I think much like another song “Anti-Matter” (that's also on the same album as this song), this one is also is inspired by a horrifying van crash the band experienced on Nov 3, 2022. This, much like the other track, sounds like it's an extension what they shared while huddled in the wreckage, as they helped frontman Garrett Russell stem the bleeding from his head wound while he was under the temporary effects of a concussion. The track speaks of where the mind goes at the most desperate & desolate of times, when it just about slips away to all but disconnect itself, and the aftermath.
Emily tries but misunderstands, ah ooh
She 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, ah ooh
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, ah ooh
Float on a river forever and ever, Emily BR
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
She 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, ah ooh
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, ah ooh
Float on a river forever and ever, Emily BR
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
Lyrics submitted by Demau Senae
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I think pasqualalalala is right. It sounds too gloomy to be another drug song. It makes sense as the confused girl story. I'm not trying to sound off on you guys, but I've been reading some of the other posts for the other Syd songs, and it seems like people has this completely skewed image of Syd as some drugged out reject who writes every song about doing drugs, or that he just writes a bunch of gibberish. That is completely not true. Maybe people think it's gibberish because they can't understand the meanings, but I have been able to figure out most of what I've heard from him (though I mostly just listen to Piper cuz that's my favorite Floyd album). The only gibberish song he's made is the words song, which somebody explains on its interp page. Well, maybe that's not the only one. I'm just saying people should give Syd a little more credit. :)
@steve82c Well put!
@steve82c It is way simler and much more mundane: <br /> <br /> Emily is Emily Young, the sculptor. She was an acquaintance of Syd Barret.<br /> <br /> And Free Games for May was a concert (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Games_for_May)<br /> <br /> I am not sure if the song is teasing Emily or dissing her. And "Play" is for playing music not playing games.<br /> <br /> Besides of the fact that this "Games of May" was a concert I have no idea who played / acted, but it's safe to assume that Emily Young was performing with a band or solo. <br /> She seems to have messed up and had issues with the sound and got very angry.<br /> <br /> The firs verse probably means that she wanted to cover some material from somebody (also probably without asking), the second is rather obvious, and the third surely was something that she may have said.<br /> <br /> Thus, pretty mundane. Syd Barret was quite a friend of doing that. For instance "Octupus ride" is about a fairground and with it's attraction, the octopus is one of them.<br /> <br /> Took me some sleuthing :)<br />
Before "Syd" Barrett wrote this song he was in a forest and he saw a girl in the distance, and her name was Emily. That's who Emily is in this song.
No other song can make me quite like this one does... To me its about the despair a child feels. There is no past and there is no future, only the eternal present of existence. This song hauntingly beautiful.
The way I heard the Emily story was that Syd woke up in a forest, not knowing why he was there or how he got there and saw her in the distance between the trees and her name was emily, not really certain if her name was emily or he just thought it was, or maybe it was a hallucination, who knows.
Yes, a bt of an Ophelia is Emily
@Black&GreenAchilles can Emily be mad?
azreal is right the girl used to go to this club that they played at all, the time and she was too young to be there (i think 17 or so) and she would try to fit in and be like everyone but she was still green to it all. "eemily tries, but misunderstands."
also, the song was originally called 'free games for may' after a concert that was held in may in london for free. they ended up getting in trouble because the song was too trippy or whatever the hell margaret thatcher or whoever said (i cant remember exactly who.)
@k3boyle Maggie Thatcher in 1967 ???
syd barrett made up the girl in the woods story to protect a common attender of pink floyd underground rock concerts identity named Emily kentwood or something like that
@azreal what makes You say Kentwood, and not Young? Emily Young was a sculptor who might’ve been the subject of the song. I looked it up and found no Emily Kentwood.
means nothing to me BUT.....i love the line "put on a gown that touches the ground....float on a river forever and ever, emily"
I came up with a crazy theory one night that it could be partially about Syd's anima. Just throwing it out there. Especially because Syd doesn't seem like the type who had an exact meaning consciously worked out for everything he wrote.
I was named after this song... I know this for a fact. I also realize that no one cares... oh well, just thought that I would share.
Dude, I love Your name! I also bloody love the trippy song!