Obscured by Clouds

Template:Short description Template:About Template:Good article Template:Use dmy dates Template:EngvarB {{safesubst:#invoke:Unsubst-infobox||$params=italic_title,name,type,longtype,artist,cover,border,alt,caption,released,recorded,venue,studio,genre,length,language,label,director,producer,compiler,chronology,prev_title,prev_year,year,next_title,next_year,misc|$extra=italic_title,longtype,border,caption,language,director,compiler,chronology,year,misc|$aliases=italic title>italic_title,Italic title>italic_title,Name>name,Type>type,image>cover,Cover>cover,Border>border,Alt>alt,Caption>caption,Longtype>longtype,Artist>artist,Released>released,Recorded>recorded,Venue>venue,Studio>studio,Genre>genre,Length>length,Language>language,Label>label,Director>director,Producer>producer,Compiler>compiler,Chronology>chronology,Misc>misc|$flags=override|$B={{#ifeq:{{#invoke:Is infobox in lead|main|[Ii]nfobox [Aa]lbum}}|true|{{#if:Template:Has short description | |Template:Short description|noreplace}}}}{{#invoke:Infobox|infobox}}Template:Template other Template:Category handler Template:Main other{{#invoke:Check for unknown parameters|check|unknown=Template:Main other|preview=Page using Template:Infobox album with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y|italic_title |type |name |image |cover |border |alt |caption |longtype |artist |released |recorded |venue |studio |genre |length |language |label |director |producer |compiler |prev_title|prev_year|next_title|next_year|chronology|year|misc}}{{#if:{{#invoke:String|match|error_category=Music infoboxes with Module:String errors|A|1=Meddle1971The Dark Side of the Moon1973studioObscured by CloudsPink Floyd - Obscured by Clouds.jpg/ Soundtrack album Pink Floyd2 June 1972Template:Sfn23 February – 6 April 1972Template:Ubl* Progressive rock

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Obscured by Clouds is the seventh studio album by the English progressive rock band Pink Floyd, released on 2 June 1972 by Harvest and Capitol Records. It serves as the soundtrack for the French film La Vallée, by Barbet Schroeder. It was recorded in two sessions in France, while Pink Floyd were in the midst of touring, and produced by the band.

Obscured by Clouds is among Pink Floyd's shorter albums and makes heavy use of the acoustic guitar. Lyrically, the songs centre around love, a theme the album has in common with the film. The album's only single was "Free Four". Obscured by Clouds has been seen as a stopgap for the band, who had started work on their next album, The Dark Side of the Moon (1973). The album reached number six in the United Kingdom and number 46 in the United States; retrospective opinions from both fans and critics have been mixed, some critics noting the similarities to their later material.

BackgroundEdit

By 1972, Pink Floyd had recorded the soundtracks to the films The Committee (1968) and More (1969),Template:Sfn and part of Zabriskie Point (1970).<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> On the back of MoreTemplate:'s success, its director, Barbet Schroeder, asked them to record the soundtrack to his next major project.Template:Sfn The new film, La Vallée, features two travellers on a spiritual quest in New Guinea, and Schroeder thought Pink Floyd would be suitable to provide the music.Template:Sfn The group had already started working on another album, The Dark Side of the Moon, including some basic recording and live performances, but took two breaks to Strawberry Studios, Château d'Hérouville, France, just before and after doing a Japanese tour, to write and record music for the film.Template:Sfn The album was mixed from 4–6 April at Morgan Sound Studios in London.Template:Sfn

As they had done on More, the band saw a rough cut of the film and noted certain timings for cues with a stopwatch. From this, they created a number of pieces that they felt could be cross-faded at various points in the final cut of the film. They were not worried about creating complete songs, feeling that any musical piece would be workable without the need for any solos, but nevertheless, under pressure to produce enough material, they managed to create a series of well-structured songs.Template:Sfn Drummer Nick Mason recalls that the sessions were very hurried, and the band spent most of the time in Paris locked away in the studio.Template:Sfn

During the first recording session in February 1972, the French television station ORTF filmed a short segment of the band recording the album, including interviews with bassist Roger Waters and guitarist David Gilmour.Template:Sfn In a snippet of interview footage at Abbey Road Studios that appeared in the 1974 theatrical version (later released on VHS and Laserdisc and subsequent "Director's Cut" DVD) of Pink Floyd: Live at Pompeii, Waters said that early UK pressings of the album contained excessive sibilance.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

After recording had finished, the band fell out with the film company, prompting them to release the soundtrack album as Obscured by Clouds, rather than La Vallée. In response, the film was retitled La Vallée (Obscured by Clouds) on its release.Template:Sfn

SongsEdit

The songs on Obscured by Clouds are all short and economical, in contrast to the lengthy instrumentals found on other Floyd albums. A strong country music influence is present on several tracks, with prominent use of acoustic guitar.Template:Sfn The album also features the VCS 3 synthesiser, which Wright had purchased from the BBC Radiophonic Workshop.Template:Sfn

The title track makes prominent use of the VCS 3, and features Mason playing electronic drums.Template:Sfn The following track, "When You're In", is similar in style. Its title came from a phrase said by roadie Chris Adamson.Template:Sfn The two pieces were played back-to-back live in late 1972 and on the 1973 tours.Template:Sfn They were also part of the set used for the group's collaboration with Roland Petit and the Ballet National de Marseille at the Palais de Sports, Paris, in early 1973.Template:Sfn

"Burning Bridges" is one of two songwriting collaborations on the album between keyboardist Richard Wright (who wrote the music) and Waters (who wrote the lyrics).Template:Sfn "The Gold It's In The ... " is a straightforward rock song; Gilmour may have played bass on the track instead of Waters, as well as multiple electric guitar parts.Template:Sfn "Wot's... Uh the Deal?" is a straightforward acoustic piece. It was never performed live by Pink Floyd, but Gilmour resurrected the piece for his solo tour in 2006.Template:Sfn One of these performances features on Gilmour's 2007 DVD Remember That Night and the vinyl version of his 2008 live album, Live in Gdańsk.Template:Sfn Template:Sfn "Mudmen" is an instrumental adaptation of "Burning Bridges" in a different time signature, and one of the few tracks from this era to be credited to just Wright and Gilmour.Template:Sfn

"Childhood's End" was the last song Pink Floyd released to have lyrics written by Gilmour until the release of A Momentary Lapse of Reason in 1987. The title may have been derived from the Arthur C. Clarke novel of the same name. It was performed live at a few gigs in late 1972 and early the following year; the drum pattern opening the track was recycled for "Time" on The Dark Side of the Moon.Template:Sfn

"Free Four" was the first Pink Floyd song since "See Emily Play" to attract significant airplay in the US,Template:Sfn and the second (after "Corporal Clegg" from A Saucerful of Secrets)<ref name="Mabbett2">Template:Cite book</ref> to refer to the death of Waters' father during World War II.Template:Sfn<ref>{{#ifeq: | yes | https://www.allmusic.com/song/t1530656{{

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}}</ref> The title is derived from the count-in "One, two, 'free, four!", spoken in a Cockney accent.Template:Sfn Waters played rhythm acoustic guitar during the recording, as well as bass.Template:Sfn The track was released as a single in the US, as the band felt it was suitable for AM radio.Template:Sfn

"Stay" was written and sung by Wright, with lyrics by Waters. It is superficially a love song, except the protagonist cannot remember the girl's name, suggesting that she might have been a groupie.Template:Sfn "Absolutely Curtains", the closing instrumental on the album, is primarily based around Wright's keyboards.Template:Sfn It ends with a recording of the Mapuga tribe chanting, as seen in the film.Template:Sfn

CoverEdit

The album's cover was, like several other Pink Floyd albums, designed by Storm Thorgerson and Aubrey Powell of Hipgnosis. The cover is a still from a workprint of La Vallée depicting a man (Jean-Pierre Kalfon as Gaëtan) sitting in a tree, reaching out to pick the fruit from one of its branches.Template:Sfn Template:Sfn The still is out of focus to the point of complete distortion. Hipgnosis viewed a number of stills from the film on a 35mm projector and liked the visual effect when the slide jammed. Schroeder later said the band did not want to make the cover particularly good as The Dark Side of the Moon would have to compete with it, but Thorgerson insisted it be given proper consideration like any other Floyd album.Template:Sfn Template:Sfn

Release and receptionEdit

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Obscured by Clouds was released in the UK on 2 June 1972 and then in the United States on 15 June 1972, both on Harvest. The album reached number one in France,Template:Sfn number six on the UK Albums Chart,<ref name="ukchart"/> and number 46<ref name="uschart"/> on the US albums chart (where it was certified Gold by the RIAA in 1997).<ref name="RIAA"/> In 1986, the album was released on CD. A digitally remastered CD was released in March 1996 in the UK and August 1996 in the US. It was remixed in 2016 for the Early Years box set, and released individually the following year.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Even among fans, it is not one of Pink Floyd's more popular albums, though Mason has said it is one of his favourite Floyd albums.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Retrospective critical reception has been mixed; The Daily Telegraph said "its elegant instrumentals point the way to Dark Side",<ref name="telegraph"/> while Rolling Stone said it was a "dull film soundtrack".<ref name="RSguide"/> Music critic Jim DeRogatis named the album as "the only sub-bar offering" of the film soundtracks produced by the band.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

Track listingEdit

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PersonnelEdit

All personnel are uncredited on the original sleeve.

Pink Floyd

David Gilmour – acoustic, electric and pedal steel guitars, VCS 3 synthesiser, bass guitar, vocals
Nick Mason – drums, percussion
Roger Waters – bass guitar, acoustic guitar, vocals
Richard Wright – Hammond organ (2, 3, 5–7, 10), piano (5, 6, 9, 10), Farfisa organ (10), VCS 3 synthesiser, electric piano, vocals

Additional personnel

Hipgnosis – album cover
Mapuga tribe – chant on "Absolutely Curtains"

ChartsEdit

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Chart performance for *Obscured by Clouds*
Chart (1972)	Peak position
Australian Albums (Kent Music Report)<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>	44
Danish Albums (Tracklisten)<ref name="Danish albums chart">{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	3
Italian Albums (Musica e Dischi)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }} Set "Tipo" on "Album". Then, in the "Titolo" field, search "Obscured by clouds".</ref>	5

Certifications and salesEdit

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ReferencesEdit

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External linksEdit

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