Vegetable Man
| "Vegetable Man" | |
|---|---|
| Song by Pink Floyd from the album The Early Years 1965–1972 | |
| Released | 11 November 2016 |
| Recorded | 9–11 October 1967 |
| Genre | |
| Length | 2:32 |
| Writer(s) | Syd Barrett |
| Producer(s) | Norman Smith |
"Vegetable Man" is a song written by Syd Barrett for the English rock band Pink Floyd in 1967. It was considered for the band's third single or for inclusion on their second album A Saucerful of Secrets. Bootlegged for decades, the song did not have an official release until 2016, when it was included on the box set The Early Years 1965–1972.
Cover versions of the song have been released by the Soft Boys and the Jesus and Mary Chain.
The song was recorded from 9 to 11 October 1967. The first take ends with 15 seconds of laughter from the band, while a different take is a faster-paced jam of the song. The song was an attempt to record a follow-up single to "See Emily Play", as well as the beginning of sessions for the album that would eventually become A Saucerful of Secrets. Among the songs considered were "Paint Box", "Scream Thy Last Scream", "Jugband Blues" and "Apples and Oranges". "Vegetable Man" was scheduled for release, as the B-side to "Scream Thy Last Scream", but cancelled, and both tracks remained unreleased until 2016. Eventually, "Apples and Oranges" was chosen for the single release instead, with "Paint Box" as the B-side and "Jugband Blues" appearing on their next album A Saucerful of Secrets. The band played "Vegetable Man" live for a BBC radio broadcast on 20 December 1967.
Peter Jenner wanted the song released: "I always thought they should be put out, so I let my copies be heard. I knew that Roger would never let them out, or Dave. They somehow felt they were a bit indecent, like putting out nude pictures of a famous actress: it just wasn't cricket. But I thought they were good songs and great pieces of art. They're disturbing, and not a lot of fun, but they're some of Syd's finest work – though God knows, I wouldn't wish anyone to go through what he's gone through to get to those songs. They're like Van Gogh." Producer Malcolm Jones (who produced Barrett's The Madcap Laughs solo album) had remixed this song and "Scream Thy Last Scream" for inclusion on the Barrett rarities album Opel (1988), however, the band blocked its inclusion.
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