No relation to the Grateful Dead’s ‘Terrapin Station’, this is a song written by Syd Barrett, founder member of Pink Floyd, who was born on 6 January 1946, and thus qualifies for the theme of Song Lyric Sunday this week, which is to feature a song by somebody born in this month.

The reasons for Syd’s departure from Pink Floyd have been well documented: mental instability fuelled in good part by overly enthusiastic ingestion of hallucinogenics. His continuing presence in the band after 1968 was unsustainable, but his importance to the group is well documented in subsequent work by the ‘new’ Floyd – notably ‘Wish You Were Here’ and the mighty ‘Shine On You Crazy Diamond’.

He continued to write, record and perform as a solo artiste for some years. This is the wistful, indeed enigmatic, opening track of perhaps his best-known solo album, ‘The Madcap Laughs’ released in 1970, so right in my wheelhouse.

I really love you and I mean you
The star above you, crystal blue
Well, oh, baby, my hair’s on end about you…
I wouldn’t see you and I love to
I fly above you, yes, I do
Well, oh baby, my hair’s on end about you…

Floating, bumping, noses dodge a tooth
The fins are luminous
Fangs all ’round the clown
Is dark below the boulders hiding all
The sunlight’s good for us
‘Cause we’re the fishes and all we do
The move about is all we do
Well, oh, baby, my hair’s on end about you…

Floating, bumping, noses dodge a tooth
The fins are luminous
Fangs all ’round the clown
Is dark below the boulders hiding all
The sunlight’s good for us
‘Cause we’re the fishes and all we do
The move about is all we do
Well, oh, baby, my hairs on end about you…

I really love you and I mean you
The star above you, crystal blue
Well, oh, baby, my hair’s on end about you…

Written by Roger (Syd) Barrett

Song Lyric Sunday 5 January 2025