Comments on Albatross
 

So I was thinking yesterday here's a hardcore blues guy in Peter Green that comes up with something that's a total departure from his normal MO, and it's absolutely brilliant! The best instrumental I've ever heard. What a genius!:cool:

Albatross was the (I was going to say song but that's not right) piece of music that got me into FM in the first place.

The BBC used it on a sports programme (slow motion action of hurdlers) and when they said it was FM I was astounded! As you say a hardore bluesman like Peter comes up with such a wonderful instrumental. Apparently he wrote it when he was on a plane.

After that I got the original Greatest Hits for Christmas, found out the band hand changed somewhat, saw them play live in '73 and bought Penguin and the rest as they say is history. They then had the dubious honour of being "my band"

Gail

PS I haven't listened to it in a long time - I must put that right this evening.

A fun thing to do is listen to "Albatross", then put on the Beatles' "Sun King". Shame on you John & George! :laugh:

Hey, I feel fine, but you'd better watch your step! :laugh:

Even more fun is listening to Santo & Johnny's "Sleepwalk" then "Albatross."

Why did Peter name it Albatross, with its obvious Romantic-era parallels to Coleridge, De Quincy, Shelley & Holderlin?

I hear more of a similarity in the Beatles' tune. I've always thought the comparison between "Albatross" & "Sleepwalk" wasn't accurate.

Parts of Pink Floyd "Echoes" reminds me of Albatross...been listening to Peter's versions from the Frankfurt 84', and Splinter group 02', always a great musical piece.

Nope. Traffic had a huge hit in Europe with the Dave Mason-penned tune "Hole In My Shoe," which had a section where this little girl was talking, saying "I flew on the back of a giant albatross." That's where Peter got the name. See, it all comes full circle!

Does Hoelderlin have an albatross poem?

How about Baudelaire? Peter was probably into the whole "tortured artist" thing by the time he wrote his "Albatross."

Which of course opens with "Overhead the albatross..."

- and then later includes the line "inciting and inviting me...", potentially a reference to The Beatles' Across The Universe.

:sorry: "Hole In My Shoe" was released long after Peter wrote "Albatross". So I guess it's where Dave Mason got the name....
Cheers

"Hole In My Shoe" was recorded during the sessions for Traffic's first album in 1967. "Albatross" was written in 1968.

I'd say Peter got the title from the bird itself, no reason to read any more into it than that.

Speaking of Albatross, any of you hear the cover by B-Tribe?
It appears on Suave, Suave and it fits perfectly to the style of that particular album.