Pulse (Pink Floyd album)
Pulse (Pink Floyd album)
Pulse | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Live album by | ||||
Released | 29 May 1995 (1995-05-29) | |||
Recorded | 17 August–29 October 1994 | |||
Genre | Progressive rock | |||
Length | 2:27:59 | |||
Label | EMI (Europe) Columbia (elsewhere) | |||
Producer |
| |||
Pink Floyd chronology | ||||
| ||||
Singles from Pulse | ||||
|
Professional ratings | |
---|---|
Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Rolling Stone | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Pulse (stylised as p·u·l·s·e) is a live album by the English rock band Pink Floyd. It was released on 29 May 1995 by EMI in the United Kingdom and on 6 June 1995 by Columbia in the United States.[3] The album was recorded during the European leg of Pink Floyd's Division Bell Tour in 1994.
Pulse | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Live album by | ||||
Released | 29 May 1995 (1995-05-29) | |||
Recorded | 17 August–29 October 1994 | |||
Genre | Progressive rock | |||
Length | 2:27:59 | |||
Label | EMI (Europe) Columbia (elsewhere) | |||
Producer |
| |||
Pink Floyd chronology | ||||
| ||||
Singles from Pulse | ||||
|
Content and recording
The album is notable to include a complete live version of The Dark Side of the Moon. It also features "Astronomy Domine", a Syd Barrett song not performed since the early 1970s. The track "Another Brick in the Wall, Part II" features small portions of the songs "Another Brick in the Wall, Part I", "The Happiest Days of Our Lives" and "Another Brick in the Wall, Part III". "Take It Back" was originally going to be on the album with the recording from 25 September 1994, Stade Olympique de la Pontaise, Lausanne but was cut due to length.
Unlike the previous live album Delicate Sound of Thunder, no parts of the songs were re-recorded in the studio.[4] However, the band and Guthrie fixed songs that had bad notes (as heard on some bootlegs) by lifting solos and corrected vocal lines from other performances as the band recorded most of the European leg. The CD claimed that it was mixed in "Q Sound" which produces a 3D audio effect even on a two channel stereo system.
Release history
In the United States, despite a price of $34.99 (which included flashing spine light and two AA batteries) Pulse debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 during the week of June 24, 1995 with 198,000 copies sold, it became the first multidisk album to top the Billboard 200 since the chart started using SoundScan data in May 1991.[5] The next week it fell off to number three on the chart.[6] It remained on the chart for twenty two weeks.[7] It was certified two times platinum by the RIAA on July 31, 1995 for shipments of one million units.[8]
On July 1, 1995 the video version of Pulse debuted at number one on the Billboard's Top Music Videos chart with 16,500 units sold.[9] The video was certified eight times platinum by the RIAA on July 31, 2006 for shipments of 800,000 units.[8]
The video version (on VHS and Laserdisc) also featured the song "Take It Back," and an almost complete performance from their 20 October show at Earl's Court, London. The Pulse DVD was released on 10 July 2006.
The vinyl version was released as a four-LP box set and included "One of These Days" (also heard on the cassette release) as well as a large version of the photo booklet.
The original CD cover features an "eye-like" machine that has clock pieces inside, there is a planet in its centre, and on the outside it shows evolution as it moves backwards. It starts in the sea, moves to the bacteria which evolve into fishes, then into egg type creatures, then into eggs that hatch birds, and birds follow the trail of an aeroplane. There are six pyramids in the desert, and in the bottom of the sea, one can observe a city in the shore.
The debut of the album was highlighted by a light show from the top of the Empire State Building in New York City with music simulcasted on a New York City radio station.
LED packaging
Early CD versions came with a flashing red LED on the side of the case. This was designed by EMI contractor Jon Kempner, who was awarded the platinum disc, using the now discontinued LM3909 LED flasher IC. The circuit was powered by a single AA battery; the battery life was stated to be over six months. Some versions were also made with 2 AA batteries and later editions of the CD set did not feature the blinking LED.
Essentially, it's a device which we thought was entertaining. It's an idea of Storm Thorgerson's which related to Dark Side and the pulse, and it's a live album so the box is "alive". After that, in terms of seriously deep meanings, one might be struggling a bit.— Nick Mason, [10]
Track listing
CD Edition
Disc one | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
No. | Title | Music | Lead Vocals | Length |
"Shine On You Crazy Diamond, Parts I-V, VII"(20 October 1994, Earls Court, London) |
| David Gilmour | 13:35 | |
"Astronomy Domine"(15 October 1994, Earls Court, London) | Syd Barrett |
| 4:20 | |
"What Do You Want From Me"(21 September 1994, Cinecittà, Rome) |
| Gilmour | 4:10 | |
"Learning to Fly"(14 October 1994, Earls Court, London) |
| Gilmour | 5:16 | |
"Keep Talking"(17 August 1994, Niedersachsenstadion, Hanover) |
| Gilmour | 6:52 | |
"Coming Back to Life"(13 October 1994, Earls Court, London) | Gilmour | Gilmour | 6:56 | |
"Hey You"(13, 15 October 1994, Earls Court, London) | Waters | Gilmour, Jon Carin (doubling Gilmour) | 4:40 | |
"A Great Day for Freedom"(19 October 1994, Earls Court, London) |
| Gilmour | 4:30 | |
"Sorrow"(20 September 1994, Cinecittà, Rome) | Gilmour | Gilmour | 10:49 | |
"High Hopes"(14, 19, 20, 21, 29 October 1994, Earls Court, London) |
| Gilmour | 7:52 | |
"Another Brick in the Wall, Part II"(21 October 1994, Earls Court, London) | Waters |
| 7:08 | |
Total length: | 1:15:50 |
Disc two | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
No. | Title | Music | Lead Vocals | Length |
"Speak to Me"(20 September 1994, Cinecittà, Rome) | Nick Mason | Instrumental | 2:30 | |
"Breathe (In the Air)"(20 October 1994, Earls Court, London) |
|
| 2:33 | |
"On the Run"(20 October 1994, Earls Court, London) |
| Instrumental | 3:48 | |
"Time / Breathe (Reprise)"(17 September 1994, Festa de l'Unità, Modena; 20 September 1994, Cinecittà, Rome; 20 October 1994, Earls Court, London) |
|
| 6:47 | |
"The Great Gig in the Sky"(20 October 1994, Earls Court, London) |
|
| 5:52 | |
"Money"(17 September 1994, Festa de l'Unità, Modena; 20 October 1994, Earls Court, London) | Waters | Gilmour | 8:54 | |
"Us and Them"(19, 20 October 1994, Earls Court, London) |
| Gilmour | 6:58 | |
"Any Colour You Like"(19, 23 October 1994, Earls Court, London) |
| Instrumental | 3:21 | |
"Brain Damage"(19 October 1994, Earls Court, London) | Waters | Gilmour | 3:46 | |
"Eclipse"(19 October 1994, Earls Court, London) | Waters | Gilmour | 2:38 | |
"Wish You Were Here"(20 September 1994, Cinecittà, Rome) |
| Gilmour | 6:35 | |
"Comfortably Numb"(20 October 1994, Earls Court, London) |
|
| 9:29 | |
"Run Like Hell"(15 October 1994, Earls Court, London) |
|
| 8:36 | |
Total length: | 1:11:57 |
Vinyl Edition
Side one | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
No. | Title | Music | Lead Vocals | Length |
"Shine On You Crazy Diamond, Parts I-V, VII" |
| David Gilmour | 13:35 | |
"Astronomy Domine" | Syd Barret |
| 4:20 | |
"What Do You Want From Me" |
| Gilmour | 4:10 | |
Total length: | 22:05 |
Side two | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
No. | Title | Music | Lead Vocals | Length |
"Learning to Fly" |
| Gilmour | 5:16 | |
"Keep Talking" |
| Gilmour | 6:52 | |
"Coming Back to Life" | Gilmour | Gilmour | 6:56 | |
Total length: | 19:04 |
Side three | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
No. | Title | Music | Lead Vocals | Length |
"Hey You" | Waters |
| 4:40 | |
"A Great Day for Freedom" |
| Gilmour | 4:30 | |
"Sorrow" | Gilmour | Gilmour | 10:49 | |
Total length: | 19:59 |
Side four | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
No. | Title | Music | Lead Vocals | Length |
"High Hopes" |
| Gilmour | 7:52 | |
"Another Brick in the Wall, Part II" | Waters |
| 7:08 | |
"One of These Days"(21 October 1994, Earls Court, London) |
| Instrumental | 6:51 | |
Total length: | 21:33 |
Side five | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
No. | Title | Music | Lead Vocals | Length |
"Speak to Me" | Mason | Instrumental | 2:30 | |
"Breathe (In the Air)" |
|
| 2:33 | |
"On the Run" |
| Instrumental | 3:48 | |
"Time" |
|
| 6:47 | |
Total length: | 15:48 |
Side six | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
No. | Title | Music | Lead Vocals | Length |
"The Great Gig in the Sky" |
|
| 5:52 | |
"Money" | Waters | Gilmour | 8:54 | |
Total length: | 14:46 |
Side seven | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
No. | Title | Music | Lead Vocals | Length |
"Us and Them" |
| Gilmour | 6:58 | |
"Any Colour You Like" |
| Instrumental | 3:21 | |
"Brain Damage" | Waters | Gilmour | 3:46 | |
"Eclipse" | Waters | Gilmour | 2:38 | |
Total length: | 16:43 |
Side eight | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
No. | Title | Music | Lead Vocals | Length |
"Wish You Were Here" |
| Gilmour | 6:35 | |
"Comfortably Numb" |
|
| 9:29 | |
"Run Like Hell" |
|
| 8:36 | |
Total length: | 24:40 |
Cassette Edition
- Cassette one
Side one | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
No. | Title | Music | Lead Vocals | Length |
"Shine On You Crazy Diamond, Parts I-V, VII" |
| David Gilmour | 13:35 | |
"Astronomy Domine" | Syd Barrett |
| 4:20 | |
"What Do You Want From Me" |
| Gilmour | 4:10 | |
"Learning to Fly" |
| Gilmour | 5:16 | |
"Keep Talking" |
| Gilmour | 6:52 | |
"Coming Back to Life" | Gilmour | Gilmour | 6:56 | |
Total length: | 41:09 |
Side two | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
No. | Title | Music | Lead Vocals | Length |
"Hey You" | Waters |
| 4:40 | |
"A Great Day for Freedom" |
| Gilmour | 4:30 | |
"Sorrow" | Gilmour | Gilmour | 10:49 | |
"High Hopes" |
| Gilmour | 7:52 | |
"Another Brick in the Wall, Part II" | Waters |
| 7:08 | |
"One of These Days" |
| Instrumental | 6:51 | |
Total length: | 41:32 |
- Cassette two
Side three | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
No. | Title | Music | Lead Vocals | Length |
"Speak to Me" | Mason | Instrumental | 2:30 | |
"Breathe (In the Air)" |
|
| 2:33 | |
"On the Run" |
| Instrumental | 3:48 | |
"Time" |
|
| 6:47 | |
"The Great Gig in the Sky" |
|
| 5:52 | |
"Money" | Waters | Gilmour | 8:54 | |
"Us and Them" |
| Gilmour | 6:58 | |
"Any Colour You Like" |
| Instrumental | 3:21 | |
"Brain Damage" | Waters | Gilmour | 3:46 | |
"Eclipse" | Waters | Gilmour | 2:38 | |
Total length: | 47:17 |
Side four | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
No. | Title | Music | Lead Vocals | Length |
"Wish You Were Here" |
| Gilmour | 6:35 | |
"Comfortably Numb" |
|
| 9:29 | |
"Run Like Hell" |
|
| 8:36 | |
"Soundscape (Ambient piece played before all concerts)" |
| Instrumental | 22:00 | |
Total length: | 46:40 |
Personnel
- Pink Floyd
David Gilmour – lead vocals, guitar
Nick Mason – drums
Richard Wright – keyboards, backing vocals, lead vocals on "Astronomy Domine", "Time", and "Comfortably Numb"
- Additional personnel
Guy Pratt – bass, backing vocals, co-lead vocals on "Run Like Hell"
Jon Carin – keyboards, backing vocals, co-lead vocals on "Hey You"
Sam Brown – backing vocals, first vocalist on "The Great Gig in the Sky"
Durga McBroom – backing vocals, second vocalist on "The Great Gig in the Sky"
Claudia Fontaine – backing vocals, third vocalist on "The Great Gig in the Sky"
Tim Renwick – guitar, backing vocals
Dick Parry – saxophone
Gary Wallis – percussion