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Paint Box (song)
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Wikipedia article
{{Infobox song
| name = Paint Box
| cover = Apples and Oranges - Paint Box by Pink Floyd (Columbia UK).jpg
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = Pink Floyd
| album =
| A-side = Apples and Oranges
| released = 18 November 1967
| format =
| recorded = October 1967 at De Lane Lea Studios, London
| studio =
| venue =
| genre = Psychedelic pop
| length = 3:33
| label = Columbia (EMI) (UK)
| writer = Richard Wright
| producer = Norman Smith
| prev_title = Flaming
| prev_year = 1967
| title = Apples and Oranges
| title2 = Paint Box
| next_title = It Would Be So Nice
| next_year = 1968
| misc =
}}
"'Paint Box'" (or, "'Paintbox'" on later reissues) is a song by the psychedelic rock band Pink Floyd, written and sung by keyboardist Richard Wright. It was first released in 1967 as the B-side to the single "Apples and Oranges". The song is about a man who lives in an abusive relationship and has artificial friends.
Lyrics and music
Musical features of the song include its long drum fills by Nick Mason, and a piano solo by Wright, which is panned around the stereo spectrum. Wright also doubles on tack piano in addition to the ordinary acoustic piano.
The song's lyrics begin with '"Last night I had too much to drink / Sitting in a club with so many fools",' and feature an ambivalent chorus: '"I open the door to an empty room / Then I forget".'
The song is the first of many Pink Floyd songs to prominently feature an E minor added ninth chord.'Pink Floyd: Anthology' (1980 Warner Bros. Publications, Inc., Secaucus N.J.) This chord would become a signature aspect of their better-known material: It opens 'The Dark Side of the Moon' with "Breathe".'Pink Floyd: The Dark Side of the Moon' (1973 Pink Floyd Music Publishers Ltd., London, England, [USA ]) It is prominent in "Welcome to the Machine" from 'Wish You Were Here', where it alternates with a C Major seventh chord for most of the song.'Pink Floyd: Wish You Were Here' (1975 Pink Floyd Music Publishers Ltd., London, England, [USA ]) "Dogs" from 'Animals' centers around the chord as played on down-tuned guitars, resulting in a concert pitch of D minor ninth.'Pink Floyd: Animals' (1977 Pink Floyd Music Publishers Ltd., London, England, [USA ])'Guitar World' magazine, Volume 22, Number 11, November 2002. It appeared again in "Hey You" and "Vera" from 'The Wall'.'Pink Floyd: The Wall' (1980 Pink Floyd Music Publishers Ltd., London, England, [USA ]) It would appear in no less than four songs from 'The Final Cut': "Your Possible Pasts"; "The Hero's Return"; "The Gunner's Dream"; and "The Fletcher Memorial Home".'Pink Floyd: The Final Cut' (1983 Pink Floyd Music Publishers Ltd., London, England.)
Release
"Paint Box" was originally issued in mono for the single. A stereo mix was later included on the 'Masters of Rock' compilation, and on the compilation album 'Relics' as "'Paintbox'", which was also the spelling used when the mono mix was issued on the third disc of the 40th Anniversary deluxe edition of 'The Piper at the Gates of Dawn'. "Paintbox" was again reissued on the 'Cambridge St/ation' and 'Cre/ation' discs in the 2016-2017 Early Years box set.
Video
A promotional film for this song was shot for Belgian television on February 18 or 19, 1968, in which the band mimes to the song on a bridge in Brussels. Although Syd Barrett was still a member of the band when the song was recorded (October 1967) and at the time of the film shooting, the film features David Gilmour on guitar, in his first appearance on film with Pink Floyd..[http://www.pf-db.com/index.php?concert_id=1410&bootleg_id=7178 Pink Floyd: Belgian TV 1968 40th Anniversary Edition DVD], [http://www.pf-db.com/ The Concert / Roio Database]. The Atomium monument can be seen in the background as the band plays.
Personnel
*Richard Wright lead vocals, piano, tack piano
*Syd Barrett acoustic & electric guitars, backing vocals
*Roger Waters bass guitar, backing vocals
*Nick Mason drums
References
Category:1967 singles
Category:1967 songs
Category:Pink Floyd songs
Category:Psychedelic pop songs
Category:Songs about alcohol
Category:Songs written by Richard Wright (musician)
Category:Columbia Graphophone Company singles
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