Recorded:
May 18-23, 1967 at Sound Techniques Studios, Chelsea, London, England
Instrumentation:
Syd Barrett - lead vocal, lead guitar, rhythm guitar
Roger Waters - Rickenbacker bass guitar, background vocals
Richard Wright - Farfisa organ, background vocals
Nick Mason - drums, background vocals
The Second single by the Floyd, was recorded on May 23rd, 1967, at Sound Techniques Studios after sessions at EMI failed to capture the essence found on Arnold Layne. Two of the Floyd's biographers, Miles and Karl Dallas, dispute Emily's origins. Miles states that the track is a reworking of the "Games For May" concert performed at the Queen Elizabeth Hall on May 12th 1967, while Dallas says that "Emily" was performed April 29th at the 14 Hour Technicolor Dream in Aid of the International Times. Mick Schaffner's book states that "Emily" was in real life the daughter of Lord Kennet (Wayland Young) who was well known to the UFO club crowd. Schaffner also reports that David Gilmour, who was coincidentally at the session with his band Joker's Wild, first noticed Syd's mental decline (during the "See Emily Play" sessions.) Released on June 16th, 1967, it charted number 6 in the UK and 134 in the US.
Emily tries but misunderstands
She's often inclined to borrow somebody's dreams till tomorrow
There is no other day
Let's try it another way
You'll lose your mind and play
Free games for may
See Emily play
Soon after dark Emily cries
Gazing through trees in sorrow hardly a sound till tomorrow
There is no other day
Let's try it another way
You'll lose your mind and play
Free games for may
See Emily play
Put on a gown that touches the ground
Float on a river forever and ever, Emily
There is no other day
Let's try it another way
You'll lose your mind and play
Free games for may
See Emily play
