Careful with That Axe, Eugene

or maybe one of these days eugene is going to cut you into little pieces. just an observation.

Echo AeroLed286 on this one. I remember thinking "Hey, I didn't know Ray Manzarek played with them, and Iknow a lot about the Doors" the first time I heard it. The guitar is cool, right, but it's nothing compaired to the feeling, the creeping and shivering atmosphere led by the organ... and the progression to the sheer madness of Roger's shout... This guy is really insane. Hopefully he had music to express it, rather than becoming a psychokiller... (note to all Roger's fans out there : I'm joking...)

naww-Pink Floyd used to like to give nonsense titles to thier songs. I think the title is a joking PLAY on axe murder AND playing on the guitar-or axe; I think this is just a vivid dream, that comes to climax, then recedes. I love the way the song quietly and delicately builds to a crescendo, then just as delicately fades away....the middle eastern scales add a sense of sensual mystery to it all. the song was meant to be appreciated as it was under the influence of acid or pot-it had its own meanings howerver covert.

Top ten floyd songs:

1. Echoes
2. Wish You Were Here
3. Shine on you Crazy Diamond
4. Comfortably Numb
5. The Great Gig in the Sky
6. Dogs
7. Time
8. Fearless
9. One of these days
10. Careful with that axe, Eugene

Just had to post and say that this was one song that scared me when my older brothers would play it back in the early 70's- I probably was about 4 years old.

Anyway, the way that I interpreted this song (thanks to my brothers) was that not only was the song about an axe murderer, but a cannibalistic one.

Now I'm going by the version on "Relics"- so follow me as I try to explain as best as I can. The best hint about this comes near the end of the track:

5:24- drums have dropped out of the song, bass plays cycling two-notes, keyboard notes ebb down the scale. Eugene's victim is near death and quickly fading away.

5:26- sound of lips smacking. Eugene begins his feast.

5:30- squeak noises. Innards of victim being devoured.

5:40- sound of lips smacking. Eugene has consumed his "prize" and finishes with a satisfied "ahh!" as the song ends (turn up volume to hear this)

Hey, I'm willing to admit that I may be way off the mark, but this has been my view of the song for the past 30 years.

Down down... out loud... the stars are screaming... baby cry...

I’m much more familiar with the Ummaguma version, but along the lines of the axe murderer theme I imagine the repeated whispering of “careful with that axe, Eugene” being the voices in the crazy guys mind and the since they keep repeating and getting louder he screams and then makes his kill which is the second scream.

An axe murderer claiming their latest victim... played out through music.

The first part is where he's sneaking around... muttering gibberish but generally keeping quiet... then the adrenaline builds up as he gets closer to the victim... then eventually, once they're within reach, he takes to them with his trusty axe :-).

Then we hear the scream of the victim as they realise what's coming to them. That's where the band kicks in and it all goes ballistic... as killer and victim flail around wildly. Then it starts to go quiet... as the victim's life slowly leaves them and then everything slowly fades out....

They did something very similar when they played 'Cymbaline' live in the late '60s, with the sounds of footsteps walking around the venue.

I think 'Careful With That Axe, Eugene', is actually supposed to be phrase the killer says to the victim just before he kills them... like it's his catchphrase he uses before each killing.

And only Roger Waters could create such a violent, depraved character and then call him Eugene :-).

ch0gan is most definitely correct, it is about an axe-murder. But one thing, I feel that the slow, quiet part is a killer and someone he knows sitting down and having a silent, sort of awkward moment. Then Eugene grabs an axe, not knowing what's going on, the victim says "careful with that axe, Eugene." The intense part is the actual killing.....blah....blah....blah

it's definitely an murder scene that this song is describing. there is no band like Pink Floyd when it comes telling a story through an instrumental song. that scream made me jump the first time i heard it. i hope i'm not the only who jumped...