Sysyphus
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| "Sysyphus" | |||||
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| "Sysyphus" cover | |||||
| Song by Pink Floyd | |||||
| Album | Ummagumma | ||||
| Released | October 1969 | ||||
| Recorded | March 1969 | ||||
| Genre | Psychedelic rock Avant-garde Classical |
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| Length | 13:28 | ||||
| Label | Harvest Records | ||||
| Writer | Richard Wright | ||||
| Producer | Norman Smith | ||||
| Ummagumma track listing | |||||
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"Sysyphus" is an avant-garde, instrumental four part suite written by progressive rock band Pink Floyd's keyboardist Richard Wright. The song is featured on his portion of the studio half of Ummagumma (and is the song that opens the studio album). The track was occasionally performed live in 1970.
Richard Wright's instrumental was named after a character in Greek mythology, usually spelled "Sisyphus" (Mabbett 1995). Orthographic differences aside, the song is clearly a musical interpretation of the Sisyphean Challenge. Wright's portrayal of Sisyphus pushing the rock up a steep hill in Hades is evident in the slow almost droning parts of the song.
Part I consists of an overture featuring a timpani and Mellotron chords resembling an orchestra. The introduction is followed by a piano solo that dissolves into a raucous, dissonant performance as Sispyhus struggles up the hill. Part II features a piano having its strings plucked and strummed alongside percussion and tape effects of sped up voices. Brief moments of musical calm appear in Part III, as Sisyphus reaches the top of the hill; this section features a soft keyboard and organ piece with birds chirping. This is followed immediately by Part IV's thunderous orchestra crescendo, representing the boulder falling back down the hillside. The theme of Part I resurfaces as the end, indicating that Sisyphus is pushing the large rock up the hill once again.
On CD, Part I was split into two halves, labelled "Part I" and "Part II". Consequently, the original Part II became "Part III", while Parts III and IV became "Part IV".
It was performed just four times by Pink Floyd, and the only live recording of this song is the 11th of February, 1970 at the Town Hall, Birmingham, England which circulates within bootleg trading communities.
[edit] Credits
[edit] References
- Andy Mabbett, The Complete Guide to the Music of Pink Floyd (1995), p. 27f.
