Pink Floyd - Making sense of the Zabriskie Point sessions

So, I'd like to try to make some sense out of the Zabriskie Point recordings that Pink Floyd did. There was some discussion around it in the Early Years Realization thread, but it's here and there and everywhere in the thread, and I might have missed some info there. Hence this thread, a try to gather everything ZP in one place.

There's some discussion of unreleased material, and I mention the tracklist of one bootleg, but I hope that this type of discussion can be allowed here on the forum. I'm not really interested in finding out HOW to get these songs, just to make sense of what exists...

So, to begin with, what material has been released from these sessions?

Officially there's the 2CD Zabriskie Point soundtrack which includes 3 tracks from the original soundtrack:

Heart beat, pig meat - 3.11
Crumbling land - 4.13
Come in number 51, your time is up - 5.01

And another 4 bonus tracks:

Country song - 4.37
Unknown song - 6.01
Love scene version 6 - 7.26
Love scene version 4 - 6.45

Then there's the Early Years box set which gave us another whopping 16 tracks:

"On The Highway" – 1.16
"Auto Scene Version 2" – 1.13
"Auto Scene Version 3" – 1.31
"Aeroplane" – 2.18
"Explosion" – 5.47
"The Riot Scene" – 1.40
"Looking At Map" – 1.57
"Love Scene Version 7" – 5.03
"Love Scene Version 1" – 3.26
"Take Off" – 1.20
"Take Off Version 2" – 1.12
"Love Scene Version 2" – 1.56
"Love Scene (Take 1)" – 2.16
"Unknown Song (Take 1)" – 5.56
"Love Scene (Take 2)" – 6.40
"Crumbling Land (Take 1)" – 4.09

As far as I understand it, there's no duplication between these two releases, though some tracks on the Early Years set are different takes of the ZP material, while other are simple variations. Let me know if I'm mistaken in this.

Then there's the unauthorized collection Total Zabriskie Point of View, which as I understand it collects the officially released tracks from the 2CD with unreleased stuff from the sessions - most(?) of which is NOT duplicated by the Early Years set either.

The track list of that unofficial release is as follows:

CD One (79:21)
370 Roman Yards – The Lost Album (40:10)
3:10 01. Heart Beat, Pig Meat
4:40 02. Country Song
1:54 03. Fingal’s Cave
5:55 04. Crumbling Land
5:44 05. Alan’s Blues
6:51 06. Oenone
6:53 07. Rain in the Country
5:02 08. Come In Number 51, Your Time Is Up
The Extension - The Main Outtakes (39:10)
6:23 09. The Violent Sequence
2:12 10. Country Song Theme (band)
1:18 11. Country Song Theme (acoustic)
1:11 12. Take Off (version II)
6:37 13. Love Scene 1 (organ & guitar)
7:51 14. Love Scene 3 (band)
6:55 15. Love Scene 4 (piano & vibes)
6:44 16. Love Scene 5 (double vibes)

CD Two (76:55)
Other Outtakes
5:57 01. Country Song (full mix)
5:39 02. The Violent Sequence (Us and Them Rick's demo)
1:50 03. Take Off (Version II) and Crumbling Land (film version)
5:13 04. Crumbling Land (full mix)
7:26 05. Love Scene 6 (The Blues)
7:27 06. Love Scene 6 (The Blues - full mix)
6:56 07. Love Scene 2 (Oenone - full mix)
6:45 08. Love Scene 4 (piano only)
6:00 09. Rain in the Country (Unknown Song - alternate version)
7:00 10. Rain in the Country (Unknown Song - full mix)
A Special Outtake
2:05 11. The Christmas Song
Official Soundtrack Version
4:13 12. Crumbling Land (soundtrack Edited version)
Film Versions
2:49 13. Heart Beat, Pig Meat (film version)
0:44 14. Crumbling Land (film version)
5:06 15. Come In Number 51, Your Time Is Up (film version)
1:40 16. Come In Number 51, Your Time Is Up (movie Trailer version)

To give an impression of what I'm interested in, take for example the track "Explosion" on Early Years. That's obviously a variant of the "Come in Number 51" track, but it's certainly distinct enough to not be the same song - they are variants.

Meanwhile, there's "Crumbling Land" on the 2CD and "Crumbling Land (take 1)" on the EY box set. Those are just as obviously different takes of the same song.

However, to me "On the Highway" and "Crumbling Land" seem to be the same song, but with quite a lot of differences - "On the Highway" is obviously a lot shorter, and I guess they could be seen as different takes of the same song. Then again, maybe they should be seen as variants?

And then, between the unofficial release and the two official releases, there are some tracks that are the exact same song but with different titles.

So, here's where I need your help. Which of these tracks are duplicates of each other, which are simple variations of the same track and which are distinct tracks? And which are the exact same track?

 

A heck of a puzzle...

 

I bought the Zabriskie Point LP from a cutout bin years ago based on the PF tracks. After listening to them I concluded that PF "recycled" music from earlier tracks. I haven't listened to the LP in years so I can't identify specifics here, but that was my first impression of the initially released tracks (Pig Meat and #51 are the only titles I remember).

 

I put the PF tracks from ZP deluxe and the stuff from Early Years on one disc. It just fit (I dopped one of the Crumbling Land takes). I havent heard the unofficial stuff, but Im not sure I want too much of a good thing. My disc plays like Endless River just without the transitions. I was surprised to find the ZP stuff to be the highlight of the Early Years set.

 

After listening to the Early Years, having loved the previous seven released songs for years, my assumption is that they were very reactive recordings rather than having a deliberately unified theme.

There's that interview with the band where they say they played the songs to Antonionio regularly, and he rejected them constantly, but with specific reasons ("too sad" and "too strong" being the quotes), so I guess they took that back to the studio and tried rearranging stuff they'd already sketched (the major-key Careful With That Axe variation, which seems to have been the catalyst for their involvement) in a new way. All to no avail, but it makes for a fascinating listen.

 

I enjoyed the soundtrack when I was committed to Floyd; "The Tennessee Waltz" always felt out of context musically.
Was always curious about these recordings, as they did appear to be recycling rather than innovating.

 

These two "Unknown Songs" sound the same to me.

 

Let's see if I got your request right.

Original unreleased album (believed to be, at least):

"Heart Beat, Pig Meat" (3:10)
"Country Song" (4:40)
"Fingal's Cave" (1:54)
"Crumbling Land" (5:55)
"Alan's Blues" (5:44)
"Oenone" (6:51)
"Rain in the Country" (6:53)
"Come in Number 51, Your Time is Up" (5:02)

"Zabriskie Point (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)":

"Heart Beat, Pig Meat" (3:12)
"Crumbling Land" (4:16)
"Come in Number 51, Your Time is Up" (5:01)

"Zabriskie Point (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)" 1997 Bonus Disc:

"Country Song" (4:37)
"Unknown Song" (6:01) – "Rain in the Country"
"Love Scene (Version 6)" (7:26) – "Alan's Blues"
"Love Scene (Version 4)" (6:45)

"Devi/ation" CD 2:

"On The Highway" (1:16) – Alternate take of "Crumbling Land"
"Auto Scene Version 2" (1:13) – Variation on "Country Song", theme played on harpsichord and guitar
"Auto Scene Version 3" (1:31)
"Aeroplane" (2:18) – "Fingal's Cave"
"Explosion" (5:47) – Variation on "Come in Number 51, Your Time is Up", played in major instead of minor
"The Riot Scene" (1:40) – Later became "Us and Them"
"Looking At Map" (1:57) – Variation on "Country Song", sung with wordless lyrics
"Love Scene Version 7" (5:03) – "Rain in the Country"
"Love Scene Version 1" (3:26) – "Oenone"
"Take Off" (1:20) – Variation on "Fingal's Cave"
"Take Off Version 2" (1:12)
"Love Scene Version 2" (1:56) – "Oenone"
"Love Scene (Take 1)" (2:16) – "Love Scene (version 4)" with vibes, undecided if it's a different take or mix
"Unknown Song (Take 1)" (5:56) – "Rain in the Country"
"Love Scene (Take 2)" (6:40)
"Crumbling Land (Take 1)" (4:09)

"Main and Other Outtakes":

"The Violent Sequence" (6:23) – "The Riot Scene"
"Take Off (version II)" (1:11)
"Country Song Theme (band)" (2:12) – "Looking At Map"
"Country Song Theme (acoustic)" (1:18) – "Auto Scene Version 2"
"Love Scene 1 (organ & guitar)" (6:37) – "Love Scene Version 2"
"Love Scene 3 (band)" (7:51) – "Love Scene Version 1"
"Love Scene 4 (piano & vibes)" (6:55) – "Love Scene (Take 1)"
"Love Scene 5 (double vibes)" (6:44) – "Love Scene (Take 2)"
"Country Song (full mix)" (5:57)
"The Violent Sequence (Us and Them Rick's demo)" (5:39) – "The Riot Scene"
"Take Off (Version II) and Crumbling Land (film version)" (1:50) – "Take Off version 2" blending into "On The Highway"
"Crumbling Land (full mix)" (5:13)
"Love Scene 6 (The Blues)" (7:26) – "Alan's Blues"
"Love Scene 6 (The Blues - full mix)" (7:27) – "Alan's Blues"
"Love Scene 2 (Oenone - full mix)" (6:56)
"Love Scene 4 (piano only)" (6:45) – "Love Scene (Version 4)"
"Rain in the Country (Unknown Song - alternate version)" (6:00)
"Rain in the Country (Unknown Song - full mix)" (7:00)
"The Christmas Song" (2:05)
"Crumbling Land (soundtrack Edited version)" (4:12)
"Heart Beat, Pig Meat (film version)" (2:49)
"Crumbling Land (film version)" (0:44) – "On The Highway"
"Come In Number 51, Your Time Is Up (film version)" (5:06)
"Come In Number 51, Your Time Is Up (movie Trailer version)" (1:40)

Corrections and additions are very welcome. Some tracks are radically different mixes, especially between the "lost album" and the official released version of the same material but I don't have time to compare everything in depth. I'd like to know how everything compares.

 

Just a question, does the box set Early Years mentions the date of the recording sessions for the Zabriskie Point sessions?
Thanks

 

One of my frustrations with the expensive early years box set was the 'lack' of information about the sessions on all the CDs. You would think they could have provided a more comprehensive session info where possible.
I have a few boot CDs on the Zabriskie Point sessions and have enjoyed them immensely

 

Correct me if I'm wrong, but the 'Richard Wright demo' of 'Us and Them' on the DSOTM Immersion set is from the ZP recordings, IIRC.
Can this same recording also be found on either the Early Years or the ZP '97 double cd?

 

That's more or less exactly what I was looking for. Huge thanks!

So, organizing it a bit differently and using the line-up of the rumoured original album as a starting point, here's another attempt at making sense of it all.

Heart Beat, Pig Meat

Available on the soundtrack.

An alternative version, called the "film version" is known to be available unofficially. Just a different mix, or a different take?

Country Song

Available on the soundtrack.

Two variants are available on Devi/ation as "Auto Scene version 1" and "Looking at Map".

An alternative version, called the "film version" is known to be available unofficially. Just a different mix, or a different take?

Fingal's Cave

Available on Devi/ation, there called Aeroplane.

On the same set is a variation called "Take Off".

Crumbling Land

Available on the soundtrack.

Two variants are available on Devi/ation as "On the Highway" and "Crumbling Land (take 1)".

Two alternative versions, called the "full mix" and "soundtrack edited version" are known to be available unofficially. I guess the latter is just an edit of the original official track, while the other is a different mix?

Alan's Blues

Available on the soundtrack, there called "Love Scene Version 6". There's a discrepancy in the length of the songs between the description of the rumoured album and what was released on the soundtrack. Would "Alan's Blues", if released, have been an edit of the full version?

An alternative version, called the "full mix" is known to be available unofficially. I guess it's just a different mix?

Oenone

The full version is only available unofficially, there called "Love Song Version 2 (full mix)".

Two variants are available officially on Devi/ation, there called "Love Song Version 1" and "Love Song Version 2". Longer versions of these two variants are available unofficially.

Rain in the Country

Available on the soundtrack, there called "Unknown Song".

Two variants are available officially on Devi/ation, there called "Love Song Version 7" and "Unknown Song take 1".

Two alternative versions, called "Rain in the Country (alternate version)" and "Rain in the Country (full mix)" are known to be available unofficially. I guess the latter is a different mix. Is the former the same track as "Unknown Song take 1"? The length of the tracks indicates this, but they could just as well be different versions.

Come In Number 51, Your Number Is Up

Available on the soundtrack.

A variant is available officially on Devi/ation, called "Explosion".

Two alternative versions, called "film version" and "movie trailer version", are available unofficially. Different mixes?


This concludes the rumoured album, so let's call the rest outtakes.

Love Scene Version 4

Available on the soundtrack.

A much shorter version is available on Devi/ation, called "Love Scene (take 1)". Another version is available on the same set as "Love Scene (take 2)". This has been available unofficially previously as "Love Scene Version 5".

Auto Scene Version 3

Only available on Devi/ation.

The Riot Scene

Available on Devi/ation.

Two variants of this have been available unofficially as "The Violent Sequence" and "The Violent Sequence (Us and Them Rick's Demo)". I suppose the latter is the same one that is available officially on one of the Dark Side of the Moon sets?

Take Off Version 2

Available on Devi/ation.

A release combining this with "On the Highway" has been available unofficially.

The Christmas Song

Only available unofficially.

 

I have had time to check some of the questions you asked (but not all of them):

Sounds like a different mix to me.

You are probably getting confused with "Crumbling Land": as far as I know, "Country Song" is not heard on the film and there is no such track on the outtakes collection. Or maybe you are thinking of the "full mix", which is a version of the same take with all the tracks left opened that doesn't fade out at the end. It's the same version, though.

Again, the full mix has all the multitracks opened. It's the same version but there are differences, like a different drum part before the first verse.

The "soundtrack edited version" is the track as it appeared on the LP. It's edited compared to the version that was supposedly on the unreleased album, that has a minute more of sound effects at the end.

The version on the 1997 CD sports a full ending which was faded out on the original LP for aesthetic reasons. As for the "full mix", see above.

Not quite, see above. The "full mix" is different than the version that was mixed in 1970 and that is present on the unreleased LP. This and "Love Scene (version 4)" are the only cases where I'm still undecided if the variants are different takes or overdubbed/radically differently mixed versions of the original.

This track is a mess. Here's what the liner notes of "A Total Zabriskie Point of View" say, when they compared the song as it was released on the 1997 "Zabriskie Point" CD to the version that was aired by radio in 1970:

"The band parts of the song came in randomly and the two different parts (acoustic and band) played simultaneously, creating a dissonance that was not at all like how the song should sound"

"Love Song (version 7)" is the same as "Unknown Song" on the 1997 CD, although one minute shorter, so it's not a variant.

The alternate version is indeed the same as "Unknown Song take 1", although I'm not sure it's the same mix, albeit it sounds like a similar one. I don't know if you can consider this a variant either: it's just a different take, not a different arrangement.

I thought it was a different version but it turns out it's only a different mix. Reportedly, the organ is mixed louder and one of the guitar tracks has been removed. The "movie trailer version" is an edited version of the movie mix.

Sounds like it's the same take but it's yet another edit (5:39), compared to the unofficial unedited version (6:23) and the Devi/ation version (1:40).

Note that, although this was recorded during these sessions, it was never meant to be part of the "Zabriskie Point" soundtrack.

Again, some of the mixes of the same versions are radically different between the original unreleased album and the official product ("Rain in the Country" most notably). Further investigation in that direction is needed.

 

Thanks again! Any further assistance you can offer - or anyone else - is most welcome.

I like how we're getting closer to nailing down what is actually available. When you look at all the stuff to begin with, there are so many tracks and titles that it seems they recorded a million songs, but now it seems there are in fact not that many different songs - just a lot of different variations and versions. It doesn't help that each track seems to have three titles, depending on which variant/take/mix it is.

 

Another stab at compiling the info from this thread with various info on the web as well.

Rumoured album:

Heart Beat, Pig Meat

Available on the soundtrack.

A different mix, called the "film version" is known to be available unofficially.

Country Song

Available on the soundtrack.

Two variants are available on Devi/ation as "Auto Scene version 1" and "Looking at Map", and known unofficially as "Country Song Theme (acoustic)" and "Country Song Theme (band)", respectively.

An alternative variant, called the "full mix", is known to be available unofficially. It is a version of the same take with all the tracks left opened that doesn't fade out at the end. It's the same version, though.

Fingal's Cave

Available on Devi/ation, there called "Aeroplane".

On the same set is a variation called "Take Off".

Crumbling Land

Available in edited form on the soundtrack. The full version is only available unofficially.

Two variants are available on Devi/ation as "On the Highway" (unofficial title "Crumbling Land (film version)") and "Crumbling Land (take 1)".

An alternative version, called the "full mix", is known to be available unofficially. Again, the full mix has all the multitracks opened. It's the same version but there are differences, like a different drum part before the first verse.

Alan's Blues

Available on the soundtrack, there called "Love Scene Version 6", but it is not faded out, which the track on the rumoured album would have been. This variant is only available unofficially.

An alternative version, called the "full mix", is also known to be available unofficially. Again, the full mix has all the multitracks opened. It's the same version otherwise.

Oenone

The full version is only available unofficially.

There is also an unofficial variant called "Love Song Version 2 (full mix)". On the rumoured album it would have been faded out, and would probably have been mixed differently as well.

Two variants are available officially on Devi/ation, there called "Love Song Version 1" and "Love Song Version 2". Longer versions of these two variants are available unofficially, confusingly named "Love Scene 3" and "Love Scene 1" respectively.

Rain in the Country

Available on the soundtrack, there called "Unknown Song". However, this is not the same mix that would have been used on the rumoured album. This mix is only available unofficially, as "Rain in the Country".

Two variants are available officially on Devi/ation, there called "Love Song Version 7" (this is actually the same take as on the soundtrack, it's just shorter) and "Unknown Song take 1". The latter is also available unofficially, there called "Rain in the Country (alternate version)".

Another alternative version, called "Rain in the Country (full mix)", is known to be available unofficially. Again, the full mix has all the multitracks opened. It's the same version otherwise.

Come In Number 51, Your Number Is Up

Available on the soundtrack.

A variant is available officially on Devi/ation, called "Explosion".

Two alternative versions, called "film version" and "movie trailer version", are available unofficially. The first one is a different mix of the original, the second is an edited version of the first.

Outtakes:

Love Scene Version 4

Available on the soundtrack.

A much shorter version is available on Devi/ation, called "Love Scene (take 1)". Another version is available on the same set as "Love Scene (take 2)". This has been available unofficially previously as "Love Scene Version 5".

Auto Scene Version 3

Only available on Devi/ation.

The Riot Scene

Available on Devi/ation.

Another variant is available officially on the Dark Side of the Moon Immersion box set, there called "Us and Them (Richard Wright Demo)". These two releases are just different edits of the full take, available unofficially as "The Violent Sequence".

Take Off Version 2

Available on Devi/ation.

A release combining this with "On the Highway" has been available unofficially.

The Christmas Song

Only available unofficially. Never considered part of the Zabriskie Point soundtrack.

 

All of the dates of recording, various takes, and accompanying info are in Glenn Povey's "The Complete Pink Floyd" book. Too much to type.

 

I have this stuff on several cd-rs and for me the only way to "appreciate" it is to let it play as a whole, like ambient music. Though my ears do prick up at The Crumbling Land or No.51.

 

Following up on this thread after some time has passed and I've reached some conclusions after listening to the music and reading some of the available writing on the session. Here's what I think I know:

The available recordings seem to have been intended to score six different scenes in the movie.

First we have “Heart Beat, Pig Meat” which seems to be the only attempt at scoring the very beginning of the movie.

Next chronologically in the movie comes the riot. Pink Floyd’s attempt at scoring this scene is the track now known alternatively as “The Violent Sequence”, “The Riot Scene” or simply “Us and Them demo”.

The next scene to be scored was the one where the protagonist Mark flies away in the plane. There are two known attempts at this: “Fingal’s Cave”/”Aeroplane”, with the alternative take called “Take Off Version 1”. The second attempt at scoring this scene is “Take Off Version 2”.

Another scene that Pink Floyd attempted to score was the one where Daria is driving through the desert. There are three different attempts at this score. First we have “Crumbling Land”, aka “On the Highway”. Another attempt was “Country Song” with its alternative titles of “Auto Scene Version 2” and “Looking at Map”. A third attempt was called “Auto Scene Version 3”.

(I do, however, wonder what became of "Auto Scene Version 1". Could that be another alternative title for "Crumbling Land", or is there possibly a completely unknown track languishing in some vault?)

The love scene comes next in the movie, and the scoring of this scene seems to have the most complex history. Looking at all the bootlegs and the official releases, there seems to be 7 different attempts at scoring this scene. However, a closer look has convinced me that there were actually “only” 4 attempts, though several of these attempts were tried out more than once with different variations.

The first attempt was “Oenone”. This track has a few different variations and takes, which accounts for the bootleggers “Love Scenes Versions 1-3”.

The next attempt was the one that’s been officially released as “Love Scene version 4”. This is mainly a piano recording, but Antonioni was intrigued enough to ask Pink Floyd to add vibes. This was done in two different attempt, the second of which has been called “Love Scene version 5”.

The next attempt was a bluesier track alternatively known as “Alan’s Blues” or “Love Scene Version 6”.

Finally we have what is known on the Early Years box set as “Love Scene Version 7”. This official designation seems to indicate that this attempt at scoring the scene came after the bluesy track. We also know that “LS Version 7” is simply a variation of the track officially known as “Unknown Song”, and unofficially as “Rain in the Country”.

That concludes the attempts at scoring the love scene, and we move on to the final scene of the movie where the house explodes several times over. This is known as the explosion scene, and the official soundtrack confirms that “Come In No. 51, Your Time Is Up” is the score for this scene. A different attempt, which was released as “Explosion” on the EY box set, confirms this one more time, if that’s at all necessary.

So, in all, what we seem to have are 12 distinct songs. 1 from the beginning scene, 1 from the riot scene, 2 from the plane scene, 3 from the driving scene, 4 from the love scene and 1 from the explosion scene. These 12 distinct songs then have several different variations, takes and edits, which accounts for the myriad of different tracks we’ve come across, officially or unofficially.

Anyone who doesn’t care about these different versions could compile a fairly comprehensive 12 track album, following the chronology of the movie, by including these officially released songs.

1 Heart Beat, Pig Meat
2 Us and Them demo
3 Aeroplane
4 Take Off Version 2
5 Country Song
6 Auto Scene Version 3
7 Crumbling Land
8 Love Scene Version 1
9 Love Scene Version 4
10 Love Scene Version 6
11 Unknown Song
12 Come In No. 51, Your Time Is Up

 

After having some time to soak in all the tracks from Deviation, I have finally formulated my "one disc" playlist for the Zabriskie Point material.
Basically it covers all the main themes in the first and then begins to repeat some of the tunes in notably different takes. It concludes by diving deep into the "ambient" material without repeating similar takes. I think it flows pretty well and makes for a good listen from end to end.

In the end, the isn't much indispensable material on the unofficial releases.

Hope you enjoy. I'd be curious to see what others' come up with as well.

1. Heart Beat, Pig Meat [R]
2. Crumbling Land [R]
3. Country Song [R]
4. Oenone (version with no vocals) [TZPOV]
   
5. Unknown Song (take 1) [D]
6. Love Scene (take 1) [D]
   
7. Aeroplane [D]
   
8. Come In Number 51, Your Time Is Up [R]
9. The Riot Scene [D]
10. Auto Scene version 3 [D]
    
11. Love Scene version 1 [D]
    
12. Love Scene version 2 [D]
13. Looking At Map [D]
    
14. Take Off [D]
15. Take Off version 2 [D]
    
16. Love Scene 1 (organ and guitar) [TZPOV]
17. On The Highway [D]
    
18. Love Scene - Version 6 [R]
    
19. Love Scene version 7 [D]
    
20. Love Scene (take 2) [D]
    
21. Explosion [D]
    
22. Auto Scene version 2 [D]
    
23. Love Scene 3 (band) [TZPOV]
    
24. Crumbling Land (take 1) [D]
    
25. Love Scene - Version 4 [R]

80:14

[R] = Rhino Soundtrack CD
[D] = Early Years 1970: Devi/ation
[TZPOV] = Total Zabriskie Point Of View unofficial

 

Zabriskie Point tracks – Devi/ation CD2

As is previously known, Pink Floyd and their management clearly had trouble with rights to the audio material that is in the hands of MGM. And, this must have led to a failure, perhaps, in having the Zabriskie Point film itself included within the box set.

Putting aside the debates about a satisfactory running order of the tracks, both previously issued, and within the box set, or the total collection, or, indeed, speculating about a “lost album”, I consider that the tracks on “Devi/ation” constitute a fine “album”.

Let me explain further.

If you consider the first 9 tracks as one album “side” of approximately 24 minutes, and the remaining 7 tracks as the second album “side”, again of approximately 24 minutes, then you have two suites of music that each flow well.

Don’t look at the titles too much, just consider the music experience and flow in the running order of each suite. The compiler(s) did a fine job.

The first “side” begins with a short, intro variation of “Crumbling Land”, and the second “side” ends with an extended version of “Crumbling Land” – so, as is the case with some other Pink Floyd albums the tracks are “bookended” with two parts of a song. You could imagine the “album” being named with a reference to “Crumbling Land”. These two tracks are the only two tracks with lyrics.

The “Devi/ation” tracks, as noted elsewhere, include variations of almost all of the previously released tracks, official and unofficial,(along, of course, with, it looks like, ten new pieces), the exceptions being “Heart, Beat” and “Love Scene 6”, both of which are not referenced in the Early Years release.

By the way, maybe the Love Scene (Full Mix)(sex) variation should be called Love Scene (Ummagumma)!

 

I think so, too. And more tracks than I expected that had never circulated.

Of course, "Country Song" on the official (extended) soundtrack has lyrics, too ~ lamentable, then, they couldn't include this track on Devi/ation. The fact that they did include the very same track/mix of "Unknown Song" (aka "Rain In the Country") as on the soundtrack is puzzling. Would've preferred even "Heart Beat Pig Meat" than that, given HBPM is a unique piece (that I happen to be fond of ) and there's already/also an alternate take of "Unknown Song" on Devi/ation (as "Love Scene Version 7).

 

This book does: The Complete PINK FLOYD: The Ultimate Reference by Glenn Povey. If recording dates ~ and/or live set lists ~ interest you, it's a must-buy

Greatly expanded from Povey's earlier PF book from the '90's, as I learned from these EY threads ~ particularly re: the Zabriskie sessions!

 

Isn't it the other way around ~ "Love Song (version 7)" is the alternate take, whereas "Unknown Song take 1" is identical to the official soundtrack?

 

Don't forget, too - Total ZPOV had a third disc as well, an album of the rare moments when Floyd did ZP material live!

It's a shame none of the haunting, industrial-sounding live versions of "Heart Beat, Pig Meat" exist in good quality.... they're truly a WHOLE different ballgame from the subdued soundtrack version.