"Atom Heart Mother" is a six-part suite by progressive rock band Pink Floyd, composed by the whole band and Ron Geesin. It appeared on their Atom Heart Mother album in 1970, taking up a whole side of the record. It is Pink Floyd's longest un-split epic, clocking in at 23 minutes and 44 seconds, beating "Echoes" by 11 seconds, and the second longest Pink Floyd song ever recorded, after the nine parts of the suite "Shine On You Crazy Diamond". Some live concert versions have gone on for as long as a half hour.
According to Nick Mason, the drum and bass parts for the entire suite were recorded in one take, thus the wavering tempo in the song[1]. The only main argument regarding the song is at what time each part starts.
[edit] Father's Shout (0:00 - 5:25)
Opening with a low keyboard note, a brass section swoops in, creating a dramatic effect. The brass and drums play for a minute or two, before the music calms down into a cello and electric bass and organ solo. This is followed by a reverberating slide guitar solo.
[edit] Breast Milky (5:25 - 10:12)
Picking up directly after the last note of the guitar solo, this is a five-minute choir piece, backed by Wright's organ and Mason's drums.
[edit] Mother Fore (10:12 - 15:32)
A simple band jam session, somewhat similar to the one on "Echoes" and to The Dark Side of the Moon's "Any Colour You Like". This also contains the second, and much bluesier guitar solo, which quietens into an interesting chanting piece by the choir. Some of the chanting sounds distantly like "Tea, toast, coffee, yeah" and "Sa sa sa sa sa sausage rrrrrrrroast beef", possibly alluding to the album closer "Alan's Psychedelic Breakfast," though this is likely only a fanciful interpretation. The song then slowly builds to another brass and drums section.
[edit] Funky Dung (15:32 - 17:43)
The first of the two 'noise' pieces of the song, this is essentially a lot of high-pitched noises. A distorted voice (Alan Parsons, the recording engineer[citation needed]) says "Here is a loud announcement!" about 10 seconds before the next section starts. The basic melody of this particular section was a modification of a slightly earlier work from the band's Zabriskie Point sessions.
[edit] Mind Your Throats, Please (17:43 - 19:49)
This is another 'noise' piece, but uses various instruments fading in and out, many of which are recognizable from earlier in the suite. The same brass part that opens the piece is heard over this section, culminating with Parson's[citation needed] distorted voice shouting, "Silence in the studio!" before exploding into yet another brass and drums section, which then quietens into the next section. Also, this section features a Leslie speaker used on a piano, an effect that is also used in Echoes.
[edit] Remergence (19:49 - 23:43)
A reprise of the cello solo, followed by a double layered guitar section reminiscent of the first slide solo. This all leads into a climactic ending with everything playing, and the choir singing, ending with a very long note from the choir and brass.
