B-side "The Gnome" Genre Psychedelic pop Label Tower (US) | Released 2 November 1967 Length 2:46 | |
Recorded 16 March 1967 at
Abbey Road Studios
(London, United Kingdom) | ||
"Flaming" (formerly titled "Snowing") is a song by psychedelic rock band Pink Floyd, featured on their 1967 debut album, The Piper at the Gates of Dawn. Written and sung by Syd Barrett, the lyrics describe a childlike game with fantastical imagery (such as unicorns and buttercups), while prominent organ and driving bass guitar carry the uptempo music. After David Gilmour joined the band, the song remained in their set list for a while in 1968, even after Barrett's departure.
Contents
Single
"Flaming" was also the third US Pink Floyd single (Tower 378) and was released by Tower Records, but it did not chart. The mono US single mix of "Flaming" is slightly edited from other stereo or mono versions of the recording. This US single was released in place of the UK single, "Apples and Oranges" (backed with "Paint Box"), which had then just failed to break into the UK charts.
It was the first of two US Pink Floyd singles released on Tower that were not released on a single in the UK. The other US single that was not released in the UK was "Let There Be More Light" b/w "Remember a Day" (Tower 440).
This song is one of three known Pink Floyd songs to refer to an eiderdown, (better known to Americans as a comforter). The other two songs are "Julia Dream", the B-side to a 1968 single, and "A Pillow of Winds" from the Meddle album.
Alternative and live versions
A live version of "Flaming" (at that time known as "Snowing") was played in London's All Saints Hall in 1966.
A live version of the song, with Gilmour in Barrett's place, was shown on French television. The song opened with a slide whistle played by bassist Roger Waters.