The End Of The Beginning

The End Of The Beginning 5:42
     (written by Waters, Wright, Mason, Gilmour)

Instrumental with vocal arrangement

Lead vocals (wordless):  David Gilmour

The end of the hero's adventure, and the end of the Journey Suite as well. But the title implies that it is just the beginning of many more journeys. This is an especially good variation on the fourth movement of A Saucerful of Secrets, known on the Ummagumma album as Celestial Voices. It is also the longest performance of the fourth movement, seeing as how this was the only time it was performed on its own.

The music here is extremely cinematic, partially due to Dave's very good wordless vocal, and pictures of an unmade film arise effortlessly in one's head. It is easy to imagine, while listening to this song, the hero trudging wearily home, tired but content after the completion of a successful journey. Up ahead in the distance, he (or she) sees the shimmering light of home, and his spirits begin to rise. Before long he starts running, eager to see loved ones again and share the happiness of his discovery. He sees his family and friends hurrying to greet him, and his spirit soars. He catches his loved ones in an embrace and whirls around, laughing in sheer unadulterated joy at this happy-ever-after. (This might be a little far-fetched, but it sure does fit with the music.)

This is quite unlike the original album version of the close of Saucerful. The closest thing to this piece is the Ummagumma version, recorded only a fortnight later.

TRACK LISTING
The Man
Daybreak
Work
Doing It
Sleep
Nightmare
Daybreak part two
The Journey
Beginning, The
Beset by the Creatures of the Deep
Narrow Way, The
Pink Jungle, The
Labyrinths of Auximenes, The
Behold the Temple of Light
End of the Beginning, The