Free Four

"Free Four"
"Free Four"
	Cover of the 1972 Italy single
Single by Pink Floyd
from the album Obscured by Clouds
B-side	"Stay"; "The Gold It's in The...";
Released	10 July 1972
Recorded	February–March 1972; Strawberry Studios, France;
Genre	Folk rock
Length	4:15
Label	Harvest
Songwriter	Roger Waters
Producer	Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd singles chronology

"Free Four" is a song by the English rock band Pink Floyd, written by Roger Waters and released on the band's 1972 album Obscured by Clouds.^[2]^[3]

Recording and lyrics

The song begins with a rock and roll count-in, but in this case Pink Floyd decided to play with words and record, "One, Two, Free Four!" The song deals with reflection of one's life, the "evils" of the record industry, and also makes a reference to Roger Waters' father who was killed in World War 2.^[4] The music begins in an upbeat manner, while the lyrics tell a very cynical and somewhat depressing story. "Free Four" was released as a single in the U.S. in 1972 but did not chart. The song charted at number 29 in the Netherlands and 35 in Wallonia (Belgium).

Cashbox reviewed the single saying "Would you believe a happy song about death?"^[5] Record World said that it "is not only musically excellent but also accessible and commercial enough to hit as a single."^[6]

Track listing

American release
No.	Title	Length
1.	"Free Four"	3:30
2.	"Stay"	3:58
Total length:		7:28

Italian release
No.	Title	Length
1.	"Free Four"	4:07
2.	"The Gold It's in The..."	3:01
Total length:		7:08

German release
No.	Title	Length
1.	"Free Four"	4:08
2.	"The Gold It's in The..."	3:01
Total length:		7:09

Personnel

David Gilmour – acoustic and electric guitars, handclapping
Nick Mason – drums, tambourine, handclapping
Roger Waters – double-tracked lead vocals, backing vocals, bass
Richard Wright – EMS VCS 3

References

^ Wawzenek, Bryan (4 September 2018). "All 167 Pink Floyd Songs Ranked Worst to Best". Ultimate Classic Rock. Retrieved 28 February 2021.
^ Strong, Martin C. (2004). The Great Rock Discography (7th ed.). Edinburgh: Canongate Books. p. 1177. ISBN 1-84195-551-5.
^ Mabbett, Andy (1995). The Complete Guide to the Music of Pink Floyd. London: Omnibus Press. ISBN 0-7119-4301-X.
^ Manning, Toby (2006). "The Albums". The Rough Guide to Pink Floyd (1st ed.). London: Rough Guides. p. 165. ISBN 1-84353-575-0.
^ "CashBox Record Reviews" (PDF). Cashbox. 15 July 1972. p. 20. Retrieved 11 December 2021.
^ "Hits of the Week" (PDF). Record World. 15 July 1972. p. 1. Retrieved 30 March 2023.

https://www.ultratop.be/fr/song/9bfe/Pink-Floyd-Free-Four https://dutchcharts.nl/showitem.asp?interpret=Pink+Floyd&titel=Free+Four&cat=s

External links

AMG song review

[1] Wawzenek, Bryan (4 September 2018). "All 167 Pink Floyd Songs Ranked Worst to Best". Ultimate Classic Rock. Retrieved 28 February 2021.

[fXSLG-2] Strong, Martin C. (2004). The Great Rock Discography (7th ed.). Edinburgh: Canongate Books. p. 1177. ISBN 1-84195-551-5.

[cmOUW-3] Mabbett, Andy (1995). The Complete Guide to the Music of Pink Floyd. London: Omnibus Press. ISBN 0-7119-4301-X.

[toby165-4] Manning, Toby (2006). "The Albums". The Rough Guide to Pink Floyd (1st ed.). London: Rough Guides. p. 165. ISBN 1-84353-575-0.

[5] "CashBox Record Reviews" (PDF). Cashbox. 15 July 1972. p. 20. Retrieved 11 December 2021.

[rw-6] "Hits of the Week" (PDF). Record World. 15 July 1972. p. 1. Retrieved 30 March 2023.

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v t e Obscured by Clouds
Songs	"Burning Bridges" "Wot's... Uh the Deal?" "Childhood's End" "Free Four"
Related articles	La Vallée

v t e Pink Floyd songs
Discography Songs
The Piper at the Gates of Dawn	"Astronomy Domine" "Lucifer Sam" "Matilda Mother" "Flaming" "Pow R. Toc H." "Interstellar Overdrive" "The Gnome" "Chapter 24" "The Scarecrow" "Bike" "See Emily Play" (U.S.)
A Saucerful of Secrets	"Let There Be More Light" "Remember a Day" "Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun" "Corporal Clegg" "A Saucerful of Secrets" "See-Saw" "Jugband Blues"
More	"Cirrus Minor" "The Nile Song" "Green Is the Colour" "Cymbaline"
Ummagumma	"Grantchester Meadows" "Several Species of Small Furry Animals Gathered Together in a Cave and Grooving with a Pict" "The Narrow Way"
Atom Heart Mother	"Atom Heart Mother" "If" "Summer '68" "Fat Old Sun" "Alan's Psychedelic Breakfast"
Meddle	"One of These Days" "A Pillow of Winds" "Fearless" "San Tropez" "Seamus" "Echoes"
Obscured by Clouds	"Burning Bridges" "Wot's... Uh the Deal?" "Childhood's End" "Free Four"
The Dark Side of the Moon	"Speak to Me" "Breathe (In the Air)" "On the Run" "Time" "The Great Gig in the Sky" "Money" "Us and Them" "Any Colour You Like" "Brain Damage" "Eclipse"
Wish You Were Here	"Shine On You Crazy Diamond" "Welcome to the Machine" "Have a Cigar" "Wish You Were Here"
Animals	"Pigs on the Wing (Part One)" "Dogs" "Pigs (Three Different Ones)" "Sheep"
The Wall	"In the Flesh?/In the Flesh" "The Thin Ice" "Another Brick in the Wall" "The Happiest Days of Our Lives" "Mother" "Goodbye Blue Sky" "Empty Spaces" "Young Lust" "One of My Turns" "Don't Leave Me Now" "Hey You" "Is There Anybody Out There?" "Nobody Home" "Vera" "Bring the Boys Back Home" "Comfortably Numb" "The Show Must Go On" "Run Like Hell" "Waiting for the Worms" "Stop" "The Trial" "Outside the Wall"
The Final Cut	"The Post War Dream" "Your Possible Pasts" "One of the Few" "The Hero's Return" "The Gunner's Dream" "Paranoid Eyes" "The Fletcher Memorial Home" "Southampton Dock" "The Final Cut" "Not Now John" "Two Suns in the Sunset"
A Momentary Lapse of Reason	"Signs of Life" "Learning to Fly" "The Dogs of War" "One Slip" "On the Turning Away" "Yet Another Movie" "Round and Around" "A New Machine" "Terminal Frost" "Sorrow"
The Division Bell	"Cluster One" "What Do You Want from Me" "Poles Apart" "Marooned" "A Great Day for Freedom" "Wearing the Inside Out" "Take It Back" "Coming Back to Life" "Keep Talking" "Lost for Words" "High Hopes"
The Endless River	"Louder than Words"
Other songs	"Arnold Layne" / "Candy and a Currant Bun" "See Emily Play" "Apple and Oranges" / "Paint Box" "It Would Be So Nice" / "Julia Dream" "Point Me at the Sky" / "Careful with That Axe, Eugene" "Embryo" "When the Tigers Broke Free" "The Last Few Bricks" "Lucy Leave" "I'm a King Bee" "Vegetable Man" "Scream Thy Last Scream" "Hey, Hey, Rise Up!"