Echoes: The Best of Pink Floyd

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Echoes: The Best of Pink Floyd
Compilation album by Pink Floyd
Released 5 November 2001
Recorded 1967–1994
Genre Progressive rock, psychedelic rock
Length 155:15
Language English
Label EMI
Producer James Guthrie, Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd compilations chronology
1967: The First Three Singles
(1997)		 Echoes: The Best of Pink Floyd
(2001)		 Oh, by the Way
(2007)
Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
Allmusic 4/5 stars[1]

Echoes: The Best of Pink Floyd is a compilation album by Pink Floyd. It was released by EMI Records in the United Kingdom on 5 November 2001 and the following day in the United States through Capitol Records. It debuted at number 2 on the Billboard 200 album chart on 24 November 2001, with sales of 214,650 copies.[2] It remained on the chart for 26 weeks.[3] The album was certified Gold, Platinum and Double Platinum on 6 December 2001 in the US by the RIAA. It was certified Triple Platinum in the US on 8 January 2002, and Quadruple platinum on 10 September 2007.

Contents

[edit] History

Echoes is the first album released on Compact Disc that includes "When the Tigers Broke Free", which appeared in the film version of The Wall (the song later appeared on the 2004 re-release of The Final Cut in a slightly re-mixed form). It is the first compilation that includes songs from their last three albums—The Final Cut, A Momentary Lapse Of Reason and The Division Bell—and is also the only compilation album so far that includes "Echoes" from the 1971 album Meddle.

The compilation spans the career of Pink Floyd from their first single "Arnold Layne" in 1967, through to "High Hopes", the final track from their 1994 studio album The Division Bell. Four of their albums—Soundtrack from the Film More, Ummagumma, Atom Heart Mother and Obscured by Clouds—are not represented whatsoever, though multiple tracks from Atom Heart Mother[4] and Ummagumma were planned to appear on the compilation. Each of the twenty-six tracks fades from one to the next with no break in the music, courtesy of longtime producer–engineer James Guthrie to help recreate the concept album feel of the band's mid-period work. All twenty-six tracks were newly remastered specifically for this compilation and are not sequenced in chronological order.

"There’s been the occasional phone call but no great brainstorming sessions to get us all together. All our stuff in conducted through our engineer James Guthrie, who coordinated Echoes from his place in Lake Tahoe."
— David Gilmour, [4]

Storm Thorgerson, best known for creating the majority of album covers for Pink Floyd, worked with the band Dream Theater on their 1997 album Falling into Infinity and submitted to the band two sketches for possible covers. One became the cover that was used on the release. The second ended up being used by Pink Floyd for Echoes four years later. The two original sketches are framed and hanging in the home of former Dream Theater drummer Mike Portnoy and is pointed out by Portnoy in his Hudson Music instructional drum DVD In Constant Motion.[5]

[edit] Artwork

The artwork is a collage of several well-known images from previous album covers. Some of these include:

  • A burning man (from Wish You Were Here's cover)
  • A porcelain pig and cow (symbolising the covers of the albums Animals and Atom Heart Mother, respectively)
  • A sheep, representing the album Animals
  • Several pyramids representing The Dark Side of the Moon
  • A man in a light bulb suit (from the cover of the live album Delicate Sound of Thunder)
  • An iron bedstead representing A Momentary Lapse of Reason.
  • A white and black brick wall (representing The Wall and Is There Anybody Out There? The Wall Live 1980–81, respectively)
  • A crossed-hammer insignia (made popular in the 1982 film adaptation of the album The Wall)
  • There is a band´s photograph hanging below the insignia.
  • A bike (referring to the song "Bike" from The Piper at the Gates of Dawn)
  • An axe (referring to the spoken line from "One of These Days", "One of these days, I'm going to cut you into little pieces", the song "Careful with that Axe, Eugene", or the line "Run to the bedroom / In the suitcase on the left / You'll find my favourite axe" from the song "One of My Turns")
  • A The Piper at the Gates of Dawn poster.
  • A fishbowl (referring to the lyrics to the song "Wish You Were Here": "How I Wish, How I Wish You Were Here / We´re Just Two Lost Souls / Swimming In A Fishbowl)
  • A man in military attire (referring to the concept album The Final Cut)
  • A mirror ball (referring to the one used during the final solo in "Comfortably Numb" on the video album P*U*L*S*E)
  • An aeroplane model referring to the crashing aeroplane used in the DVD P*U*L*S*E at the end of On The Run, perhaps also David Gilmour's and Nick Mason's love for aviation and/or the song Learning to Fly or possibly the plane that killed Pink's father and symbolising his mother in "The Trial", from The Wall
  • A rowing boat (referring to the picture label on the vinyl edition of A Momentary Lapse of Reason)
  • Two metal statues representing The Division Bell
  • A Shine On poster
  • Four masks representing Is There Anybody Out There? The Wall Live 1980–81
  • A picture of an ear from the album art for Meddle'
  • A swimmer drying off from the inner art of Wish You Were Here
  • The burning man is carrying the suitcase that also appeared on the inner artwork of "Wish You Were Here"
  • A towel being blown by the wind, making a form like the one shown in the "High Hopes" single release.
  • A couple of dancers from A Collection of Great Dance Songs
  • The maid can also be seen in the insert for A Momentary Lapse of Reason'
  • The sitting man with his briefcase is on the back art of Wish You Were Here
  • The lake is shaped like a pig, representing the pigs they would fly during their concerts, also referring to their songs "Pigs on the Wing" and "Pigs (Three Different Ones)" from the album Animals
  • The view of windows within windows refers to the infinite recursion of the Ummagumma cover.
  • Empty bottles on shelves by the window resemble those on the cover of A Saucerful of Secrets
  • A miniature of a cow, representing Atom Heart Mother's cover as well as the grass that can be seen through the third window.
  • There is also a target, representing the eyes from the sculptures on the cover of the The Division Bell.

[edit] Track listing

"We’ve been arguing about it [track selection] since May. Nick sent us a list right at the beginning, then he seemed to lose interest. Rick never seemed to want to get involved in it. It wandered along rather fitfully until recently, when I thought I'd better work out what we should be trying to do with it, whether we should try and represent every album or not, and on what basis we should be choosing songs. In the end we had to get everyone to vote on a list. (...) I agree [that most of the songs seemed to have picked themselves]. When I look at it, its bloody obvious really. It's amazing how long the process has been getting it sorted out."
— David Gilmour, [4]

[edit] CD version

[edit] Disc one

No. Title Writer(s) Lead vocals Length
1. "Astronomy Domine" (The Piper at the Gates of Dawn) Syd Barrett Barrett, Richard Wright 4:10
2. "See Emily Play" (Non-album single; appears on Relics, 1971 and original USA/Japan versions of The Piper at the Gates of Dawn) Barrett Barrett 2:47
3. "The Happiest Days of Our Lives" (The Wall) Roger Waters Waters 1:38
4. "Another Brick in the Wall (part 2)" (The Wall) Waters David Gilmour, Waters 4:01
5. "Echoes" (Meddle, Edited version) Gilmour, Waters, Wright, Nick Mason Gilmour, Wright 16:30
6. "Hey You" (The Wall) Waters Gilmour, Waters 4:39
7. "Marooned" (The Division Bell, Edited version) Gilmour, Wright instrumental 2:02
8. "The Great Gig in the Sky" (The Dark Side of the Moon) Wright, Clare Torry Torry 4:40
9. "Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun" (A Saucerful of Secrets) Waters Waters 5:20
10. "Money" (The Dark Side of the Moon) Waters Gilmour 6:29
11. "Keep Talking" (The Division Bell) Gilmour, Wright, Polly Samson Gilmour 5:57
12. "Sheep" (Animals, Early fade-out) Waters Waters 9:46
13. "Sorrow" (A Momentary Lapse of Reason) Gilmour Gilmour 8:45

[edit] Disc two

No. Title Writer(s) Lead vocals Length
1. "Shine On You Crazy Diamond (Parts I–VII)" (Wish You Were Here, Edited version) Gilmour, Waters, Wright Waters 17:32
2. "Time" (The Dark Side of the Moon, Includes "Breathe (Reprise)") Gilmour, Waters, Wright, Mason Gilmour, Wright 6:48
3. "The Fletcher Memorial Home" (The Final Cut) Waters Waters 4:07
4. "Comfortably Numb" (The Wall, Includes ending of "Bring the Boys Back Home") Gilmour, Waters Gilmour, Waters 6:53
5. "When the Tigers Broke Free" (The Wall film soundtrack, also on 2004 remaster of The Final Cut) Waters Waters 3:42
6. "One of These Days" (Meddle, Edited version) Gilmour, Waters, Wright, Mason Mason 5:15
7. "Us and Them" (The Dark Side of the Moon) Waters, Wright Gilmour, Wright 7:51
8. "Learning to Fly" (A Momentary Lapse of Reason) Gilmour, Anthony Moore, Bob Ezrin, Jon Carin Gilmour 4:50
9. "Arnold Layne" (Non-album single; appears on Relics) Barrett Barrett 2:52
10. "Wish You Were Here" (Wish You Were Here) Gilmour, Waters Gilmour 5:21
11. "Jugband Blues" (A Saucerful of Secrets) Barrett Barrett 2:56
12. "High Hopes" (The Division Bell, Edited Version) Gilmour, Samson Gilmour 6:59
13. "Bike" (The Piper at the Gates of Dawn) Barrett Barrett 3:24

[edit] Vinyl version

[edit] Disc one

Side A
No. Title Writer(s) Original album Length
1. "Astronomy Domine"   Barrett The Piper at the Gates of Dawn 4:10
2. "See Emily Play"   Barrett Non-album single; appears on Relics, 1971 and original USA/Japan versions of The Piper at the Gates of Dawn 2:47
3. "The Happiest Days of Our Lives"   Waters The Wall 1:38
4. "Another Brick in the Wall (part 2)"   Waters The Wall 4:01
5. "Marooned" (Edited version) Gilmour, Wright The Division Bell 2:02
6. "The Great Gig in the Sky"   Wright, Torry The Dark Side of the Moon 4:40
Side B
No. Title Writer(s) Original album Length
1. "Echoes" (Edited version) Gilmour, Waters, Wright, Mason Meddle 16:30
2. "Hey You"   Waters The Wall 4:39

[edit] Disc two

Side A
No. Title Writer(s) Original album Length
1. "Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun"   Waters A Saucerful of Secrets 5:20
2. "Money"   Waters The Dark Side of the Moon 6:29
3. "Keep Talking"   Gilmour, Wright, Samson The Division Bell 5:57
Side B
No. Title Writer(s) Original album Length
1. "Sheep" (Early fade-out) Waters Animals 9:46
2. "Sorrow"   Gilmour A Momentary Lapse of Reason 8:45

[edit] Disc three

Side A
No. Title Writer(s) Original album Length
1. "Shine On You Crazy Diamond" (Parts 1-7) Gilmour, Waters, Wright Wish You Were Here 17:32
Side B
No. Title Writer(s) Original album Length
1. "Time" (Includes "Breathe" (reprise)) Gilmour, Waters, Wright, Mason The Dark Side of the Moon 6:48
2. "The Fletcher Memorial Home"   Waters The Final Cut 4:07
3. "Comfortably Numb" (Includes ending of "Bring the Boys Back Home") Gilmour, Waters The Wall 6:53
4. "When the Tigers Broke Free"   Waters The Wall film soundtrack, also on 2004 remaster of The Final Cut 3:42

[edit] Disc four

Side A
No. Title Writer(s) Original album Length
1. "One of These Days" (Edited version) Gilmour, Waters, Wright, Mason Meddle 5:15
2. "Us and Them"   Waters, Wright The Dark Side of the Moon 7:51
3. "Learning to Fly"   Gilmour, Moore, Ezrin, Carin A Momentary Lapse of Reason 4:50
4. "Arnold Layne"   Barrett Non-album single; appears on Relics 2:52
Side B
No. Title Writer(s) Original album Length
1. "Wish You Were Here"   Gilmour, Waters Wish You Were Here 5:21
2. "Jugband Blues"   Barrett A Saucerful of Secrets 2:56
3. "High Hopes" (Edited version) Gilmour, Samson The Division Bell 6:59
4. "Bike"   Barrett The Piper at the Gates of Dawn 3:24

[edit] Rejected songs

According to James Guthrie, the following songs were considered for inclusion:[6][dead link]

[edit] Sales chart performance

Chart (2001) Position
UK Albums Chart[7] 2
The Billboard 200[8] 2
Billboard Top Internet Albums[citation needed] 1
Norway albums chart[9] 2
Chart (2005) Position
UK Albums Chart[7] 19

[edit] Sales certifications

Country Certification Sales Last certification date
Belgium Platinum 50,000 + 2002
Canada 6× Platinum[10] 600,000+ 29 April 2002
Europe 3× Platinum[11] 3,000,000+ 2007
Germany Gold[12] 100,000+ 2002
United Kingdom 2× Platinum[13] 600,000+ 11/01/02
United States 4× Platinum[14] 2,000,000+ (double disc) 10/09/07

[edit] Credits

Pink Floyd
  • Syd Barrett – guitar and vocals on "Astronomy Domine", "See Emily Play", "Arnold Layne", "Jugband Blues" and "Bike"
  • David Gilmour – guitars; fretless bass guitar on "Hey You"; bass guitar on "Sheep", "High Hopes", and "One Of These Days"; keyboards; drum programming on "Sorrow", lead vocals on "Another Brick in the Wall, Part II", "Echoes", "Hey You", "Money", "Keep Talking", "Sorrow", "Time", "Comfortably Numb", "Us and Them", "Learning to Fly", "Wish You Were Here", "High Hopes".
  • Nick Mason – drums, percussion, tape effects, vocalisations on "One of These Days"
  • Roger Waters – bass guitar, rhythm guitar on "Sheep", tape effects, lead vocals on "The Happiest Days of Our Lives", "Another Brick in the Wall, Part II", "Hey You", "Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun", "Sheep", "Shine on You Crazy Diamond", "Comfortably Numb", "The Fletcher Memorial Home", "When the Tigers Broke Free"
  • Richard Wright – keyboards, organ, piano, synthesisers, clavinet, co-lead vocals on "Astronomy Domine", "Echoes", "Time", "Us and Them".
Additional personnel
  • Ray Bowes (cornet)
  • Terry Camsey (cornet)
  • Mac Carter (trombone)
  • Les Condon (E♭ bass)
  • Maurice Cooper (euphonium)
  • Ian Hankey (trombone)
  • George Whittingham (B♭ bass)
  • One other uncredited musician
  • Phyllis St. James – backing vocals on "Sorrow" and "Learning to Fly"
  • Barry St. John – backing vocals on "Time" and "Us and Them"
  • Liza Strike – backing vocals on "Time" and "Us and Them"
  • Storm Thorgerson – cover design
  • Clare Torry – vocals on "The Great Gig in the Sky"
  • Doris Troy – backing vocals on "Time" and "Us and Them"
  • Carmen Twillie – backing vocals on "Sorrow" and "Learning to Fly"
  • Gary Wallis – percussion on "Keep Talking"
  • Carlena Williams – backing vocals on "Shine On You Crazy Diamond"

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ Johnson, Zac (2011 [last update]). "Echoes: The Best of Pink Floyd - Pink Floyd | AllMusic". allmusic.com. http://www.allmusic.com/album/r557513. Retrieved 9 July 2011. 
  2. ^ Stephen M. Silverman (15 November 2001). "Britney Spears Upsets Michael Jackson". People. http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,623055,00.html. Retrieved 25 November 2009. 
  3. ^ Joel Whitburn Presents The Billboard Albums, 6th Edition, Joel Whitburn, ed., 2006, p. 820.
  4. ^ a b c "Have Pink Floyd Split Up?". Mojo Magazine. October 2001. http://www.pinkfloydfan.net/t1456-david-gilmour-have-pink-floyd.html. Retrieved 16 August 2010. 
  5. ^ "Mike Portnoy: In Constant Motion DVD". Hudson Music. http://www.hudsonmusic.com/hudson/products/in-constant-motion/?s=inconstantmotion&st=shopp&searchsubmit=Go!. Retrieved 8 August 2011. 
  6. ^ James Guthrie: the audio[dead link]
  7. ^ a b "UK chart info Echoes: The Best of Pink Floyd". www.chartstats.com. http://www.chartstats.com/release.php?release=35698. Retrieved 8 August 2011.  The album re-entered the UK charts in July 2005 following Pink Floyd's reunion appearance at Live 8.
  8. ^ "Billboard.com - Artist Chart History - Pink Floyd". www.billboard.com. http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/retrieve_chart_history.do?model.chartFormatGroupName=Albums&model.vnuArtistId=61137&model.vnuAlbumId=768708. Retrieved 2 July 2009. 
  9. ^ "norwegiancharts.com - Pink Floyd - Echoes - The Best Of Pink Floyd". norwegiancharts.com. http://norwegiancharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Pink+Floyd&titel=Echoes+%2D+The+Best+Of+Pink+Floyd&cat=a. Retrieved 2 July 2009. 
  10. ^ "Gold & Platinum Certification – April 2002". Canadian Recording Industry Association. http://www.cria.ca/gold/0402_g.php. Retrieved 19 August 2010. 
  11. ^ "IFPI Platinum Europe Awards Q4 2007". IFPI. http://www.ifpi.org/content/section_news/PLAT_MONTH_20080211.html. Retrieved 8 August 2011. 
  12. ^ "Bundesverband Musikindustrie: Gold-/Platin-Datenbank". Bundesverband Musikindustrie (IFPI.DE). http://www.musikindustrie.de/gold_platin_datenbank/#topSearch. Retrieved 8 August 2011.  Enter "Pink Floyd" in the "Interpret" field
  13. ^ "BPI certified awards search". British Phonographic Industry. http://www.bpi.co.uk/certifiedawards/search.aspx. Retrieved 8 August 2011.  Enter "Pink Floyd" in the "Search" field.
  14. ^ "RIAA - Gold & Platinum - July 03, 2009". www.riaa.com. http://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?resultpage=4&table=SEARCH_RESULTS&action=&title=&artist=pink%20floyd&format=&debutLP=&category=&sex=&releaseDate=&requestNo=&type=&level=&label=&company=&certificationDate=&awardDescription=&catalogNo=&aSex=&rec_id=&charField=&gold=&platinum=&multiPlat=&level2=&certDate=&album=&id=&after=&before=&startMonth=1&endMonth=1&startYear=1958&endYear=2009&sort=Artist&perPage=25. Retrieved 3 July 2009. 

[edit] External links

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