Careful With That Axe, Eugene (5:44)
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“Careful with That Axe, Eugene” is a song by the British band Pink Floyd. The studio recording is featured on Relics, while a live version can be found on Ummagumma. The song was originally released as the B-side of their single “Point Me at the Sky.” Pink Floyd re-recorded the track for Italian director Michelangelo Antonioni’s film Zabriskie Point. The song is retitled “Come in Number 51, Your Time Is Up” on the soundtrack album for the film.
Composition
The music consists of a light organ based jam (using the “Egyptian” style organ that is common of Rick Wright in this period), and an accompanying bass guitar playing just one tone (in this case, D) in octaves with a segue into the song’s only lyrics: the title of the song whispered menacingly, followed by a Roger Waters scream, as in “Candy and a Currant Bun”. This scream would reappear on many subsequent songs such as “Run Like Hell”, the very beginning of “Another Brick in the Wall Part 2,” and “Two Suns in the Sunset.” In the heavier parts and later, quieter parts, David Gilmour can be heard with guitar and scat vocals; in concert, Gilmour would often sing along with his guitar line.
Live History
Pink Floyd performed the song at almost every show from 1968-1973 and once in 1977. An embryonic form was performed as early as 23 May 1968 (captured in a recording at The Paradiso in Amsterdam) under the original title of “Keep Smiling People”, and another version was recorded on 25 June 1968 at BBC Piccadilly Studios and broadcast on John Peel’s Top Gear radio program 11 August 1968 with the title “Murderistic Woman”.
Composition
The music consists of a light organ based jam (using the “Egyptian” style organ that is common of Rick Wright in this period), and an accompanying bass guitar playing just one tone (in this case, D) in octaves with a segue into the song’s only lyrics: the title of the song whispered menacingly, followed by a Roger Waters scream, as in “Candy and a Currant Bun”. This scream would reappear on many subsequent songs such as “Run Like Hell”, the very beginning of “Another Brick in the Wall Part 2,” and “Two Suns in the Sunset.” In the heavier parts and later, quieter parts, David Gilmour can be heard with guitar and scat vocals; in concert, Gilmour would often sing along with his guitar line.
Live History
Pink Floyd performed the song at almost every show from 1968-1973 and once in 1977. An embryonic form was performed as early as 23 May 1968 (captured in a recording at The Paradiso in Amsterdam) under the original title of “Keep Smiling People”, and another version was recorded on 25 June 1968 at BBC Piccadilly Studios and broadcast on John Peel’s Top Gear radio program 11 August 1968 with the title “Murderistic Woman”.
Video
Added by lattenrost
KQED San Francisco, 29th April 1970. From the Show "An hour with Pink Floyd".
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Albums featuring this track
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The Early Singles
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Shouts
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PinkFloydrulez wrote:
Feburary 25, 1971. holy fucking shit.
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Robert161989 wrote:
these horrible shouts^^
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damsonjam wrote:
oh, wonder
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Ekenstenen wrote:
Love this song.
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cwpanti wrote:
Careful with that tax machine
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alvaronigro wrote:
Pompeii version omg omfg, amaziiing!
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Robert161989 wrote:
boh krass
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midjuly wrote:
I just found another version of this on my computer - Live in Zurich, 1972 - it blows Pompeii and Ummagumma out of the water! Sooo creepy, so amazing, I can't even...
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kemming wrote:
great track
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lihei wrote:
Oh Wow!
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rebeca_linares wrote:
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAOHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHDJGGGGGGGGGGGG
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Sorbetto13 wrote:
such an intense song
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davidbowiegirl wrote:
Great song, those screamings are not from this world.
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davidbowiegirl wrote:
If nightmare is a song, it would sound like this!
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DasX2007 wrote:
The Rhapsody in Pink version is still the best i think.
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pissikka wrote:
this track is the musical translation of the word "axe". brilliant nightmare!
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protonemata wrote:
stunning
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Timitzi wrote:
Creepy, but amazing song.
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BurningCypress wrote:
I think, the Pompeii version is creepier than Ummagumma one. Both are godly, anyway.
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Perlenohrring wrote:
damn, i LOVE it!
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Recent Activity
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