When I listen to the song, before even trying to catch what the meaning might be, what stand out is the desperate emotion poured into the words "please". It's the kind of emotion one have if begging for a love one to return, or to be released from a prison. Most of these post-Flyd Barret songs are delivered in monotone. This song is as well...except for the please. Roger Waters poured similar emotion into parts of the Wall, which is a big reason for its success. The emotion there lifted Waters' mediocre vocalist talent into something moving.
So I would begin by trying to understand the words that followed the "please". And here it's the title words, baby lemonade. So what is a baby lemonade?
It could be something that just sounds evocative. Barret seems to have always been attracted to words that convey an image or feeling, even if there is no intentional meaning put into them.
However, it's curious that lemonade is pink. It makes me wonder if in their early days, when the band was new, a baby, if Barrett ever referred to it this way. A pink baby. I've never heard any reference to this. But then maybe the other band members would be embarrassed by such a desperate plea for them to take him back, one which they ignored.
I think we have to be forgiving to the band. From all accounts, even family members, Barrett was far enough gone that no one could work with him. And these guys understandably wanted to make a career of this.
It's always tempting to read into lyrics what we know about the circumstances. But this would have been feeding powerful emotions with Barrett. "Make your name like a ghost." The band did exactly that to him, so hard not to see that in the line.
"I'm screaming, I met you this way
you're nice to me like ice
in the clock they sent through a washing machine
come around, make it soon, so alone
please, please, Baby Lemonade"
Man, the pain seems so deep. Again, we have to guard against reading into things, but one wonders...a major problem the band was having with him was getting to show on time for gigs. Did they give him a watch as a gift that went through the washing machine? He met them screaming, you're nice to me like ice...It's like he's saying, "I'm flawed, but my flaws are not new, I've always been this way." He probably was not fully recognizing how far his mind had gone, and how can someone in that state of mind realize it? To him, he thought the problem was merely being late for gigs. But he's alone and wants them to come see him, but these guys were going on with their lives. It's a little cruel, but he was holding them back.
When I listen to the song, before even trying to catch what the meaning might be, what stand out is the desperate emotion poured into the words "please". It's the kind of emotion one have if begging for a love one to return, or to be released from a prison. Most of these post-Flyd Barret songs are delivered in monotone. This song is as well...except for the please. Roger Waters poured similar emotion into parts of the Wall, which is a big reason for its success. The emotion there lifted Waters' mediocre vocalist talent into something moving.
So I would begin by trying to understand the words that followed the "please". And here it's the title words, baby lemonade. So what is a baby lemonade?
It could be something that just sounds evocative. Barret seems to have always been attracted to words that convey an image or feeling, even if there is no intentional meaning put into them.
However, it's curious that lemonade is pink. It makes me wonder if in their early days, when the band was new, a baby, if Barrett ever referred to it this way. A pink baby. I've never heard any reference to this. But then maybe the other band members would be embarrassed by such a desperate plea for them to take him back, one which they ignored.
I think we have to be forgiving to the band. From all accounts, even family members, Barrett was far enough gone that no one could work with him. And these guys understandably wanted to make a career of this.
It's always tempting to read into lyrics what we know about the circumstances. But this would have been feeding powerful emotions with Barrett. "Make your name like a ghost." The band did exactly that to him, so hard not to see that in the line.
"I'm screaming, I met you this way you're nice to me like ice in the clock they sent through a washing machine come around, make it soon, so alone please, please, Baby Lemonade"
Man, the pain seems so deep. Again, we have to guard against reading into things, but one wonders...a major problem the band was having with him was getting to show on time for gigs. Did they give him a watch as a gift that went through the washing machine? He met them screaming, you're nice to me like ice...It's like he's saying, "I'm flawed, but my flaws are not new, I've always been this way." He probably was not fully recognizing how far his mind had gone, and how can someone in that state of mind realize it? To him, he thought the problem was merely being late for gigs. But he's alone and wants them to come see him, but these guys were going on with their lives. It's a little cruel, but he was holding them back.