Let's Roll Another One

After the insanity which was Medicinal Music's last post, I've decided to give my brain a breather and do a little simpler post. So, today, we're going to be covering an unreleased cut by my favorite era of Pink Floyd's history - the Syd Barrett era. I'm sure if you're reading this blog, you are familiar with Piper At The Gates of Dawn and the story of Syd Barrett, but I figure that some people may not have heard this b-side's original version, so here it is.

For Pink Floyd's first single, the band recorded "Arnold Layne," the story of a man with an affinity for stealing woman's clothing from washing lines. The song was much poppier than the material the band would play in concert, leaving some fans to claim the band sold out (which, in hindsight of the band's complete history, seems a bit absurd). But, it is the b-side of "Arnold Layne" that has a bit more interesting history around it.

"Candy And A Currant Bun" was originally "Let's Roll Another One," which, surprise, was a pretty blatant ode to smoking joints. Despite the increasing influence of the drug culture on the mainstream, Pink Floyd's record label, EMI, thought the song was a bit too provocative. To appease the EMI, Barrett reworked some of the lyrics, renaming it "Candy And A Currant Bun." This new recording had a bit slower tempo than the original, and Barrett, obviously unhappy having to amend his work, sneaks in a certain four letter word, which went unnoticed by the record execs. To hear this, pay close attention to "Candy And A Currant Bun" from :25-:30.

If you are interested in learning more about Syd Barrett, his experiences as a member of Pink Floyd and as a solo artist, I recommend Julian Palacios' book "Lost In The Woods." You can find information about the book, as well as read some excerpts, on Palacios' website.

Pink Floyd
"Lets Roll Another One"
1966 (unreleased)

Pink Floyd
"Candy And A Currant Bun"
1967