Mazzy! With all due respect, Roy Harper sings “Have A Cigar”, not “Welcome To Machines”. Not sure if it’s Gilmour or Waters on the latter track (I always THOUGHT it was Roger, but I admit I don’t know...) No biggie, I screw up the facts on my videos all the time ... I still love your videos. 😊 Oh, and possibly my favorite song on Dark Side Of The Moon is “Any Colour You Like”, right to the end of the album. This is a great “ranking” video, I rank it #1. 😁
@@Supernaut072 That is a Latin word and I think Roger would have that right. I’ve always forced a rhyme there ever since I first saw the title, and I just wanted to correct Mazzy with his “Doh-Mine” version.
Fun video and an interesting list---enjoyed hearing your personal recollections unbelievably jealous that you got to witness Pink Floyd live 3 times in the 70's, awesome.
Great video. Over my lifetime, I’ve only purchased one Pink Floyd album, Ummagumma. Now at age 69, I’ve ordered the “Oh By the Way” box set and I’m ready to dive deep into the Floyd catalog. I can’t wait, this video was an excellent warm up to hearing all these albums.
Very nice video . Very well argued. No matter how much we all love Dark Side..., each one of us has his own number one album of this gigantic super group. Mine is the magnificent cow. Atom heart mother still blows my mind. Again superb video.
I am gratified that you put Meddle and Dark Side together because that is how entwined the two albums are and it could even be said that Echoes is Dark Sides prologue. I have watched and read a lot of opinions and rankings of Floyd's music over the last 45 years, and it never ceases to amaze me how almost universally Atom Heart Mother is always ranked in the top 5, considering that all the interviews of the band members themselves over that same period are consistent in denouncing AHM as terrible. 1. Dark Side 2.Wish 3. Meddle 4. Animals 5. The Wall.....
You had me at HIpgnosis!! If those guys did the cover for a band I gave it a try. They were also a huge influence on my becoming a graphic designer and director (I do mostly TV commercials). They have quite a few other books out on their photography and album covers but I was really happy when they released the book that you showed. It was nice to have a complete collection of every cover they did. I still have my copy of Walk Away Rene I bought back in the late 70s. It's pretty beat up from being referenced over and over again all of these years. Take care and thanks for the video!!
1,The Piper At The Gate Of Dawn 2,Wish You Were Here 3,Dark Side Of The Moon 4,Saucerful Of Secrets 5,Animals 6,Meddle 7,Atom Heart Mother 8,The Wall 9,More 10,Obscured By Clouds
Will be checking this out soon, enjoyed the others. Maybe Van, Patti, Cohen, Dead, Waits, Cooder, Lucinda, Cave, PJ etc. So many great catalogs and love your takes.
I hope you never run out of things to review! Love it! I started college in 1973. My parents had given me a decent stereo for a high school graduation present. The first thing I did once I was in my dorm room was to close the door and smoke a joint. I then opened the door, put on Dark Side of the Moon full volume and ran down to the end of the dorm hall, like a mile away, to see if I could hear it!
So you were one of the proverbial douche bags blasting rock music in the residence hall disrupting everyone's sleep or study. The main reason I moved out of residence after my first year. Thanks dude.
Having not grown up with Pink Floyd and not listening to them until I was an adult, I have a different view of the albums. For me, Division Bell is my favorite album under the Pink Floyd name. Dark Side is my number two. Fun rankings Mazzy.
I think you nailed it mostly. That's about where I would rank the albums but I am not a typical Floyd fan...yeah I'm one of those who would call Piper the best album. I know Dark Side well of course but Piper opened my mind up to psychedelia and I still think there's nothing like it. Meddle is wonderful and I think Atom Heart Mother is quite underrated. I love that the band had to restart after Syd and figure things out. They could've folded but didn't. Good stuff
Totally agree on album cover art. I own my own creative design group and love their album art. Animals, is not only one of my favorite albums, but also my favorite album cover art. I think they could have done better on the inner gatefold. As for music, Dark side and Obscured by Clouds are my 2 and 3. Agree with you on The Wall.
Hey Mazzy, just 2:30 in and i already feel i have to write you, because i can’t believe you’d put ‘the final cut’ as the worst PF album. It wasn’t my favorite either for a long time. But when misery struck harder than it ever did in my life, i not only understood the album for the first time but it also brought me consolation in days i was contemplating the final cut. Roger W must have been in a similar state or at least have known what true misery feels like. Nevertheless he succeeded in giving us this heartfelt and emotional album. The fact that he ends the album saying he decided not to take his own life truly inspired me to not give up on Hope. I hope you’ll give it a more deserving listen some time. All best from Belgium, Europe. -- Van.
15: More 14: The Endless River 13: Ummagumma 12: A Saucerful of Secrets 11: Obscured by Clouds 10: Atom Heart Mother 9: Piper at the Gates of Dawn 8: A Momentary Lapse of Reason 7: The Division Bell 6: The Final Cut 5: Meddle 4: The Wall 3: Wish You Were Here 2: Animals 1: The Dark Side of the Moon
My favourite way to listen to the Ummagumma live material is a bootleg that adds an extra track, Interstellar Overdrive with a jam in the middle that was the basis of Up The Khyber from More. The studio album has grown on me over the years, I like Rick and Roger's sections the most. The editing effects on Nick's track are pretty cool. Dave's material got better when it was played live during 1969 imo.
Really like your order. I'm glad you put "Obscured by Clouds" up there. Interestingly, my UK version of the first album had a completely different cover.
I agree the contrarian brigade going against Dark Side of the Moon has gotten really extreme in my opinion, and the same is true for so many dumping on Piper at the Gates of Dawn, so glad to see that you put Dark Side at number 1 and ranked Piper at the Gates of Dawn so high. 1. Dark Side of the Moon - Profound reflection upon human darkness and light by focusing on an astronomic image that pulls on the tides from the sky with seamless integration of tracks and elemental themes of life from time, war, death, and money with a moving blues and jazz foundation creating a soulful mix with the experimental instrumental elements. Great guitar solos in Time and Money and great sax solo in Money and Us and Them. The keyboard through out is innovative and engaging. The use of impassioned solo and vocal harmonies and voices giving maxims about life combined with the sound effects of clocks, running and heart beats while running gives the album a really vital feeling of the ebb and flow of life. The representation of lunacy through the dark side of the moon links back to Syd Barrett with the phrase when the band you're in starts playing different tunes combined with the sun is in tune but eclipsed by the moon, since Syd Barrett untuned his guitar on stage while the band was playing a different song. 2. Piper at the Gates of Dawn- not as consistent as Dark Side of the Moon but intriguing mix of intense psychedelic compositions with a wild childlike and rustic element mixed with a lot of visionary and emotional intensity, tend to like Barret's vocals the best of all members as well with the heavy British accent with loads of spaced out playfulness. 3. Meddle- Really innovative use of double bass licks on the opening One of these Days and Echoes is a fascinating space rock composition with great funky keyboard and guitar and seagull or teradactyl type sounds. 4. Wish You Were Here- great follow up to Dark Side of the Moon once again with a lot of jazz and blues influence with great interplay between the keyboards and guitar, emotionally resonant and articulate lyrics also funny in Have a Cigar, Shine on You Crazy Diamond is a wonderful piece but the introduction takes quite a while to get going and Welcome to the Machine doesn't quite measure up to the other songs for me. 5.Animals - I have started to like this album a lot more so it has moved up a lot and may continue to do so. The main anchor is Gilmour's great guitar playing and I enjoy his singing in Dogs, I also like Water's singing in Sheep and Pigs and the creepy keyboard textures. Still not that crazy about all the lyrics b 6. The Wall - their most directly emotionally intense album with some of Gilmour's fiercest and most tasteful solos, and a lot of their catchiest melodies with a great range of emotion from aggressive anger to tender sensitivity, however the morbid nature of much of the material, a few weaker and self-indulgent tracks and the iconclastic view of education and family relationships like on Mother otherwise a great song, keep me from enjoying it as much as the ones above it. Still a really impressive album. Has anyone else noticed that this seems to be influenced by the rock opera Tommy though delivered in a unique way? 7. Saucerful of Secrets- a direct and intense psychedelic album that has a number of impressive atmospheric songs ranging from the devastating nostalgic sorrow of Remember a Day (my favorite) to the intense instrumental and vocal outbursts on the title track. Have a tough time listening to the Barrett track because it so directly addresses his break down. Set the Controls is a fantastic atmospheric piece featuring all the members including Syd. 8. Atom Heart Mother- my favorite song is again by Richard Wright, Summer of 68, and to me this would have offered the perfect framework for the long prog track of Atom Heart Mother because it already includes horns and a dynamic rise and fall of emotion set against the backdrop of a fleeting love affair. It has what to me the long composition on the other side is missing a compelling human story and vocal and instrumental connection to the group. 8. Obscured by Clouds like Free Four and Childhood's End 9. 10. Final Cut 11. Division Bell - High Hopes is an impressive song and there are a lot of good atmospheric tracks though they go on a bit long for me. 12. More 13. Momentary Lapse of Reason 14. Umma Gumma 15. Endless River
Thanks for this, Mazzy. Ummagumma was the first Pink Floyd album I bought, and the cover was part of the reason (I was a drummer/gearhead at 15). I love it for the live sides but only listened to the solo sides a few times. My personal #1 go-to for Floyd will always be "Echoes" from the album Meddle. My personal top five are #5 Dark Side, #4 Piper, #3 Live sides of Ummagumma, #2 Wish You Were Here, #1 Meddle. Dark Side just felt overthought and overbaked to me after the stuff that had come before. It was too perfect.
I saw the cover of "Umma..." at a store when I was 10, when it came out. The cover and song titles fascinated me, tho it took 3 or 4 years for me to buy it.
Thank you for a thoughtful talk through the Pink Floyd albums. Everyone will have a different take on personal favorites and what ranking to give them. Like you I arrived at Ummagumma. Grantchester Meadows is a personal favorite as I have spent some time on the meadows. The song captures the atmosphere of them beautifully. I also saw them just before Dark Side was released and it was pretty special. My number one would be Meddle though. Still that element of experimentation around which is why I liked them in the first place.
Great stuff Mazzy. The Floyd are the sound of The Home Counties of England where I originate from. Just as worthy as any anthropological study as anywhere in the world. From The Beatles to Bowie we have given the music world so much. But never a mention. Quiet desperation really is the English way!!
The really great bands, like Floyd & Beatles, learned how to layer their songs. What makes Dark Side so brilliant is how each cut will start and continue to build, adding different yet similar elements to the song. Time might just be the greatest example-the alarms, the seconds, the 12 chords, before the song starts. BTW, so glad you put Ummagumma & Atom Heart fairly high on the list. Headphones only for sure.
Well well...what did I expect? The first three records are my favorite ones too! You can't deny Dark Side is a class on it's own! Meddle is all because of the monumental Echoes...Glad you ranked Atom Heart Mother so high! Fine top.
Good ranking n video Pink Floyd really drew me in when i was young when my dad would play the albums all the time i always like to chime in with my list 15. A Momentary Lapse in Reason 14. The Endless River 13. The Final Cut 12. More 11. Atom Heart Mother 10. The Division Bell 9. Obscurred by Clouds 8. The Wall 7. Ummagumma 6. Piper At the Gates of Dawn 5. Meddle 4. Saucerfull of Secrets 3. Wish you Where Here 2. Darkside of the Moon 1. Animals
Shortly after moving to LA, my wife and I were driving through the high desert en route to Mammoth after a huge storm, with Meddle playing. It was early evening, the clouds cleared, and as Echoes started the sun came out, filtered by the rare occurrence of clouds and moisture in the high desert air. The single greatest synchronicity of music and driving I've ever experienced..... A most thoughtful ordering of albums but, while I agree with everything you said about DSOTM, when it comes to which albums I would actually listen to on a desert island, my ordering would be 1. WYWH, 2. Meddle, 3. DSOTM - and the #3 spot could easily rotate with Animals, Obscured and Piper....... And you're dead right about the acoustic guitar sound on WYWH - it's uncanny.
Astronomy Domine is pronounced Astronomy Dom-eh-knee(or closer to the Latin: Dom-in-eh.) But maybe not after taking Pay-oh-tea. Great ranking. I’m with you on all of them.
Hi Mazzy. This is a better ranking than most that I've seen. A point on Animals - your 'lofi' point might be true, but it's also the first time in a while that the sound wasn't augmented by choirs, saxophones and such. It's just the band.
This is the first video I can mostly agree with. All the others made me rather angry, but I really enjoyed your musical perspective. I also loved your stories from back in the day! Keep it up man! -greetings from germany
Fantastic review again Mazzy. Good to finally see some love for Obscured By Clouds ( I love that album), and also great to see Animals and The Wall where they deserve to be. After Wish You Were Here and the l-o-n-g wait for the follow up, I don't think I've ever been more disappointed by an album than I was when I listened to Animals. In hindsight, the Wall now sounds to me like a prototype for the Pros and Cons of Hitchhiking and all the other dull, turgid, Waters crap that would follow). My running order only differs with yours on numbers 2 and 3. Meddle is #3 on my list and WIsh You Were Here is #2. Please, please - would love to hear your assessment of the Who's studio albums. Thanks again for another entertaining half hour.
It's nice to see Obscured by Clouds getting recognition . Wot's .. Uh the Deal is one of my favourite Pink Floyd songs , as well as Stay . It ranks number 4 on my list , behind only Dark Side , Wish You Were Here , and The Wall . I agree that The Wall would be stronger without several of it's songs . Most noticeably at the end of the album. Still great though . Great ranking !
i could make 2 lists. List one is an average list made by mixing 3 concepts: 1) INNOVATION, in music in general and innovation in the band's formulas, 2) critical opinions... 3) perdonal feelings about the songs and the cohesion of the LP. that three concepts make a strange list... but that is: 1) dark side of the moon 2) wish you were here 3) Meddle 4) The Piper 5) The Wall Then we have the second list, my really favourite LP's in order: 1) the piper at the gates of dawn 2) dark side of the moon 3) meddle 4) Wish you were here 5 ) The wall
If you want to expand the horizons of listeners discographies of any band, these ranking shows do it! My cd collection has doubled in the last year, and I could not be happier for it! Born in '61, I just listened to Meddle for the first time ever in the last week - great. This might be as early in the catalogue as I go, but I never tire of ranking shows and you as one of the more 'experienced' listeners / reviewers, as ranking shows go, fills a need on youtube. I've only got Meddles thru The Wall at the moment. I might go with Obscured next given you said it has some catchy songs besides being atmospheric (ideally, I like to have a little of both).
you’re right, it’s all about time. When the records were released I heard or bought them . So…. For me it’s Piper at 1, because I was at art college (Floyd played at our summer Arts Ball mid 60’s ,with Syd and they were tremendous) After that Meddle, saw them play it live Free Trade Hall Manchester , Obscured By Clouds for the title track alone is a desert Island record, (just revisiting it on 1972 Obfusc/action) never tire of it. After that it’s, for me piece meal… I class Dark Side, Wish You Were Here and The Wall the beginning of the end for me about what Floyd were about. Too contrived. Again it’s all about time….. great piece though Mazzy.
Norman I notice you still have the original shine on versions of Pink Floyd from 1992. I adored this box set still do. But the new 2011 remasters are vastly superior except for that unique Doug sax touch. I was listening to the new version of wish you were here on my Marantz and my senheiser noise cancelling headphones and dude I was gobsmacked at what I was hearing. So much detail simply flawless!
Good video Mazzy, takes balls to put the Wall at number 9 haha . I kinda agree with you in the sense that is not my favorite either . I got Wish You Were Here at 1 , my personal favorite , Dark Side 2 , Animals 3 Meddle 4. I Like this gutsy ranking videos your doing . Take care my man .
My list: 1. Meddle 2. Wish you were here 3. Piper at the gates of dawn 4. Animals 5. Dark side of the moon 6. Obscured by clouds 7. Division bell 8. Momentary lapse... 9. Atom heart mother 10. The Wall 11. Endless River 12. More 13. A saucer full of secrets 14.Ummagumma 15. The final cut
Dark Side is the obvious choice for all the obvious reasons. I picked it up the first week it was out. I didn't have a clue what was behind the cover. I never heard of the band, I put the record down and started listening to it. And really didn't stop listening for 3 weeks. But I didn't really know what to do with it. Could you dance to it? Feature it on a slide show? It was just a great listening experience. It's a great album now. But it was an amazing experience in 1973. Think about it next to the records we had then: Rod Stewart, Wings, Stevie Wonder, Ringo's Ringo. Dark Side blows them all away. So much so that it was not until years after its release that I bought Wish You Were Here. I have to push back about the cover. The rainbow colors on a black background has that 'We Can Go One Better' than 'Let It Be' and 'McCartney' (the side with the cherries). It is an All Time Top 20 album cover for me. Like any of the other 19, you can look at it on the 12" format, compare it to the CD, and know instantly what ONE very important part the CD era did not get that was central to the Album era. A 12" album works as an object. A CD is like a pamphlet or a three-fold brochure. Lacking in the physicality, the presence.
You need to check out nick masons touring band doing the early floyd. Think there is a record released live at the roundhouse. A poor second obviously to being there in the 60's but still excellent
Good stuff. I always enjoy these sorts of lists, especially when they feature my favorite band. This is the 5th such list I've found on TH-cam. What makes them interesting to me is the different perspectives that each of the reviewers has on each record. I'm going to post my list here and it differs from yours in many places. What I don't enjoy is the "Your list is wrong because..." comments and I know you have some here and everyone gets those when they post such lists publicly. What makes these great is how diverse they are. My list then: 1- Dark Side of the Moon 2- Wish You Were Here 3- Animals 4- Meddle 5- The Wall 6- Piper at the Gates of Dawn 7- Obscured by Clouds 8- Saucerful of Secrets 9- Atom Heart Mother 10- Momentary Lapse of Reason (2019) 11- More 12- The Final Cut 13- The Division Bell 14- The Endless River 15 - Ummagumma I could bump Ummagumma higher because as you said, the live record is very good. I kind of look at the live record more akin to the other live stuff like "Is There Anybody Out There?", "Pulse", and "Delicate Sound of Thunder". Which is one reason I have it at 15. The other being that it features the only album by my favorite band which I am unable to listen to from start to finish. Parts of it are just unlistenable to me. There are a few gems on the studio recordings record but man there are long, rough stretches. Thanks for sharing your list and your thoughts!!
Nice video of my early favorite band. I saw ‘em every tour from ‘68 to ‘72 (missed Syd’s rather sad ‘67 Fillmore gig). My #1 would be Piper which I think is filled to the brim with wonderful magical tunes, whereas later LPs had more spacey filler. But, hey, that’s what makes horse races. ;)
Yes, Dark Side of the Moon is obvious, but it IS a classic album for a reason. Personally, I would rank The Wall higher (number 3, after WYWH at #2) but I know why you ranked it so low as it took me many, many listens to fully appreciate it. That's the trouble with some double albums, in fact only just recently did I start to realise the sonic beauty of Genesis' The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway, an album which I previously thought was a misfire. Good review Mazzy.
I'll admit I did speed through the video the first time before watching it. Not seeing "The Final Cut" displayed, I was getting my hopes up that it would be near the top. However, on my second viewing, my hopes were dashed. It would be in my top five, though.
I agree with your choices here. I remember us all being disappointed with Wish You Were Here when it came out (yet it was a great album) because it was post Dark Side. Agree with you on The Wall, I think central idea is cliched and the art work tacky.
Interesting rankings. I've always struggled to get into the post - Waters stuff, couldn't get into the Division Bell whatsoever, for example. And I do like The Final Cut, somewhat. Two albums that you ranked fairly high -- Obscured By Clouds, & Atom Heart Mother, would rank lower for me for sure. Can't argue much with your top 4, although I would have Animals ahead of Wish you Were Here, probably.....absolutely love Meddle.......
Really enjoyed this. What a great privilege to have seen them right before the release of DSOTM in such an intimate setting. Incredible. I rank both The Wall and Momentary Lapse higher than this list. Momentary Lapse is easily the best Gilmour-led Floyd album - there’s some fire to it, unlike the more sedate, plodding albums that followed.
1. Animals 2. The Wall 3. Wish You Here 4. The Dark Side of The Moon 5. The Division Bell 6. The Final Cut 7. A Momentary Lapse of Reason 8. Meddle 9. Atom Heart Mother 10. Obscured By Clouds 11. More 12. The Endless River 13. A Saucerful of Secrets 14. The Piper at The Gates of Dawn 15. Ummagumma I've never used LSD or DMT, so perhaps if I had ingested them I'd reverse my order.
If you like the acoustic guitar, trying listening to the studio side of Ummagumma backwards. Whole passages that sound like random noise revolve into simple acoustic lines. I found this out when my cassette got twisted in the player and started playing the B side when it was on A. Don't miss that medium at all.
I was listening to PF dsotm one day at age 21 and my dad walked by and said to me "sounds good" and he even did not listen to rock n roll so that told me that it as a great album because the music resonated even with people that were not into their music.
My top six are: 1. The Dark Side of the Moon 2. The Wall 3 Wish You We’re Here 4. Animals 5. The Division Bell 6. Obscured By Clouds I just got all three Immersion sets plus a ton of other Pink Floyd disc sets, and the surround version of Dark Side is mind blowing. I still haven’t listened to the surround Wish You We’re Here, but I imagine it’s pretty spectacular.
Pink Floyd was, to us outsiders, ruled by Syd, Roger or David and that most often is shown in people's ranking and opinions about Pink Floyd. They most often love one or two and have issues with the third. Which is which differs from person to person.. I like that you come out the gate and say you actually like to some degree even those at the end. Many want to use a harder language and put say 15-11 as something very bad. Which is sort of isn't. I totally get why The Endless River ranks low amongst most... Very few lyrics and bascially a B-side version of The Divison Bell BUT it still has great playing and sounds good so no need to hate. While not an important record it can be quite enjoyable. I do agree about The Wall. A great idea, probably done great live many times by Roger Waters and includes some brilliant and often "easier" songs to understand than most of their other material for those who aren't into progressive rock that much. However. I often find myself waiting for certain tracks. Much of the album feels like a long wait more than something else. The album is rather long and if they cut away 15-25 minutes.. I wouldn't complain. My number one might be Animals but I find albums like Atom Heart Mother more interesting to discuss because I feel they are a bit forgotten in the mix: Between Syd and the time they became huge. If that record came out after Meddle or Wish You Were Here I think many would view it very differently. LOVE your Darkside of the Moon story! I hope you have a great rest of your day :)
15:28 I thought you were going to mention Give My Regards to Broad Street. Towards the end we see Paul miming to No More Lonely Nights, and there it is. Edit: I was wrong, but it appears in the movie slightly towards the end.
I enjoyed this video. I don’t listen to Dark Side often but when I do the word “ masterpiece” always comes to mind. I listen to Wish You Were Here and Meddle most often. I really enjoy A Momentary Lapse Of Reason. Yet Another Movie is a fantastic song. My only complaint about the video is your comment on Quadrophenia :). It IS the best double album of all time :) , just before Physical Graffiti
Small correction: You saw Pink Floyd either on 23 or 24 September *1972* (and not 1973) at the Winterland Ballroom. At that tour in 1972 they played the DSOTM-album during the first set and "Echoes" during the second set. Off-topic request: I have just finished reading Joe Hagan's book "Sticky Fingers" on Jann Wenner and the "Rolling Stones" magazine (not very flattering). I would be very interested to hear your take on Wenner and the "Rolling Stone" magazine, as you were both from San Francisco and you were there when the magazine started.
I agree with The Final Cut being a mess and I also agree with your ideas about The Wall being not all that either. I also am with you on Dark Side being #1. Can't top it! I was 17 when I ist heard it and still almost 50 years later it is so part of us ya know! It's in our DNA.Thanks Mazzy!
This is a cool ranking. The album, “Endless River” is kind of like an endless river meandering in ambience, chill and adult essence. The album, “Animals” is my top ranked Pink Floyd album, because I like the progressive sound more than “Dark Side Of The Moon”.
I agree with your first 5 choices. Also, i agree that The wall is an overrated album, on the contrary, bscured by clouds and meddle are underrated gems.
Totally nailed the ranking, Mazzy! Anyone who claims that DSOTM isn't #1 is either burnt out or a provocateur. The albums just before and just after are very good and worthy of Pink Floyd. THE WALL is an overblown mess, spelling the demise of the group. The stuff afterwards is interesting but a pale imitation. The Syd Barrett band, though different, had great songs and a way with a groove (and I'd include RELICS here). I especially appreciate how you linked the music with the album graphics; this was a key component to the band's mystique.
Love these videos Norman, great work! Pink Floyd was such a big influence for me- DSOTM and The Wall were two of the first albums I ever bought. Disagree on the Final Cut but I was 13 when it came out so perhaps impacted me a bit differently. Keep these videos going, love ‘me!
Just to add- putting the Wall so low on the list (especially behind Atom Heart Mother)...well, that’s a tough one. Again could be a time thing- the Wall changed my life, but it also came out when I was 11. Personally I would put that at the top, then DSOTM, then wish you were here, then Animals then Meddle.
I hope someday Floyd does a clean, official release of "Live at Pompei"......the version of "Echoes" at Pompei is incredible.....I"m with you on Quadrophenia......It is fantastic...but I also think it's a bit overrated.....I tend to rate "Animals" very high though. Glad you're ranking "Obscured" so high. It still rates to me VERY high on my own personal scale (Love Childhood's End)..
Nice, Mazzie: I'm new to your vids, am enjoying them very, very much. Interesting ranking. In Hunter Davies' book "The Beatles," he writes briefly about the Lads bumping into Floyd at the Abbey Road studio, and I think you'd get a kick out of reading it. I too bought, still have, Ummagumma fresh off the rack. The wife & I saw PF & Co. (large contingent) when they were pushing Division Bell at Chantilly race track, in France. Amazing stuff live, the gist of the set list and its aural effect appears on their Pulse Lp. I wonder where you might have placed it on your list had you broadened your parameters. Got anything on Roxy Music?
My favorites: 1.. Atom Heart Mother 2. Meddle 3. Wish You Were Here 4, Dark Side of the Moon 5. Obscured by Clouds 6. Endless River 7. Animals 8. Division Bell 9. Ummagumma 10. Momentary Lapse of Reason
15.More 14.A Momentary Lapse of Reason 13.Ummagumma 12.The Endless River 11.Obscured by Clouds 10.The Final Cut 9.Atom Heart Mother 8.Saucerful of Secrets 7.The Division Bell 6.Meddle 5.Piper at the Gates of Dawn 4.Animals 3.The Wall 2.Wish You Were Here 1.The Dark Side of the Moon
The cover of The Wall of course is not by Hipgnosis but cartoonist Gerald Scarfe. Ummagumma is highly influential since it inspired later generations of experimental (non-)musicians such as the people from Throbbing Gristle.
As always, a little bit late to this post's party, having not know of your channel. But this is an important post, being that Pink Floyd is a curious beast. My first album was Ummagumma. I didn't know what to make of it. I probably enjoyed the live album more than the other. I kind of didn't follow them much after that, though I bought Meddle. One spring break we were in L.A. and we went looking for Rick Wakeman's album, The Six Wives of Henry the Eighth. The record store was playing something that immediately sucked me in. I had to have that album. That album was Dark Side of the Moon. So we drove back to Wyoming with Rick Wakeman and DSOTM in tow. I've heard DSOTM a thousand times, and generally prefer listening to Wish You Were Here, which I've only heard a hundred. Not saying it's a better album...it's just not as familiar. Agree that The Wall and Quadrophenia are of an ilk. I have a good CD set of Piper, mono and stereo mixes, extra stuff, in a nice little package. Anyway, they were a special band. As one of my friend's used to shout when we were listening to One Of These Days, and he was using short "u", "One of these days ummagumma cut you into little pieces." As always, I appreciate your thoughts; they bring back some of my own.
My order is probably strange. But the ones I ranked higher are still scratching and touching me. That is what I am looking for. I really love DSOTM and WYWH a lot. Eventually I found out these albums are way to perfect. If you get what this means. AHM I think I should rank higher. But anyway here is my order. And I am still listening a lot to some of these. 1. More 2. A Saucerful of Secrets 3. Meddle 4. The Piper at the Gates of Dawn 5. Wish You Were Here 6. Umma Gumma 7. Dark Side of the Moon 8. Atom Heart Mother 9. Obscured by Clouds 10. Animals/The Wall
Mazzy thanks for doing this video. I'm a huge Pink Floyd fan, have been my entire life. Coming across this video introduced me to your channel and I've subscribed. Don't agree with your rankings but as you said, you're not wrong, I'm not wrong and I appreciated your reasoning for each ranking. Also I LOVE YOUR CD SHELVES!! I'm trying to find something like that for my own music room. Where did you get them if you don't mind sharing? Thanks!
Look, the final cut is one of the very best albums that the band recorded. No it isn’t a solo Roger album. If you knew your Floyd history you’d know that he presented the pros and cons of hitchhiking and the wall to the rest of the band before they decided on the wall. They decided to go with the wall. The band does not play on every song on the album, but then again, they did the very same with the wall. For the live shows they hired Richard Wright on after firing him as a union musician. Nick Mason wasn’t really far behind. That was before they even considered the next album. It was supposed to be called Spare Bricks as a companion piece to the movie soundtrack. If you think of the final cut in that fashion thank god they did what they did. He gave us more original Pink Floyd music. How are you going to complain about that? Roger himself dislikes this album because his voice is shot out from yelling and screaming at the rest of the band. As for him being a megalomaniac, think of it this way: would you like to have authored an entire book just to have someone else tell you how you should have written it or that this certain chapter is better in this way than in the way you chose to write it? Rogers point was that if they were so sure to try and correct him in writing the songs where the fuck were their songs? They didn’t write any other than the instrumentals for run like hell and comfortably numb. Without lyrics those songs would be nothing at all. As far as the final cut, Gilmour throws a couple solos in there and sings Not now John. Other than that I don’t miss him. Go listen to momentary lapse of reason or the division bell. The roger fans won’t miss you. Trust me. As for the author of this video, I like your view of the catalog. This isn’t pointed at you whatsoever. You’re pure genius guy. Keep it up.
My list would differ quite a bit as Pink Floyd has been a huge part of my life for 50ish years and for sure my Favorite band. 1. Dark Side of the Moon ( As you said people that say this isn't there best album are fooling themselves or have just heard it to much) 2. Meddle ( I could at times says it my Favorite Album but probably not their best) 3. Animals ( Fell in love with the 8 track as a teen and still its just a master piece and such a departure for them leading into the wall. 4. Wish You Were Here. (sonically its a master piece) 5. Saucer Full Of Secrets ( This album to me is a bit almost thrown together but so many songs on here are so good) 6. The Wall ( Yes many think its the best but I think it feels to much like a movie soundtrack and its just roger waters concept and album) 7 Obscured By Clouds ( You are spot on about this album way under rated because it is a movie soundtrack but some great great songs) 8. More ( Again an amazing soundtrack album with great songs ) 9. Piper at the gates of Dawn ( Many might have this near or at the top I just don't care for the POP Psych sound I love Psych but to me way overrated) 10. Atom Heart Mother ( As much as I would love to love this album it just never hit home for me and I just really don't listen to it much) 11. The Final Cut ( As much as this is pieced together and is a Roger Waters album It has some great moments and songs and Sonically its great) 12. Ummagumma (To me the live performance really isn't that good and the other album is so hit and miss more miss than hit ) 13. Momentary Lapse Of Reason ( This just doesn't sound like pink Floyd to me its more an 80s rock band sound Some good songs but not for me) 14. Division Bell ( An album that has High Hopes on it great song and isn't to bad but has to be near the bottom I could swap it with 13 easy) 15. Endless Wire. ( I liked it when I first heard it but its just hard to listen to and really doesn't do anything for me) So their that's my opinion for what its worth everyone has a different opinion. Thanks for this and all your great videos
Mazzy! With all due respect, Roy Harper sings “Have A Cigar”, not “Welcome To Machines”. Not sure if it’s Gilmour or Waters on the latter track (I always THOUGHT it was Roger, but I admit I don’t know...)
No biggie, I screw up the facts on my videos all the time ... I still love your videos. 😊
Oh, and possibly my favorite song on Dark Side Of The Moon is “Any Colour You Like”, right to the end of the album.
This is a great “ranking” video, I rank it #1. 😁
Damn and of course I knew this 🤷🏻♂️ pinned your comment
@@mazzysmusic - I was sure you knew it too. 👍🏼
Astronomy Domine is pronounced Astronomy Dom-eh-knee. But maybe not after taking Pay-oh-tea.
Great ranking. I’m with you on all of them.
I have several live shows from 1970 Roger introduces the song as Astronome dom-mi-nay
@@Supernaut072 That is a Latin word and I think Roger would have that right. I’ve always forced a rhyme there ever since I first saw the title, and I just wanted to correct Mazzy with his “Doh-Mine” version.
Great to see Obscured By Clouds getting some love, very underrated as you say
It's one of my favorites
The title track is sooooo goooood
My favorite PF song lives on that record, The Gold, It's In The? That song cranks!
Fun video and an interesting list---enjoyed hearing your personal recollections unbelievably jealous that you got to witness Pink Floyd live 3 times in the 70's, awesome.
Great video. Over my lifetime, I’ve only purchased one Pink Floyd album, Ummagumma. Now at age 69, I’ve ordered the “Oh By the Way” box set and I’m ready to dive deep into the Floyd catalog. I can’t wait, this video was an excellent warm up to hearing all these albums.
Very nice video . Very well argued. No matter how much we all love Dark Side..., each one of us has his own number one album of this gigantic super group. Mine is the magnificent cow. Atom heart mother still blows my mind. Again superb video.
I am gratified that you put Meddle and Dark Side together because that is how entwined the two albums are and it could even be said that Echoes is Dark Sides prologue. I have watched and read a lot of opinions and rankings of Floyd's music over the last 45 years, and it never ceases to amaze me how almost universally Atom Heart Mother is always ranked in the top 5, considering that all the interviews of the band members themselves over that same period are consistent in denouncing AHM as terrible. 1. Dark Side 2.Wish 3. Meddle 4. Animals 5. The Wall.....
You had me at HIpgnosis!! If those guys did the cover for a band I gave it a try. They were also a huge influence on my becoming a graphic designer and director (I do mostly TV commercials). They have quite a few other books out on their photography and album covers but I was really happy when they released the book that you showed. It was nice to have a complete collection of every cover they did. I still have my copy of Walk Away Rene I bought back in the late 70s. It's pretty beat up from being referenced over and over again all of these years. Take care and thanks for the video!!
1,The Piper At The Gate Of Dawn
2,Wish You Were Here
3,Dark Side Of The Moon
4,Saucerful Of Secrets
5,Animals
6,Meddle
7,Atom Heart Mother
8,The Wall
9,More
10,Obscured By Clouds
Will be checking this out soon, enjoyed the others. Maybe Van, Patti, Cohen, Dead, Waits, Cooder, Lucinda, Cave, PJ etc. So many great catalogs and love your takes.
I hope you never run out of things to review! Love it! I started college in 1973. My parents had given me a decent stereo for a high school graduation present. The first thing I did once I was in my dorm room was to close the door and smoke a joint. I then opened the door, put on Dark Side of the Moon full volume and ran down to the end of the dorm hall, like a mile away, to see if I could hear it!
So you were one of the proverbial douche bags blasting rock music in the residence hall disrupting everyone's sleep or study. The main reason I moved out of residence after my first year. Thanks dude.
Solid. Amazing how many different rankings you will get from fan to fan. I love the Final Cut. Never tire of that album.
The Final Cut really is ridiculously underrated. Brilliant album! Although admittedly, it should have Roger Waters solo effort...
Having not grown up with Pink Floyd and not listening to them until I was an adult, I have a different view of the albums. For me, Division Bell is my favorite album under the Pink Floyd name. Dark Side is my number two. Fun rankings Mazzy.
I think you nailed it mostly. That's about where I would rank the albums but I am not a typical Floyd fan...yeah I'm one of those who would call Piper the best album. I know Dark Side well of course but Piper opened my mind up to psychedelia and I still think there's nothing like it. Meddle is wonderful and I think Atom Heart Mother is quite underrated. I love that the band had to restart after Syd and figure things out. They could've folded but didn't. Good stuff
Totally agree on album cover art. I own my own creative design group and love their album art. Animals, is not only one of my favorite albums, but also my favorite album cover art. I think they could have done better on the inner gatefold. As for music, Dark side and Obscured by Clouds are my 2 and 3. Agree with you on The Wall.
Hey Mazzy, just 2:30 in and i already feel i have to write you, because i can’t believe you’d put ‘the final cut’ as the worst PF album. It wasn’t my favorite either for a long time. But when misery struck harder than it ever did in my life, i not only understood the album for the first time but it also brought me consolation in days i was contemplating the final cut. Roger W must have been in a similar state or at least have known what true misery feels like. Nevertheless he succeeded in giving us this heartfelt and emotional album. The fact that he ends the album saying he decided not to take his own life truly inspired me to not give up on Hope.
I hope you’ll give it a more deserving listen some time.
All best from Belgium, Europe. -- Van.
"All those records, before and after, lead up and come back to this record."
-Norman Maslov
The most pure words I have ever heard about Dark Side
15: More
14: The Endless River
13: Ummagumma
12: A Saucerful of Secrets
11: Obscured by Clouds
10: Atom Heart Mother
9: Piper at the Gates of Dawn
8: A Momentary Lapse of Reason
7: The Division Bell
6: The Final Cut
5: Meddle
4: The Wall
3: Wish You Were Here
2: Animals
1: The Dark Side of the Moon
Really enjoyed this video and your take on the albums and your memories of them.
The live disk on Ummagumma is amongst my favorite Pink Floyd recordings. I can’t commit the studio disk to memory 😅
My favourite way to listen to the Ummagumma live material is a bootleg that adds an extra track, Interstellar Overdrive with a jam in the middle that was the basis of Up The Khyber from More. The studio album has grown on me over the years, I like Rick and Roger's sections the most. The editing effects on Nick's track are pretty cool. Dave's material got better when it was played live during 1969 imo.
Really like your order. I'm glad you put "Obscured by Clouds" up there. Interestingly, my UK version of the first album had a completely different cover.
I agree the contrarian brigade going against Dark Side of the Moon has gotten really extreme in my opinion, and the same is true for so many dumping on Piper at the Gates of Dawn, so glad to see that you put Dark Side at number 1 and ranked Piper at the Gates of Dawn so high.
1. Dark Side of the Moon - Profound reflection upon human darkness and light by focusing on an astronomic image that pulls on the tides from the sky with seamless integration of tracks and elemental themes of life from time, war, death, and money with a moving blues and jazz foundation creating a soulful mix with the experimental instrumental elements. Great guitar solos in Time and Money and great sax solo in Money and Us and Them. The keyboard through out is innovative and engaging. The use of impassioned solo and vocal harmonies and voices giving maxims about life combined with the sound effects of clocks, running and heart beats while running gives the album a really vital feeling of the ebb and flow of life. The representation of lunacy through the dark side of the moon links back to Syd Barrett with the phrase when the band you're in starts playing different tunes combined with the sun is in tune but eclipsed by the moon, since Syd Barrett untuned his guitar on stage while the band was playing a different song.
2. Piper at the Gates of Dawn- not as consistent as Dark Side of the Moon but intriguing mix of intense psychedelic compositions with a wild childlike and rustic element mixed with a lot of visionary and emotional intensity, tend to like Barret's vocals the best of all members as well with the heavy British accent with loads of spaced out playfulness.
3. Meddle- Really innovative use of double bass licks on the opening One of these Days and Echoes is a fascinating space rock composition with great funky keyboard and guitar and seagull or teradactyl type sounds.
4. Wish You Were Here- great follow up to Dark Side of the Moon once again with a lot of jazz and blues influence with great interplay between the keyboards and guitar, emotionally resonant and articulate lyrics also funny in Have a Cigar, Shine on You Crazy Diamond is a wonderful piece but the introduction takes quite a while to get going and Welcome to the Machine doesn't quite measure up to the other songs for me.
5.Animals - I have started to like this album a lot more so it has moved up a lot and may continue to do so. The main anchor is Gilmour's great guitar playing and I enjoy his singing in Dogs, I also like Water's singing in Sheep and Pigs and the creepy keyboard textures. Still not that crazy about all the lyrics b
6. The Wall - their most directly emotionally intense album with some of Gilmour's fiercest and most tasteful solos, and a lot of their catchiest melodies with a great range of emotion from aggressive anger to tender sensitivity, however the morbid nature of much of the material, a few weaker and self-indulgent tracks and the iconclastic view of education and family relationships like on Mother otherwise a great song, keep me from enjoying it as much as the ones above it. Still a really impressive album. Has anyone else noticed that this seems to be influenced by the rock opera Tommy though delivered in a unique way?
7. Saucerful of Secrets- a direct and intense psychedelic album that has a number of impressive atmospheric songs ranging from the devastating nostalgic sorrow of Remember a Day (my favorite) to the intense instrumental and vocal outbursts on the title track. Have a tough time listening to the Barrett track because it so directly addresses his break down. Set the Controls is a fantastic atmospheric piece featuring all the members including Syd.
8. Atom Heart Mother- my favorite song is again by Richard Wright, Summer of 68, and to me this would have offered the perfect framework for the long prog track of Atom Heart Mother because it already includes horns and a dynamic rise and fall of emotion set against the backdrop of a fleeting love affair. It has what to me the long composition on the other side is missing a compelling human story and vocal and instrumental connection to the group.
8. Obscured by Clouds like Free Four and Childhood's End
9.
10. Final Cut
11. Division Bell - High Hopes is an impressive song and there are a lot of good atmospheric tracks though they go on a bit long for me.
12. More
13. Momentary Lapse of Reason
14. Umma Gumma
15. Endless River
Excellent critique. Loved your comments about Prog. Obscured By Clouds; Meddle; Dark Side of the Moon - My Top 3 respectively.
Thanks for this, Mazzy.
Ummagumma was the first Pink Floyd album I bought, and the cover was part of the reason (I was a drummer/gearhead at 15). I love it for the live sides but only listened to the solo sides a few times. My personal #1 go-to for Floyd will always be "Echoes" from the album Meddle.
My personal top five are #5 Dark Side, #4 Piper, #3 Live sides of Ummagumma, #2 Wish You Were Here, #1 Meddle. Dark Side just felt overthought and overbaked to me after the stuff that had come before. It was too perfect.
I saw the cover of "Umma..." at a store when I was 10, when it came out. The cover and song titles fascinated me, tho it took 3 or 4 years for me to buy it.
Thank you for a thoughtful talk through the Pink Floyd albums. Everyone will have a different take on personal favorites and what ranking to give them. Like you I arrived at Ummagumma. Grantchester Meadows is a personal favorite as I have spent some time on the meadows. The song captures the atmosphere of them beautifully.
I also saw them just before Dark Side was released and it was pretty special. My number one would be Meddle though. Still that element of experimentation around which is why I liked them in the first place.
Great stuff Mazzy. The Floyd are the sound of The Home Counties of England where I originate from. Just as worthy as any anthropological study as anywhere in the world. From The Beatles to Bowie we have given the music world so much. But never a mention. Quiet desperation really is the English way!!
I like How you Communicate preventing People from doing hatespeech or messing about your content
The really great bands, like Floyd & Beatles, learned how to layer their songs. What makes Dark Side so brilliant is how each cut will start and continue to build, adding different yet similar elements to the song. Time might just be the greatest example-the alarms, the seconds, the 12 chords, before the song starts. BTW, so glad you put Ummagumma & Atom Heart fairly high on the list. Headphones only for sure.
Headphones and drugs you mean lol..
@@Matasky2010 good things come in threes . Atom , Umma and LSD .
@@alanthomson1227 But you’ve only listed one good thing lol
@@Matasky2010 touché
You’ve inspired me to start collecting Floyd vinyl. I’m going to go from Piper to The Wall.
I would sell my soul for that incredible record collection you have!
Hi Mazzy, good ranking.I totally agree with you about The Wall !!!
Meddle and Animals are my favorites
Well well...what did I expect? The first three records are my favorite ones too! You can't deny Dark Side is a class on it's own! Meddle is all because of the monumental Echoes...Glad you ranked Atom Heart Mother so high! Fine top.
Good ranking n video Pink Floyd really drew me in when i was young when my dad would play the albums all the time i always like to chime in with my list
15. A Momentary Lapse in Reason
14. The Endless River
13. The Final Cut
12. More
11. Atom Heart Mother
10. The Division Bell
9. Obscurred by Clouds
8. The Wall
7. Ummagumma
6. Piper At the Gates of Dawn
5. Meddle
4. Saucerfull of Secrets
3. Wish you Where Here
2. Darkside of the Moon
1. Animals
Shortly after moving to LA, my wife and I were driving through the high desert en route to Mammoth after a huge storm, with Meddle playing. It was early evening, the clouds cleared, and as Echoes started the sun came out, filtered by the rare occurrence of clouds and moisture in the high desert air. The single greatest synchronicity of music and driving I've ever experienced..... A most thoughtful ordering of albums but, while I agree with everything you said about DSOTM, when it comes to which albums I would actually listen to on a desert island, my ordering would be 1. WYWH, 2. Meddle, 3. DSOTM - and the #3 spot could easily rotate with Animals, Obscured and Piper....... And you're dead right about the acoustic guitar sound on WYWH - it's uncanny.
Echoes as aligned with sone special moments in my life as well. 🌸
Hi,
Always like your countdown videos.
My favourite PF album is Atom Heart Mother.
Astronomy Domine is pronounced Astronomy Dom-eh-knee(or closer to the Latin: Dom-in-eh.) But maybe not after taking Pay-oh-tea.
Great ranking. I’m with you on all of them.
Hi Mazzy. This is a better ranking than most that I've seen. A point on Animals - your 'lofi' point might be true, but it's also the first time in a while that the sound wasn't augmented by choirs, saxophones and such. It's just the band.
This is the first video I can mostly agree with. All the others made me rather angry, but I really enjoyed your musical perspective. I also loved your stories from back in the day! Keep it up man!
-greetings from germany
What about that series of cd's right behind you that together make up the cover of Dark Side? I've been wondering about that for a while.
Fantastic review again Mazzy. Good to finally see some love for Obscured By Clouds ( I love that album), and also great to see Animals and The Wall where they deserve to be. After Wish You Were Here and the l-o-n-g wait for the follow up, I don't think I've ever been more disappointed by an album than I was when I listened to Animals. In hindsight, the Wall now sounds to me like a prototype for the Pros and Cons of Hitchhiking and all the other dull, turgid, Waters crap that would follow). My running order only differs with yours on numbers 2 and 3. Meddle is #3 on my list and WIsh You Were Here is #2. Please, please - would love to hear your assessment of the Who's studio albums. Thanks again for another entertaining half hour.
Actually The Who is planned ... soon.
Division Bell has one of their best song on it High Hopes
It's nice to see Obscured by Clouds getting recognition . Wot's .. Uh the Deal is one of my favourite Pink Floyd songs , as well as Stay . It ranks number 4 on my list , behind only Dark Side , Wish You Were Here , and The Wall . I agree that The Wall would be stronger without several of it's songs . Most noticeably at the end of the album. Still great though . Great ranking !
Completely agree with you about The Wall
i could make 2 lists.
List one is an average list made by mixing 3 concepts: 1) INNOVATION, in music in general and innovation in the band's formulas, 2) critical opinions... 3) perdonal feelings about the songs and the cohesion of the LP. that three concepts make a strange list... but that is:
1) dark side of the moon
2) wish you were here
3) Meddle
4) The Piper
5) The Wall
Then we have the second list, my really favourite LP's in order:
1) the piper at the gates of dawn
2) dark side of the moon
3) meddle
4) Wish you were here
5 ) The wall
If you want to expand the horizons of listeners discographies of any band, these ranking shows do it! My cd collection has doubled in the last year, and I could not be happier for it! Born in '61, I just listened to Meddle for the first time ever in the last week - great. This might be as early in the catalogue as I go, but I never tire of ranking shows and you as one of the more 'experienced' listeners / reviewers, as ranking shows go, fills a need on youtube. I've only got Meddles thru The Wall at the moment. I might go with Obscured next given you said it has some catchy songs besides being atmospheric (ideally, I like to have a little of both).
Try obscured. You can probably audition around here. It’s a gem imho. ✌🏽
you’re right, it’s all about time. When the records were released I heard or bought them . So…. For me it’s Piper at 1, because I was at art college (Floyd played at our summer Arts Ball mid 60’s ,with Syd and they were tremendous) After that Meddle, saw them play it live Free Trade Hall Manchester , Obscured By Clouds for the title track alone is a desert Island record, (just revisiting it on 1972 Obfusc/action) never tire of it. After that it’s, for me piece meal… I class Dark Side, Wish You Were Here and The Wall the beginning of the end for me about what Floyd were about. Too contrived. Again it’s all about time….. great piece though Mazzy.
Great video and I agree with you. DSotM is their finest hour. Always enoy your posts on the SH forum.
Norman I notice you still have the original shine on versions of Pink Floyd from 1992.
I adored this box set still do.
But the new 2011 remasters are vastly superior except for that unique Doug sax touch.
I was listening to the new version of wish you were here on my Marantz and my senheiser noise cancelling headphones and dude I was gobsmacked at what I was hearing.
So much detail simply flawless!
Good video Mazzy, takes balls to put the Wall at number 9 haha . I kinda agree with you in the sense that is not my favorite either . I got Wish You Were Here at 1 , my personal favorite , Dark Side 2 , Animals 3 Meddle 4. I Like this gutsy ranking videos your doing . Take care my man .
Great channel. I like how relaxed and honestly you talk about music you feel passionate about.
I’m sleeping now 😴😘🤠
Thanks for this one Mazzy.
My list:
1. Meddle
2. Wish you were here
3. Piper at the gates of dawn
4. Animals
5. Dark side of the moon
6. Obscured by clouds
7. Division bell
8. Momentary lapse...
9. Atom heart mother
10. The Wall
11. Endless River
12. More
13. A saucer full of secrets
14.Ummagumma
15. The final cut
Dark Side is the obvious choice for all the obvious reasons. I picked it up the first week it was out. I didn't have a clue what was behind the cover. I never heard of the band, I put the record down and started listening to it. And really didn't stop listening for 3 weeks. But I didn't really know what to do with it. Could you dance to it? Feature it on a slide show? It was just a great listening experience. It's a great album now. But it was an amazing experience in 1973. Think about it next to the records we had then: Rod Stewart, Wings, Stevie Wonder, Ringo's Ringo. Dark Side blows them all away. So much so that it was not until years after its release that I bought Wish You Were Here. I have to push back about the cover. The rainbow colors on a black background has that 'We Can Go One Better' than 'Let It Be' and 'McCartney' (the side with the cherries). It is an All Time Top 20 album cover for me. Like any of the other 19, you can look at it on the 12" format, compare it to the CD, and know instantly what ONE very important part the CD era did not get that was central to the Album era. A 12" album works as an object. A CD is like a pamphlet or a three-fold brochure. Lacking in the physicality, the presence.
You need to check out nick masons touring band doing the early floyd. Think there is a record released live at the roundhouse. A poor second obviously to being there in the 60's but still excellent
Good stuff. I always enjoy these sorts of lists, especially when they feature my favorite band. This is the 5th such list I've found on TH-cam. What makes them interesting to me is the different perspectives that each of the reviewers has on each record. I'm going to post my list here and it differs from yours in many places. What I don't enjoy is the "Your list is wrong because..." comments and I know you have some here and everyone gets those when they post such lists publicly. What makes these great is how diverse they are. My list then:
1- Dark Side of the Moon
2- Wish You Were Here
3- Animals
4- Meddle
5- The Wall
6- Piper at the Gates of Dawn
7- Obscured by Clouds
8- Saucerful of Secrets
9- Atom Heart Mother
10- Momentary Lapse of Reason (2019)
11- More
12- The Final Cut
13- The Division Bell
14- The Endless River
15 - Ummagumma
I could bump Ummagumma higher because as you said, the live record is very good. I kind of look at the live record more akin to the other live stuff like "Is There Anybody Out There?", "Pulse", and "Delicate Sound of Thunder". Which is one reason I have it at 15. The other being that it features the only album by my favorite band which I am unable to listen to from start to finish. Parts of it are just unlistenable to me. There are a few gems on the studio recordings record but man there are long, rough stretches.
Thanks for sharing your list and your thoughts!!
Nice video of my early favorite band. I saw ‘em every tour from ‘68 to ‘72 (missed Syd’s rather sad ‘67 Fillmore gig). My #1 would be Piper which I think is filled to the brim with wonderful magical tunes, whereas later LPs had more spacey filler. But, hey, that’s what makes horse races. ;)
Yes, Dark Side of the Moon is obvious, but it IS a classic album for a reason. Personally, I would rank The Wall higher (number 3, after WYWH at #2) but I know why you ranked it so low as it took me many, many listens to fully appreciate it. That's the trouble with some double albums, in fact only just recently did I start to realise the sonic beauty of Genesis' The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway, an album which I previously thought was a misfire. Good review Mazzy.
Loved your list and agree with you for the most of it. I would put Animals a little higher but totally agree with you about The Wall.
Great watch. Love your work.
Atom Heart, Meddle and Obscured is my favorite era.
I'll admit I did speed through the video the first time before watching it. Not seeing "The Final Cut" displayed, I was getting my hopes up that it would be near the top. However, on my second viewing, my hopes were dashed. It would be in my top five, though.
Follow up... nice, thoughtful commentary about "Dark Side".... food for thought for me....
I agree with your choices here. I remember us all being disappointed with Wish You Were Here when it came out (yet it was a great album) because it was post Dark Side. Agree with you on The Wall, I think central idea is cliched and the art work tacky.
Interesting rankings. I've always struggled to get into the post - Waters stuff, couldn't get into the Division Bell whatsoever, for example. And I do like The Final Cut, somewhat. Two albums that you ranked fairly high -- Obscured By Clouds, & Atom Heart Mother, would rank lower for me for sure. Can't argue much with your top 4, although I would have Animals ahead of Wish you Were Here, probably.....absolutely love Meddle.......
Really enjoyed this. What a great privilege to have seen them right before the release of DSOTM in such an intimate setting. Incredible. I rank both The Wall and Momentary Lapse higher than this list. Momentary Lapse is easily the best Gilmour-led Floyd album - there’s some fire to it, unlike the more sedate, plodding albums that followed.
1. Animals
2. The Wall
3. Wish You Here
4. The Dark Side of The Moon
5. The Division Bell
6. The Final Cut
7. A Momentary Lapse of Reason
8. Meddle
9. Atom Heart Mother
10. Obscured By Clouds
11. More
12. The Endless River
13. A Saucerful of Secrets
14. The Piper at The Gates of Dawn
15. Ummagumma
I've never used LSD or DMT, so perhaps if I had ingested them I'd reverse my order.
If you like the acoustic guitar, trying listening to the studio side of Ummagumma backwards. Whole passages that sound like random noise revolve into simple acoustic lines. I found this out when my cassette got twisted in the player and started playing the B side when it was on A. Don't miss that medium at all.
Agree w/ your top 4, not even close. Piper is such is a great album and without it none of the other albums would have happened.
I was listening to PF dsotm one day at age 21 and my dad walked by and said to me "sounds good" and he even did not listen to rock n roll so that told me that it as a great album because the music resonated even with people that were not into their music.
most of the floyd crosses over well, a lot of the prog groups are just too bombastic for most people
My top six are:
1. The Dark Side of the Moon
2. The Wall
3 Wish You We’re Here
4. Animals
5. The Division Bell
6. Obscured By Clouds
I just got all three Immersion sets plus a ton of other Pink Floyd disc sets, and the surround version of Dark Side is mind blowing. I still haven’t listened to the surround Wish You We’re Here, but I imagine it’s pretty spectacular.
Pink Floyd was, to us outsiders, ruled by Syd, Roger or David and that most often is shown in people's ranking and opinions about Pink Floyd. They most often love one or two and have issues with the third. Which is which differs from person to person.. I like that you come out the gate and say you actually like to some degree even those at the end. Many want to use a harder language and put say 15-11 as something very bad. Which is sort of isn't. I totally get why The Endless River ranks low amongst most... Very few lyrics and bascially a B-side version of The Divison Bell BUT it still has great playing and sounds good so no need to hate. While not an important record it can be quite enjoyable.
I do agree about The Wall. A great idea, probably done great live many times by Roger Waters and includes some brilliant and often "easier" songs to understand than most of their other material for those who aren't into progressive rock that much. However. I often find myself waiting for certain tracks. Much of the album feels like a long wait more than something else. The album is rather long and if they cut away 15-25 minutes.. I wouldn't complain.
My number one might be Animals but I find albums like Atom Heart Mother more interesting to discuss because I feel they are a bit forgotten in the mix: Between Syd and the time they became huge. If that record came out after Meddle or Wish You Were Here I think many would view it very differently.
LOVE your Darkside of the Moon story! I hope you have a great rest of your day :)
15:28 I thought you were going to mention Give My Regards to Broad Street. Towards the end we see Paul miming to No More Lonely Nights, and there it is.
Edit: I was wrong, but it appears in the movie slightly towards the end.
It s difficult for me to choose or do a rank, i loved and I love all Pink Floyd album, but Atom Heart Mother - Ummagumma - Animals are my fave
The comic book image on Saucerful of Secrets is Dr. Strange not Captain Marvel.
Pink Floyd recorded Piper.. in the next door studio to the Beatles and sat in on the recording of Lovely Rita... I imagine you know this though ✌
I enjoyed this video. I don’t listen to Dark Side often but when I do the word “ masterpiece” always comes to mind. I listen to Wish You Were Here and Meddle most often. I really enjoy A Momentary Lapse Of Reason. Yet Another Movie is a fantastic song. My only complaint about the video is your comment on Quadrophenia :). It IS the best double album of all time :) , just before Physical Graffiti
Then wait a week or so until you see my Who video 😎
Agree higher on Quadrophenia than I am Tommy. I just think its more of a complete album.
Small correction: You saw Pink Floyd either on 23 or 24 September *1972* (and not 1973) at the Winterland Ballroom. At that tour in 1972 they played the DSOTM-album during the first set and "Echoes" during the second set.
Off-topic request: I have just finished reading Joe Hagan's book "Sticky Fingers" on Jann Wenner and the "Rolling Stones" magazine (not very flattering). I would be very interested to hear your take on Wenner and the "Rolling Stone" magazine, as you were both from San Francisco and you were there when the magazine started.
So it was much earlier. I knew I was in college and I started college in February of 72. Thanks for the update.
@@mazzysmusic Here is the concert from September 24: th-cam.com/video/buUv4zpLOIM/w-d-xo.html
@@mazzysmusic And here is the concert from September 23 (although not complete): th-cam.com/video/luHk02BZ8KY/w-d-xo.html
@@martinottmann thank you, I’ll listen tonight. I went the first night 🌻
I agree with The Final Cut being a mess and I also agree with your ideas about The Wall being not all that either. I also am with you on Dark Side being #1. Can't top it! I was 17 when I ist heard it and still almost 50 years later it is so part of us ya know! It's in our DNA.Thanks Mazzy!
This is a cool ranking. The album, “Endless River” is kind of like an endless river meandering in ambience, chill and adult essence. The album, “Animals” is my top ranked Pink Floyd album, because I like the progressive sound more than “Dark Side Of The Moon”.
The Endless River is solely a tribute to Richard Wright and basically...the end of the band itself. It's taken from outtakes of Rick Wright's playing.
I agree with your first 5 choices. Also, i agree
that The wall is an overrated album, on the contrary, bscured by clouds and meddle are underrated gems.
Obscured was almost higher than number 5 but I feel that’s the appropriate position
Totally nailed the ranking, Mazzy! Anyone who claims that DSOTM isn't #1 is either burnt out or a provocateur. The albums just before and just after are very good and worthy of Pink Floyd. THE WALL is an overblown mess, spelling the demise of the group. The stuff afterwards is interesting but a pale imitation. The Syd Barrett band, though different, had great songs and a way with a groove (and I'd include RELICS here).
I especially appreciate how you linked the music with the album graphics; this was a key component to the band's mystique.
Or just simply disagrees with you… Don’t be a jerk!
Couldn't agree with you more in regards to the Wall and Quad////phenia
Mazzy --- great job. Were you into Wishbone Ash? If so, a video?
Love these videos Norman, great work! Pink Floyd was such a big influence for me- DSOTM and The Wall were two of the first albums I ever bought. Disagree on the Final Cut but I was 13 when it came out so perhaps impacted me a bit differently. Keep these videos going, love ‘me!
Just to add- putting the Wall so low on the list (especially behind Atom Heart Mother)...well, that’s a tough one. Again could be a time thing- the Wall changed my life, but it also came out when I was 11. Personally I would put that at the top, then DSOTM, then wish you were here, then Animals then Meddle.
The Wall.. I have on vinyl and I love all 4 sides...# 4 for me. I would not include More... I have Relics on vinyl, is awesome... enjoying your posts.
I just picked up a Windham Hill record. It's solo guitar and quite good! Great video.
Yeah Windham Hill has set one good stuff but I think you get the comparison 🤷🏻♂️
@@mazzysmusic I do. I have Endless River on CD and I agree!
I hope someday Floyd does a clean, official release of "Live at Pompei"......the version of "Echoes" at Pompei is incredible.....I"m with you on Quadrophenia......It is fantastic...but I also think it's a bit overrated.....I tend to rate "Animals" very high though. Glad you're ranking "Obscured" so high. It still rates to me VERY high on my own personal scale (Love Childhood's End)..
Live at Pompeii was technically released standalone in 2016, as Volumes 1-6 of The Early Years are available standalone.
@@daemonspudguy Thanks for the info...did not know that!
Mazza, would like to see your Elvis Presley LP collection, if you have any
Hope you do .
Nice, Mazzie: I'm new to your vids, am enjoying them very, very much. Interesting ranking. In Hunter Davies' book "The Beatles," he writes briefly about the Lads bumping into Floyd at the Abbey Road studio, and I think you'd get a kick out of reading it. I too bought, still have, Ummagumma fresh off the rack. The wife & I saw PF & Co. (large contingent) when they were pushing Division Bell at Chantilly race track, in France. Amazing stuff live, the gist of the set list and its aural effect appears on their Pulse Lp. I wonder where you might have placed it on your list had you broadened your parameters. Got anything on Roxy Music?
DSOM was always my fave album of all time. Its been a big part of my life since hearing it in early 73.
My favorites:
1.. Atom Heart Mother
2. Meddle
3. Wish You Were Here
4, Dark Side of the Moon
5. Obscured by Clouds
6. Endless River
7. Animals
8. Division Bell
9. Ummagumma
10. Momentary Lapse of Reason
great list, my fav band!
15.More
14.A Momentary Lapse of Reason
13.Ummagumma
12.The Endless River
11.Obscured by Clouds
10.The Final Cut
9.Atom Heart Mother
8.Saucerful of Secrets
7.The Division Bell
6.Meddle
5.Piper at the Gates of Dawn
4.Animals
3.The Wall
2.Wish You Were Here
1.The Dark Side of the Moon
The cover of The Wall of course is not by Hipgnosis but cartoonist Gerald Scarfe.
Ummagumma is highly influential since it inspired later generations of experimental (non-)musicians such as the people from Throbbing Gristle.
Yeah I blew that cover thing. I was corrected here yesterday. Thank you too 🌸
As always, a little bit late to this post's party, having not know of your channel. But this is an important post, being that Pink Floyd is a curious beast. My first album was Ummagumma. I didn't know what to make of it. I probably enjoyed the live album more than the other. I kind of didn't follow them much after that, though I bought Meddle. One spring break we were in L.A. and we went looking for Rick Wakeman's album, The Six Wives of Henry the Eighth. The record store was playing something that immediately sucked me in. I had to have that album. That album was Dark Side of the Moon. So we drove back to Wyoming with Rick Wakeman and DSOTM in tow. I've heard DSOTM a thousand times, and generally prefer listening to Wish You Were Here, which I've only heard a hundred. Not saying it's a better album...it's just not as familiar. Agree that The Wall and Quadrophenia are of an ilk. I have a good CD set of Piper, mono and stereo mixes, extra stuff, in a nice little package. Anyway, they were a special band. As one of my friend's used to shout when we were listening to One Of These Days, and he was using short "u", "One of these days ummagumma cut you into little pieces." As always, I appreciate your thoughts; they bring back some of my own.
My order is probably strange. But the ones I ranked higher are still scratching and touching me. That is what I am looking for. I really love DSOTM and WYWH a lot. Eventually I found out these albums are way to perfect. If you get what this means. AHM I think I should rank higher. But anyway here is my order. And I am still listening a lot to some of these.
1. More
2. A Saucerful of Secrets
3. Meddle
4. The Piper at the Gates of Dawn
5. Wish You Were Here
6. Umma Gumma
7. Dark Side of the Moon
8. Atom Heart Mother
9. Obscured by Clouds
10. Animals/The Wall
I was worried when you placed The Final Cut so low (I think it's far superior to post Waters albums). However my favorite PF album is Meddle.
Mazzy thanks for doing this video. I'm a huge Pink Floyd fan, have been my entire life. Coming across this video introduced me to your channel and I've subscribed. Don't agree with your rankings but as you said, you're not wrong, I'm not wrong and I appreciated your reasoning for each ranking. Also I LOVE YOUR CD SHELVES!! I'm trying to find something like that for my own music room. Where did you get them if you don't mind sharing? Thanks!
CD shelves are custom built ins
@@mazzysmusic well I’m gonna show em to my guy and see if he can recreate them. Thank you! Really digging the channel.
@@adroq just make sure your length per shelf is no more than maybe 24 “. Depending on n type of wood you use. So they don’t sag
The final cut is my all-time favorite album of any musician or band. severely underrated, lyrical masterpiece. Was not expecting it to be last
Well then I guess my list didn't quite work for you then ;-)
The Final Cut is a like a Roger Waters solo record. It isn't really a pink floyd record. Roger the control freak.
Yes , t.f.c. is for shore underrated. Whole album is awesome . They even added " when the tigers broke free " .
Look, the final cut is one of the very best albums that the band recorded. No it isn’t a solo Roger album. If you knew your Floyd history you’d know that he presented the pros and cons of hitchhiking and the wall to the rest of the band before they decided on the wall.
They decided to go with the wall. The band does not play on every song on the album, but then again, they did the very same with the wall. For the live shows they hired Richard Wright on after firing him as a union musician. Nick Mason wasn’t really far behind. That was before they even considered the next album. It was supposed to be called Spare Bricks as a companion piece to the movie soundtrack. If you think of the final cut in that fashion thank god they did what they did. He gave us more original Pink Floyd music. How are you going to complain about that?
Roger himself dislikes this album because his voice is shot out from yelling and screaming at the rest of the band.
As for him being a megalomaniac, think of it this way: would you like to have authored an entire book just to have someone else tell you how you should have written it or that this certain chapter is better in this way than in the way you chose to write it? Rogers point was that if they were so sure to try and correct him in writing the songs where the fuck were their songs? They didn’t write any other than the instrumentals for run like hell and comfortably numb. Without lyrics those songs would be nothing at all.
As far as the final cut, Gilmour throws a couple solos in there and sings Not now John. Other than that I don’t miss him.
Go listen to momentary lapse of reason or the division bell. The roger fans won’t miss you. Trust me.
As for the author of this video, I like your view of the catalog. This isn’t pointed at you whatsoever. You’re pure genius guy. Keep it up.
Sorry man , but you lost me at The Final Cut .
My list would differ quite a bit as Pink Floyd has been a huge part of my life for 50ish years and for sure my Favorite band.
1. Dark Side of the Moon ( As you said people that say this isn't there best album are fooling themselves or have just heard it to much)
2. Meddle ( I could at times says it my Favorite Album but probably not their best)
3. Animals ( Fell in love with the 8 track as a teen and still its just a master piece and such a departure for them leading into the wall.
4. Wish You Were Here. (sonically its a master piece)
5. Saucer Full Of Secrets ( This album to me is a bit almost thrown together but so many songs on here are so good)
6. The Wall ( Yes many think its the best but I think it feels to much like a movie soundtrack and its just roger waters concept and album)
7 Obscured By Clouds ( You are spot on about this album way under rated because it is a movie soundtrack but some great great songs)
8. More ( Again an amazing soundtrack album with great songs )
9. Piper at the gates of Dawn ( Many might have this near or at the top I just don't care for the POP Psych sound I love Psych but to me way overrated)
10. Atom Heart Mother ( As much as I would love to love this album it just never hit home for me and I just really don't listen to it much)
11. The Final Cut ( As much as this is pieced together and is a Roger Waters album It has some great moments and songs and Sonically its great)
12. Ummagumma (To me the live performance really isn't that good and the other album is so hit and miss more miss than hit )
13. Momentary Lapse Of Reason ( This just doesn't sound like pink Floyd to me its more an 80s rock band sound Some good songs but not for me)
14. Division Bell ( An album that has High Hopes on it great song and isn't to bad but has to be near the bottom I could swap it with 13 easy)
15. Endless Wire. ( I liked it when I first heard it but its just hard to listen to and really doesn't do anything for me)
So their that's my opinion for what its worth everyone has a different opinion.
Thanks for this and all your great videos