Flaming Lyrics
Many of Syd's songs were presenting the point of view of a child. Flaming is one of them. Syd had the Kabbalist's ability to see the World of Forms (as Plato put it).
This song is soooo good, I can hardly stand to listen to it. It is beautiful, and it makes me feel like I am about to receive the light. I miss Syd Barrett so much, to think of all the incredible music we didn't get to receive from him makes me cry.
Bless you Syd, you shared the Light with all of us, you're still sharing it today and for generations to come.
PS - it's not about drugs, or being on drugs. That point of view is belittling to the childish beauty of Syd's music, his art, his philosophy.
PS - it's not about drugs, or being on drugs. That point of view is belittling to the childish beauty of Syd's music, his art, his philosophy.
Agree there. One thing that comes through so clearly in Syd's songs is a childlike sense of wonder at the world.
Agree there. One thing that comes through so clearly in Syd's songs is a childlike sense of wonder at the world.
Interesting that we think of that as "childlike", though; most of us have it at an early age, then lose it (or replace it with something else) later. Fairy tales are for children, but why? At that age we have already begun to understand the difference between "magic" and "real", which is what makes the magic so exciting! But as chldren we're happy to entertain the magic and the real together anyway, because there's something really fun about that....
Interesting that we think of that as "childlike", though; most of us have it at an early age, then lose it (or replace it with something else) later. Fairy tales are for children, but why? At that age we have already begun to understand the difference between "magic" and "real", which is what makes the magic so exciting! But as chldren we're happy to entertain the magic and the real together anyway, because there's something really fun about that. Adults typically stop responding to fairy tales with that level of interest, but do at least remember this part of childhood and so are happy to retell those stories to children. Only a few adults, like Hans Christian Andersen, can actually compose such stories with any success. Syd appears to have kept the ability to see the world in that mode through his twenties at least.
In that view, it doesn't pay to over-anlyze Syd's songs with "close readings". He might just have been stringing together some beautiful thoughts and word-pictures he wanted to share with the rest of us. I am grateful that he did.
Well, he appears to have kept that ability into his early twenties anyway. After that it's hard to tell.
Well, he appears to have kept that ability into his early twenties anyway. After that it's hard to tell.
As for Syd's fascination with childhood themes, here's a surmise: By age 20, when he wrote most of these songs, he was probably the first to notice that something was going wrong for him. Faced with the horrifying thought that he might actually be losing control over his own mind, he enjoyed recalling a time when things worked better. Which, at age 20, would have meant childhood.
As for Syd's fascination with childhood themes, here's a surmise: By age 20, when he wrote most of these songs, he was probably the first to notice that something was going wrong for him. Faced with the horrifying thought that he might actually be losing control over his own mind, he enjoyed recalling a time when things worked better. Which, at age 20, would have meant childhood.
In any case, these songs are treasures. He held on just long enough to create them.
In any case, these songs are treasures. He held on just long enough to create them.
this song is about Syd feeling outcast from the world.
Alone in the clouds all blue Lying on an eiderdown.
Meaning hes high
Yippee! You can't see me But I can you
He can see all the other people in the world but they are ignoring him and its like they are looking right through him
Lazing in the foggy dew Sitting on a unicorn. No fair, you can't hear me But I can you.
Whenever he says anything they either ignore him or dont understand at all what he is saying
@kevmiclee Actually, you should have just stuck to "Meaning hes high"
@kevmiclee Actually, you should have just stuck to "Meaning hes high"
Let's steer away from the drugs a minute - they're just too convenient. Instead, look at the mid to late sixties culture when there was a resurgence in interest in legend and the occult (yes, I lived through it near London) and take this as an unseen, unheard sprite (or something similar), probably a mischievous one (I won't touch you, but then I might) As for 'traveling by telephone, ever so high' the first communications satellites had been launched just prior to this, so it fits very well with the whole imagery. The whole song brings to mind fairy stories, imps, goblins etc.
@AlanOldie That's an OUTSTANDING observation about the satellites. Telstar was relatively new tech. I'm glad to see you don't jump on "it's about drugs and getting high!" bandwagon. Nicely said Alan. All of Sid's songs were about other things than most people wold see in the lyrics.
@AlanOldie That's an OUTSTANDING observation about the satellites. Telstar was relatively new tech. I'm glad to see you don't jump on "it's about drugs and getting high!" bandwagon. Nicely said Alan. All of Sid's songs were about other things than most people wold see in the lyrics.
This is achildhood memory of playing hide and seek--he's alone hiding in the dewy grasslooking up into the clouds and blue sky,, on ablanket of eiderdown--and the other kid is close but can't see or hear him--however at one point he is so close that he could reach out and touch the other kid, but might or might not. Even the language is from childhood--No Fair! and Yippee! The unicorn he is sitting on is a 'unicorn mushroom' perhaps, as he mentions dandelions and buttercups, all three would be found in a meadow where he hides in the grass. He is remembering this day with a friend or sibling over the phone, and it is their voices that are streaming through the starlit sky, traveling by telephone not only through space, but also in time, through their memories. One of my favorites--and my sons love the cuckoo bird,we call it the cuckoo song. I agree with another post that calling the lyrics a meaningless acid trip really takes away from the beauty and artistry of the lyrics.
Alone in the clouds all blue Lying on an eiderdown. Yippee! You can't see me But I can you.
Lazing in the foggy dew Sitting on a unicorn. No fair, you can't hear me But I can you.
Watching buttercups cup the light Sleeping on a dandelion. Too much, I won't touch you But then I might.
Screaming through the starlit sky Traveling by telephone. Hey ho, here we go Ever so high.
Alone in the clouds all blue Lying on an eiderdown. Yippee! You can't see me But I can you.
i love this song. it makes me happy, its sorta creepy though. i love how syd barrett has this carefree childhood feel to his songs. He seems to have thing for eiderdowns though, ive heard him mention them in other songs.
@pinkfloydsydbarrett Eiderdowns (A bed covering lined with the feathers of a female duck for those that don't understand the reference) is a marvelous thing to lay upon in a field. He lays upon it and it feels like one of the clouds in a "sky so blue". Nothing really creepy about it. He had an innocent mind. Evil people helped destroy that innocence and didn't get him the help he so obviously needed. Richard Wright cared for him greatly but couldn't go against the band.
@pinkfloydsydbarrett Eiderdowns (A bed covering lined with the feathers of a female duck for those that don't understand the reference) is a marvelous thing to lay upon in a field. He lays upon it and it feels like one of the clouds in a "sky so blue". Nothing really creepy about it. He had an innocent mind. Evil people helped destroy that innocence and didn't get him the help he so obviously needed. Richard Wright cared for him greatly but couldn't go against the band.
I dropped recently, and since I'm a Floydian, I listened to several hours of PF music throughout it. One song that I listened to was this one. Of course, I was listening to Piper as a unit, so in it's context, it fit, but as soon as it came on, it evoked an emotion in me that was different from what any of the other songs had pulled out. For starters, it sounds quite popish, with the catchy lyrics and music, but it had a creepy element in it, that made me a little edgy. Overall, I think that a lot of what PF did was made for people who were high, to be honest... "ever so hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiigh....."
Just shows how innocent Syd was. It's a beautiful little song filled with joy and wonder.
LSD...
this is one of my all time favourite pink floyd songs although from the lsd ridden syd barrett era the song does have a deep meaning ..here hes describing his 'acid trip tea parties' he regulary had in his back garden ..i think in the song hes trying to escape the troubles of life as when hes trippin he doesnt have to worry bout any of that stuff its a form of escapism tht works when u lisen to it too thts why i like it ..tht little kid type attitude of syd is what made the songs so fun to lisen to ..
apprantly it called 'flaming' due to a sensation when your trippin tht makes everything look like its on fire....hmmmm..lol