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Echoes: The Best of Pink Floyd

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This article is about the 2001 compilation album. For other uses, see The Best of Pink Floyd.

Echoes: The Best of Pink Floyd
Cover used on the original UK & European vinyl copies
Greatest hits album by
Pink Floyd
Released5 November 2001
Recorded1967–1994
GenreProgressive rock, psychedelic rock
Length2:35:23
2:35:13 (vinyl version)
LabelEMI
Producer
Pink Floyd chronology
Is There Anybody Out There? The Wall Live 1980–81
(2000) 		Echoes: The Best of Pink Floyd
(2001) 		Oh, by the Way
(2007)

Echoes: The Best of Pink Floyd is the fourth compilation album by the English rock band Pink Floyd, released on 5 November 2001 by EMI internationally and a day later by Capitol Records in the United States. It debuted at #2 on the Billboard 200 album chart on 24 November 2001, with sales of 214,650 copies.[1] It remained on the chart for 26 weeks.[2] 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

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—More, Ummagumma, Atom Heart Mother and Obscured by Clouds—are not represented, though multiple tracks from Atom Heart Mother[3] and Ummagumma were planned to appear on the compilation. Each of the 26 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 26 tracks were newly remastered specifically for this compilation and are not sequenced in chronological order.

The band's longtime guitarist, David Gilmour, said of the process of compiling the tracks themselves:

There’s been the occasional phone call but no great brainstorming sessions to get us all together. All our stuff [is] conducted through our engineer James Guthrie, who coordinated Echoes from his place in Lake Tahoe.[3]

Roger Waters's main contribution was the name of the compilation. "I had to, because the name the boys came up with was so awful. What was it? 'Sum of the Parts'. See what I mean?"[4]

Cover

Alternate cover used for certain releases and rereleases

Storm Thorgerson, who had done the majority of album covers for Pink Floyd, did the Echoes art which features recursive windows in an infinite regression as a nod to his own cover for 1969's Ummagumma, and the objects on each landscape refer to the Pink Floyd discography. For instance, there's the man on fire from Wish You Were Here, another wearing the Delicate Sound of Thunder lightbulb suit, dolls of the Atom Heart Mother cow and the Animals pig, a bike and both a brick wall and the hammers from The Wall. Eventually Thorgerson opted to make two images, with another used for the back cover. To create the idea on a photograph, various walls—which had varied measurements and angles to ensure that "nothing seemed to fit other than by eye through the lens."—were built and put in a country landscape in Sussex. Actors, props and fittings were set in and between those walls.[5] The original design was one of two sketches submitted for Dream Theater's 1997 album Falling into Infinity, with the original being 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.[6]

Release

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic[7]

Echoes is Floyd's first album to include "When the Tigers Broke Free", from the film version of The Wall (the song reappeared on a 2004 rerelease of The Final Cut in a slightly remixed form). It was their first compilation to include songs from The Final Cut, A Momentary Lapse of Reason and The Division Bell and is the only one to include "Echoes", from 1971's Meddle.

With first-week sales of 215,000—beating their previous first-week peak of 198,000 for Pulse—the album hit number two on the Billboard 200, behind Britney Spears' Britney (746,000).[8]

A week after the band's one-off reunion at Live 8, HMV said sales of Echoes rose by 1343%.[9]

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, it's bloody obvious really. It's amazing how long the process has been getting it sorted out."

— David Gilmour[3]

CD version

Disc one

No.TitleWriter(s)Lead vocalsLength
1."Astronomy Domine" (The Piper at the Gates of Dawn (1967))Syd Barrett
4:10
2."See Emily Play" ("See Emily Play" single (1967), with an early cut-off; appears on 1971 Relics (1971), and 1967 US/Japan versions of The Piper at the Gates of Dawn)BarrettBarrett2:47
3."The Happiest Days of Our Lives" (The Wall (1979))Roger WatersWaters1:38
4."Another Brick in the Wall (Part 2)" (The Wall)Waters
4:01
5."Echoes" (Edited version; Meddle (1971))
  • Gilmour
  • Wright
16:30
6."Hey You" (The Wall)Waters
  • Gilmour
  • Waters
4:39
7."Marooned" (excerpt; The Division Bell (1994))
  • Gilmour
  • Wright
Instrumental2:02
8."The Great Gig in the Sky" (The Dark Side of the Moon (1973))
Torry4:40
9."Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun" (A Saucerful of Secrets (1968))WatersWaters5:20
10."Money" (The Dark Side of the Moon)WatersGilmour6:29
11."Keep Talking" (Early fade-out; The Division Bell)
Gilmour5:57
12."Sheep" (Early fade-out; Animals (1977))WatersWaters9:46
13."Sorrow" (A Momentary Lapse of Reason (1987))GilmourGilmour8:45
Total length:76:44

Disc two

No.TitleWriter(s)Lead vocalsLength
1."Shine On You Crazy Diamond (Parts 1–7)" (Edited version; Wish You Were Here (1975))Gilmour, Waters, WrightWaters17:32
2."Time" (includes "Breathe (In the Air) (Reprise)"); The Dark Side of the Moon)Gilmour, Waters, Wright, MasonGilmour, Wright6:48
3."The Fletcher Memorial Home" (The Final Cut (1983))WatersWaters4:07
4."Comfortably Numb" (includes the coda of "Bring the Boys Back Home"; The Wall)Gilmour, WatersGilmour, Waters6:53
5."When the Tigers Broke Free" (The Wall film soundtrack (1982), also on remasters of The Final Cut since 2004)WatersWaters3:42
6."One of These Days" (Meddle, edited version)Gilmour, Waters, Wright, MasonInstrumental, with spoken words by Mason5:15
7."Us and Them" (Edited ending, The Dark Side of the Moon)Waters, WrightGilmour, Wright7:51
8."Learning to Fly" (A Momentary Lapse of Reason)Gilmour, Anthony Moore, Bob Ezrin, Jon CarinGilmour4:50
9."Arnold Layne" ("Arnold Layne" single (1967); appears on Relics)BarrettBarrett2:52
10."Wish You Were Here" (Early fade-out; Wish You Were Here)Gilmour, WatersGilmour5:21
11."Jugband Blues" (A Saucerful of Secrets)BarrettBarrett2:56
12."High Hopes" (Edited version; The Division Bell (1994))Gilmour, SamsonGilmour6:59
13."Bike" (with bell intro; The Piper at the Gates of Dawn (1967))BarrettBarrett3:24
Total length:78:30

Vinyl version

Side A
No.TitleWriter(s)Original albumLength
1."Astronomy Domine"BarrettThe Piper at the Gates of Dawn4:10
2."See Emily Play"BarrettSee Emily Play - Single; appears on Relics, 1971 and 1967 US/Japan versions of The Piper at the Gates of Dawn2:47
3."The Happiest Days of Our Lives"WatersThe Wall1:38
4."Another Brick in the Wall (part 2)"WatersThe Wall4:01
5."Marooned" (Edited version)Gilmour, WrightThe Division Bell2:02
6."The Great Gig in the Sky"Wright, TorryThe Dark Side of the Moon4:40
Side B
No.TitleWriter(s)Original albumLength
1."Echoes" (Edited version)Gilmour, Waters, Wright, MasonMeddle16:30
2."Hey You"WatersThe Wall4:39
Side C
No.TitleWriter(s)Original albumLength
1."Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun"WatersA Saucerful of Secrets5:20
2."Money"WatersThe Dark Side of the Moon6:29
3."Keep Talking" (Early fade-out)Gilmour, Wright, SamsonThe Division Bell5:57
Side D
No.TitleWriter(s)Original albumLength
1."Sheep" (Early fade-out)WatersAnimals9:46
2."Sorrow"GilmourA Momentary Lapse of Reason8:45
Side E
No.TitleWriter(s)Original albumLength
1."Shine On You Crazy Diamond" (Parts 1–7, edited version)Gilmour, Waters, WrightWish You Were Here17:32
Side F
No.TitleWriter(s)Original albumLength
1."Time" (Includes "Breathe" (reprise))Gilmour, Waters, Wright, MasonThe Dark Side of the Moon6:48
2."The Fletcher Memorial Home"WatersThe Final Cut4:07
3."Comfortably Numb" (Includes the coda of "Bring the Boys Back Home" The Wall)Gilmour, WatersThe Wall6:53
4."When the Tigers Broke Free"WatersThe Wall film soundtrack, also on 2004-present remasters of The Final Cut3:42
Side G
No.TitleWriter(s)Original albumLength
1."One of These Days" (Edited version)Gilmour, Waters, Wright, MasonMeddle5:15
2."Us and Them"Waters, WrightThe Dark Side of the Moon7:51
3."Learning to Fly"Gilmour, Moore, Ezrin, CarinA Momentary Lapse of Reason4:50
4."Arnold Layne"BarrettArnold Layne - Single; appears on Relics2:52
Side H
No.TitleWriter(s)Original albumLength
1."Wish You Were Here" (Early fade-out)Gilmour, WatersWish You Were Here5:21
2."Jugband Blues"BarrettA Saucerful of Secrets2:56
3."High Hopes" (Edited version)Gilmour, SamsonThe Division Bell6:59
4."Bike"BarrettThe Piper at the Gates of Dawn3:24

Rejected songs

According to James Guthrie, the following songs were considered for inclusion:[10]

Personnel

Pink Floyd
  • Syd Barrett – guitar and lead vocals on "Astronomy Domine", "See Emily Play", "Arnold Layne", "Jugband Blues" and "Bike", guitar on "Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun"
  • 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", backing vocals
  • 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", backing vocals
  • Richard Wright – keyboards, organ, piano, synthesizers, clavinet, co-lead vocals on "Astronomy Domine", "Echoes", "Time", "Us and Them", backing vocals
  • Nick Mason – drums, percussion, tape effects, vocalisations on "One of These Days"
Additional personnel
  • Sam Brown – backing vocals on "Keep Talking"
  • Jon Carin – keyboards on "Marooned", "Keep Talking", "Learning to Fly" and "High Hopes"
  • Lesley Duncan – backing vocals on "Time" and "Us and Them"
  • Venetta Fields – backing vocals on "Shine On You Crazy Diamond"
  • Donnie Gerard – backing vocals on "Sorrow" and "Learning to Fly"
  • James Guthrie – remastering, percussion on "The Happiest Days of Our Lives"
  • Islington Green School – choir on "Another Brick in the Wall (Part 2)"
  • Michael Kamen – orchestrations
  • Carol Kenyon – backing vocals on "Keep Talking"
  • Darlene Koldenhoven – backing vocals on "Sorrow" and "Learning to Fly"
  • Tony Levin – bass guitar on "Learning to Fly"
  • Durga McBroom – backing vocals on "Keep Talking"
  • Dick Parry – saxophones on "Money", "Us and Them", and "Shine On You Crazy Diamond"
  • Pontarddulais Male Voice Choir led by Noel Davis – choir on "When the Tigers Broke Free"
  • Guy Pratt – bass guitar on "Marooned" and "Keep Talking"
  • The Salvation Army (The International Staff Band) on "Jugband Blues":
    • 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"

Charts

Certifications and sales

Region Certification Certified units/sales
Argentina (CAPIF)[30] Platinum 40,000^
Australia (ARIA)[31] Platinum 70,000^
Belgium (BEA)[32] Platinum 50,000*
Canada (Music Canada)[33] 6× Platinum 600,000^
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[34] Gold 25,000^
France (SNEP)[35] Platinum 300,000*
Germany (BVMI)[36] Gold 150,000^
Greece (IFPI Greece)[37] Platinum 30,000^
Italy
2001 sales 		— 400,000[38]
Italy (FIMI)[39]
sales since 2009 		Gold 25,000*
New Zealand (RMNZ)[40] 3× Platinum 45,000^
Poland (ZPAV)[41] Gold 0*
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[42] Platinum 100,000^
Sweden (GLF)[43] Gold 40,000^
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[44] Platinum 40,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[45] 3× Platinum 900,000^
United States (RIAA)[46] 4× Platinum 2,000,000^
Summaries
Europe (IFPI)[47] 3× Platinum 3,000,000*

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

  1. ^ Stephen M. Silverman (15 November 2001). "Britney Spears Upsets Michael Jackson". People. Retrieved 25 November 2009.
  2. ^ Joel Whitburn Presents The Billboard Albums, 6th Edition, Joel Whitburn, ed., 2006, p. 820.
  3. ^ a b c "Have Pink Floyd Split Up?". Mojo Magazine. October 2001. Archived from the original on 9 September 2012. Retrieved 16 August 2010.
  4. ^ "London Times Interview". Rogerwaters.org. 9 November 2001. Retrieved 9 July 2017.
  5. ^ Thorgerson, Storm. "The Visuals". Pink Floyd. Archived from the original on 7 February 2007. Retrieved 7 February 2007.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  6. ^ "Mike Portnoy: In Constant Motion DVD". Hudson Music. Archived from the original on 21 March 2012. Retrieved 8 August 2011.
  7. ^ Johnson, Zac (2011). "Echoes: The Best of Pink Floyd - Pink Floyd | AllMusic". allmusic.com. Retrieved 9 July 2011.
  8. ^ "'Echoes' to be Floyd's final cut?". Classic Rock #36. January 2002. p. 15.
  9. ^ Manning, Toby (2006). "Which One's Pink?". The Rough Guide to Pink Floyd (1st ed.). London: Rough Guides. p. 150. ISBN 1-84353-575-0.
  10. ^ Guthrie, James. "James Guthrie: Audio: Building A Compilation Album". Pink Floyd. Archived from the original on 2 June 2010. Retrieved 17 June 2013.
  11. ^ "Australiancharts.com – Pink Floyd – Echoes - The Best of Pink Floyd". Hung Medien. Retrieved 9 June 2016.
  12. ^ "Austriancharts.at – Pink Floyd – Echoes - The Best of Pink Floyd" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 9 June 2016.
  13. ^ "Ultratop.be – Pink Floyd – Echoes - The Best of Pink Floyd" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 9 June 2016.
  14. ^ "Ultratop.be – Pink Floyd – Echoes - The Best of Pink Floyd" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved 9 June 2016.
  15. ^ "Pink Floyd Chart History (Canadian Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved 23 June 2016.
  16. ^ "Danishcharts.dk – Pink Floyd – Echoes - The Best of Pink Floyd". Hung Medien. Retrieved 9 June 2016.
  17. ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Pink Floyd – Echoes - The Best of Pink Floyd" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 9 June 2016.
  18. ^ "Pink Floyd: Echoes - The Best of Pink Floyd" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved 9 June 2016.
  19. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Pink Floyd – Echoes - The Best of Pink Floyd" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 9 June 2016.
  20. ^ "GFK Chart-Track Albums: Week 45, 2001". Chart-Track. IRMA. Retrieved 23 June 2016.
  21. ^ "Italiancharts.com – Pink Floyd – Echoes - The Best of Pink Floyd". Hung Medien. Retrieved 9 June 2016.
  22. ^ "Charts.nz – Pink Floyd – Echoes - The Best of Pink Floyd". Hung Medien. Retrieved 9 June 2016.
  23. ^ "Norwegiancharts.com – Pink Floyd – Echoes - The Best of Pink Floyd". Hung Medien. Retrieved 9 June 2016.
  24. ^ "Oficjalna lista sprzedaży :: OLiS - Official Retail Sales Chart". OLiS. Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 23 June 2016.
  25. ^ Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959-2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
  26. ^ "Swedishcharts.com – Pink Floyd – Echoes - The Best of Pink Floyd". Hung Medien. Retrieved 9 June 2016.
  27. ^ "Swisscharts.com – Pink Floyd – Echoes - The Best of Pink Floyd". Hung Medien. Retrieved 9 June 2016.
  28. ^ "Pink Floyd | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart. Retrieved 9 June 2016.
  29. ^ "Pink Floyd Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 9 June 2016.
  30. ^ Gold & Platin, capif, archived from the original on 31 May 2011
  31. ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2001 Albums" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 23 December 2020.
  32. ^ "Ultratop − Goud en Platina – albums 2001". Ultratop. Hung Medien. Retrieved 23 December 2020.
  33. ^ "Canadian album certifications – Pink Floyd – Echoes". Music Canada. Retrieved 23 December 2020.
  34. ^ "Danish album certifications – Pink Floyd – Echoes - The Best Of". IFPI Danmark. Retrieved 23 December 2020.
  35. ^ "French album certifications – Pink Floyd – Echoes" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Retrieved 23 December 2020.
  36. ^ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Pink Floyd; 'Echoes - The Best Of')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved 23 December 2020.
  37. ^ "Ελληνικό Chart – Top 50 Ξένων Aλμπουμ" (in Greek). IFPI Greece. Retrieved 23 December 2020.
  38. ^ Laffranchi, Andrea (8 January 2002). "Nell'anno della crisci vince Vasco". Corriere della Sera (in Italian): 32. Retrieved 23 December 2020.
  39. ^ "Italian album certifications – Pink Floyd – Echoes" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved 23 December 2020. Select "2015" in the "Anno" drop-down menu. Type "Echoes" in the "Filtra" field. Select "Album e Compilation" under "Sezione".
  40. ^ "New Zealand album certifications – Pink Floyd – Echoes". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 23 December 2020.
  41. ^ "Wyróżnienia – Złote płyty CD - Archiwum - Przyznane w 2002 roku" (in Polish). Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 23 December 2020.
  42. ^ Fernando Salaverri (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. p. 965. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
  43. ^ "Guld- och Platinacertifikat − År 2001" (PDF) (in Swedish). IFPI Sweden. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 May 2011. Retrieved 23 December 2020.
  44. ^ "The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community: Awards ('Echoes')". IFPI Switzerland. Hung Medien. Retrieved 23 December 2020.
  45. ^ "British album certifications – Pink Floyd – Echoes - The Best Of". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 23 December 2020.
  46. ^ "American album certifications – Pink Floyd – Echoes". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 23 December 2020.
  47. ^ "IFPI Platinum Europe Awards – 2007". International Federation of the Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 23 December 2020.
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