"Free Four" is a song by the English rock band Pink Floyd, written by Roger Waters and released on the band's 1972 album Obscured by Clouds.[2][3]
| "Free Four" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Cover of the 1972 Italy single | ||||
| Single by Pink Floyd | ||||
| from the album Obscured by Clouds | ||||
| B-side |
| |||
| Released | 10 July 1972 | |||
| Recorded |
| |||
| Genre | Folk rock[1] | |||
| Length | 4:15 | |||
| Label | Harvest | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Roger Waters | |||
| Producer(s) | Pink Floyd | |||
| Pink Floyd singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
Recording and lyrics
editThe song begins with a rock and roll count-in, but in this case Pink Floyd decided to play with words and record, "One, Two, Free Four!" The song deals with reflection of one's life, the "evils" of the record industry, and also makes a reference to Roger Waters' father who was killed in World War 2.[4] The music begins in an upbeat manner, while the lyrics tell a very cynical and somewhat depressing story. "Free Four" was released as a single in the U.S. in 1972 but did not chart. The song charted at number 29 in the Netherlands and 35 in Wallonia (Belgium).
Cashbox reviewed the single saying "Would you believe a happy song about death?"[5] Record World said that it "is not only musically excellent but also accessible and commercial enough to hit as a single."[6]
Track listing
edit| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Free Four" | 3:30 |
| 2. | "Stay" | 3:58 |
| Total length: | 7:28 | |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Free Four" | 4:07 |
| 2. | "The Gold It's in The..." | 3:01 |
| Total length: | 7:08 | |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Free Four" | 4:08 |
| 2. | "The Gold It's in The..." | 3:01 |
| Total length: | 7:09 | |
Personnel
edit- David Gilmour – acoustic and electric guitars, handclapping
- Nick Mason – drums, tambourine, handclapping
- Roger Waters – double-tracked lead vocals, backing vocals, bass
- Richard Wright – EMS VCS 3
References
edit- ^ Wawzenek, Bryan (4 September 2018). "All 167 Pink Floyd Songs Ranked Worst to Best". Ultimate Classic Rock. Retrieved 28 February 2021.
- ^ Strong, Martin C. (2004). The Great Rock Discography (7th ed.). Edinburgh: Canongate Books. p. 1177. ISBN 1-84195-551-5.
- ^ Mabbett, Andy (1995). The Complete Guide to the Music of Pink Floyd. London: Omnibus Press. ISBN 0-7119-4301-X.
- ^ Manning, Toby (2006). "The Albums". The Rough Guide to Pink Floyd (1st ed.). London: Rough Guides. p. 165. ISBN 1-84353-575-0.
- ^ "CashBox Record Reviews" (PDF). Cashbox. 15 July 1972. p. 20. Retrieved 11 December 2021.
- ^ "Hits of the Week" (PDF). Record World. 15 July 1972. p. 1. Retrieved 30 March 2023.
https://www.ultratop.be/fr/song/9bfe/Pink-Floyd-Free-Four https://dutchcharts.nl/showitem.asp?interpret=Pink+Floyd&titel=Free+Four&cat=s