Buzzin Music Blog

It’s hard to believe it’s over a year ago that Roger Keith “Syd” Barrett died.

Syd Barrett was a genius, a unique individual that reached for the stars too soon and burnt out before he his time. His lyrical style was awkward, poetic yet childish.  Barrett found his discord in a mix of nursery rhymes, jazz, blues and LSD. David Bowie has credited Barrett as a major influence (he even named his first band after an unreleased b-side), citing him as the first to sing with an English accent.

As with all true genius, there is a thin line that divides that bravura with madness, something Barrett unfortunately surpassed.  In what seemed like a never ending desire to push his artistic boundaries he possibly fell foul to believing the drugs were helping his quest.  

Of the few songs he left behind, none are so poignant and archaically beautiful as Baby Lemonade. The intro unfolds like a spring flower, ready for Barrett’s very English voice to begin his in tune, out of tune half-singing, half-speaking folk rendition.

Lyrically, who knows what is going on in Baby Lemonade, but that doesn’t detract from the sincerity in Barrett’s performance. 

In the sad town
cold iron hands clap
the party of clowns outside
rain falls in gray far away
please, please, Baby Lemonade

Roger Walters & David Gilmour have spoken of the difficulties they had producing Barrett’s 2 solo albums because of his ‘obscuring timing’.  They were both released in 1970, by which time Barrett was most certainly living in a different space. 

Baby Lemonade appeared on the simply title second solo album, Barrett in 1970, and is a masterpiece.

Syd Barrett died on 7 July 2006.