wings... for the rest, it's one of my most favourite PF albums ever.

                          The Wall - it's simple here... outside the wall

                          TFC - When the tigers broke free

                          AMLOR - a new machine (either pt1 or pt2... both of them)

                          Division Bell - never really liked this album... From what I had read about it on music press, I had so high expectactions when it was going to be released, even because in january 1994 I had just bought my ticket for their gig in Torino of several months later (sep 13th 1994), and then I've bought the CD the same day it arrived to the shops... Returned home and put it into the player and it was a disappointment... so, if I exclude the few I did somewhat like (Cluster one, what do you want from me, wearing the inside out, high hopes) , all the rest of the album are songs I can easily do without... never listen to this album actually and even there at the gig in Torino, I was bored of listening to most of the songs from this album... and, hey, getting bored while you are finally seeing the floyds live is something I couldn't believe it could ever happen, but it actually happened during a good part of the first set of that gig!

                          Endless River - I believe i've listened to it only once, maybe... so, not knowing this album almost at all, I should say all of it... but it's not a proper answer, i know it... then, yes, all of it.
                          Last edited by vince666; 07-04-2023, 01:24 AM.

                          Comment


                            #15
                            i would rather ETCH A SKETCH THE FINAL CUT from existence than pick a song from any of their other works. to me this has always been the album i have liked the least.

                            Comment


                            • aybesea
                              aybesea commented
                              Editing a comment
                              This is a great answer!!

                            • MGoBlue1989
                              MGoBlue1989 commented
                              Editing a comment
                              Etch A Sketch... that's funny! I rather enjoy TFC on the once-a-year listen but your point is well taken :-D
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