Friday, March 12, 2010

One In A Million

One In A Million  5:55
Performed live 13 September 1967 

* Unrecorded
     (written by Syd Barrett)

Lyrics (incomplete):
Does she want to be one in a million?
Did you want to be one in five?
You keep complaining through . . .
Keep complaining that you won't get high


Do you want...
Feeling like a...


Would you like to be one in a million?
Would she like to be one in five?


Lead vocals: Syd Barrett

A rare early live piece about which little is known. Existing bootleg recordings show One in a Million as a tight, intense and heavy bass- and feedback-dominated piece. Few of the lyrics are known, because they are shouted incoherently by Syd in a style which was probably greeted with uncomprehending stares in 1967, but became very popular in the punk revolution of 1976 and again in the hard edge of the alternative music scene in the early '90's (in fact, if it weren't for Rick's psychedelic organ playing, this song would be indistinguishable from much of the heavy alternative music of the latter time). It's too bad that no good recordings of this song survive, as it represents a raw and powerful side of the early Pink Floyd that was rarely seen.

It is possible that this is the same song as Millionaire, which was tipped for possible single release in the press in late June (along with Scream Thy Last Scream); definite information is not forthcoming, but it does seem likely considering that nothing at all is known about Millionaire as an independent song. Although most of the lyrics in this blog are highly accurate (having been checked against a variety of different sources), the lyrics to this song are largely speculative, excepting the first line. This is the first attempt I know of to transcribe them.

Alternate titles: Rush in a Million, Millionaire, She Was a Millionaire, Brush Your Window.

4 comments:

  1. Nothing to do with "she was a millionaire", a 3/4 number recorded as a demo the late summer/early autumn 1967. Jenner remembers the lyrics went something like "she was a millionaire and she had time to spare so we had a lovely time together". Syd rerecorded it in 1970 for his second album. It seems to bear more than a resemblance to the Opel coda.

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  2. This is is written and sang by roger waters. Put your ears on.

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