Obscured by Clouds cover art

  Soundtrack · No. 2

Obscured by Clouds Songwriting Credits by Pink Floyd

1972 Harvest 10 tracks 40 min

Produced by Pink Floyd  ·  Engineered by Brian Humphries

Harvest Progressive RockFolk Rock
100%
Authorship
Complete Artist

Holds writing credit on 10 of 10 tracks

Authorship Breakdown 10 / 10 documented

Who wrote the songs?

Scored across the 10 tracks with documented writers, by whether Pink Floyd carries a lyricist or composer credit.

100%
10 trackswritten by Pink Floyd 0 tracksoutside writers
Pink Floyd's roles on this album

Share of the 10 tracks where a band member is credited, by role.

Lyricist60%
Composer100%
Producer100%
Performer100%

By the Numbers

10
Tracks
2
Lyricists
1
Producers
1972
Released
Data Insight

Obscured by Clouds is the soundtrack Pink Floyd recorded for Barbet Schroeder's film La Vallée, written and tracked quickly as a group at the Château d'Hérouville in France. The songs were composed collectively under deadline pressure, with shared band credits across most tracks rather than the individual authorship of their other albums. 'Free Four,' the album's single, carries a Roger Waters lyric that touches on his father's death, an early sign of the autobiographical themes Waters would expand on later in the decade.

"Obscured by Clouds" is the 1972 album by Pink Floyd, a progressive rock record with folk rock influences that served as the soundtrack to Barbet Schroeder's French film La Vallee. The band recorded it during breaks from the sessions for The Dark Side of the Moon, with David Gilmour on guitars, synthesizer, and vocals, Roger Waters on bass and acoustic guitar, Richard Wright on keyboards and synthesizer, and Nick Mason on drums. The single "Free Four" became the first Pink Floyd song since "See Emily Play" to attract significant US airplay, while "Wot's... Uh the Deal?" is an acoustic piece the band did not perform live during the era. The album reached number 6 on the UK Albums Chart, number 46 on the US Billboard 200, and number 1 in France. It was later certified gold in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Germany.

Track Listing & Credits 10 tracks

Written by the artist Written by outside writers
#TitleLyricist(s)Composer(s)Producer(s)Performers
1
Obscured by Clouds
Not documented David GilmourRoger Waters Pink Floyd -
2
When You're In
Not documented David GilmourRoger WatersRichard WrightNick Mason Pink Floyd -
3
Burning Bridges
Roger Waters Richard Wright Pink Floyd Roger Waters (Lead Vocals)David Gilmour (Lead Vocals)
4
The Gold It's in the...
Roger Waters David Gilmour Pink Floyd Roger Waters (Lead Vocals)David Gilmour (Lead Vocals)
5
Wot's... Uh the Deal?
Roger Waters David Gilmour Pink Floyd Roger Waters (Lead Vocals)David Gilmour (Lead Vocals)
6
Mudmen
Not documented Richard WrightDavid Gilmour Pink Floyd -
7
Childhood's End
David Gilmour David Gilmour Pink Floyd Roger Waters (Lead Vocals)David Gilmour (Lead Vocals)
8
Free Four
Roger Waters Roger Waters Pink Floyd Roger Waters (Lead Vocals)David Gilmour (Lead Vocals)
9
Stay
Roger Waters Richard Wright Pink Floyd Roger Waters (Lead Vocals)David Gilmour (Lead Vocals)
10
Absolutely Curtains
Not documented Richard WrightDavid GilmourRoger WatersNick Mason Pink Floyd -

Songwriter & Credit Spotlight 5 contributors

More from Pink Floyd

Frequently Asked Questions Obscured by Clouds

Is Obscured by Clouds a soundtrack?
Yes, Obscured by Clouds is the soundtrack to the 1972 French film La Vallée, directed by Barbet Schroeder. Pink Floyd recorded it quickly at the Château d'Hérouville in France. It was released by Harvest Records in June 1972.
Who wrote the songs on Obscured by Clouds?
The songs were composed collectively by Pink Floyd, with most tracks carrying shared band credits rather than single-author writing. The album was put together quickly to meet the film's deadline, which reinforced the group approach. Roger Waters supplied the lyric for the single 'Free Four.'
What is the film La Vallée connected to Obscured by Clouds?
La Vallée is a 1972 film directed by Barbet Schroeder for which Pink Floyd recorded Obscured by Clouds as the soundtrack. The band wrote and recorded the music in a short period at the Château d'Hérouville in France. The album and film share the same source material but were released separately.
What genre is Obscured by Clouds?
Obscured by Clouds blends progressive rock with folk rock. As a soundtrack written under time pressure, it favors shorter, more direct songs than the band's longer suites. Harvest and Capitol Records released it in 1972.
Did Obscured by Clouds chart well?
The album reached number six on the UK Albums Chart and number 46 on the US Billboard 200. It topped the chart in France and placed in the top ten across several European countries. It was later certified Gold in the US, UK, and Germany.
What is Free Four by Pink Floyd about?
'Free Four' is a track from the album with a lyric by Roger Waters that addresses mortality and references the death of his father in the Second World War. Its upbeat acoustic arrangement contrasts with the dark subject matter. It marked an early appearance of the autobiographical themes Waters developed on later Pink Floyd records.

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