Ummagumma cover art

  Studio Album · No. 3

Ummagumma Songwriting Credits by Pink Floyd

1969 Harvest 5 tracks 87 min

Produced by Norman Smith  ·  Engineered by Peter Mew, Brian Humphries

Harvest Experimental RockAvant-GardePsychedelic RockSpace Rock
100%
Authorship
Complete Artist

Holds writing credit on 5 of 5 tracks

Authorship Breakdown 5 / 5 documented

Who wrote the songs?

Scored across the 5 tracks with documented writers, by whether Pink Floyd carries a lyricist or composer credit.

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

Share of the 5 tracks where a band member is credited, by role.

Lyricist60%
Composer100%
Producer0%
Performer100%

By the Numbers

5
Tracks
2
Lyricists
1
Producers
1969
Released
Data Insight

Ummagumma is a double album split into one live disc and one studio disc, and the studio half is its defining experiment: each member was given space for a solo composition. Richard Wright wrote the multi-part 'Sysyphus,' Roger Waters contributed 'Grantchester Meadows' and the vocal-collage 'Several Species of Small Furry Animals Gathered Together in a Cave and Grooving with a Pict,' David Gilmour wrote the three-part 'The Narrow Way,' and Nick Mason wrote 'The Grand Vizier's Garden Party.' The live disc captured concert versions of earlier material. The result is the most fragmented, individually authored record in the band's catalog.

"Ummagumma" is the 1969 album by Pink Floyd, a double album that pairs live recordings on its first disc with experimental studio compositions on its second, spanning progressive rock, space rock, and avant-garde styles. The live disc captures "Astronomy Domine," "Careful with That Axe, Eugene," "Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun," and "A Saucerful of Secrets," while the studio disc gives David Gilmour, Roger Waters, Richard Wright, and Nick Mason each an individual composition. The album reached number 5 on the UK Albums Chart and number 74 on the US Billboard 200, the band's first appearance on the American chart. It was certified platinum in the United States for one million units sold. Despite its initial reception, the band later disowned the record, with Waters calling it a disaster and Gilmour describing it as horrible.

Track Listing & Credits 5 tracks

Written by the artist Written by outside writers
#TitleLyricist(s)Composer(s)Producer(s)Performers
1
Sysyphus
Not documented Richard Wright Norman Smith -
2
Grantchester Meadows
Roger Waters Roger Waters Norman Smith Roger Waters (Lead Vocals)David Gilmour (Lead Vocals)
3
Several Species of Small Furry Animals Gathered Together in a Cave and Grooving with a Pict
Roger Waters Roger Waters Norman Smith Roger Waters (Lead Vocals)David Gilmour (Lead Vocals)
4
The Narrow Way
David Gilmour David Gilmour Norman Smith Roger Waters (Lead Vocals)David Gilmour (Lead Vocals)
5
The Grand Vizier's Garden Party
Not documented Nick Mason Norman Smith -

Songwriter & Credit Spotlight 5 contributors

More from Pink Floyd

Frequently Asked Questions Ummagumma

Why is Ummagumma half live and half studio?
Ummagumma is a double album where one disc is live and the other is studio material. The live disc presents concert recordings of earlier Pink Floyd songs the band was retiring from its setlist. The studio disc was conceived so each member could create an individual solo composition.
Who wrote the studio half of Ummagumma?
Each member contributed a separate solo composition. Richard Wright wrote 'Sysyphus,' Roger Waters wrote 'Grantchester Meadows' and 'Several Species of Small Furry Animals,' David Gilmour wrote the three-part 'The Narrow Way,' and Nick Mason wrote 'The Grand Vizier's Garden Party.' The studio disc therefore has no group-written songs.
When was Ummagumma released?
Ummagumma was released on 7 November 1969 on Harvest Records. The live disc was recorded in April and May 1969, and the studio disc was recorded between September 1968 and July 1969. It was Pink Floyd's fourth studio release.
Who produced Ummagumma?
Pink Floyd produced the album together with Norman Smith. Peter Mew engineered the studio disc and Brian Humphries engineered the live recordings. It was among the last Pink Floyd projects to involve Smith.
What is The Narrow Way on Ummagumma?
'The Narrow Way' is David Gilmour's three-part solo composition on the studio disc of Ummagumma. Gilmour wrote and performed all of it, his first full songwriting effort for the band. It marked an early step in his growth as a writer within Pink Floyd.
How did Ummagumma chart?
Ummagumma reached number 5 on the UK Albums Chart in 1969. In the US it peaked at number 74 on the Billboard 200, the band's first appearance on that chart. It was later certified Platinum in the US and Gold in the UK.
Did the band like Ummagumma?
The album was well received at the time but was later criticized by reviewers and by the band members themselves. Its experimental, fragmented studio half drew the most retrospective criticism. It remains one of the band's most divisive records.

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