4 of the Late Great Syd Barrett’s Favorite Songs

Pink Floyd’s Syd Barrett was a legend, and he was pretty forthright about the songs and artists that influenced him as a musician. Let’s take a quick look at just four of Syd Barrett’s favorite songs, according to the singer/songwriter himself.

1. “A Little Piece Of Leather” by Gene Latter

Syd Barrett once reviewed “A Little Piece Of Leather” by Gene Latter back in 1967, and it’s clear that it was one of his favorites. He noted that it was a great piece of work to come out of the soul scene, that people will “go on digging” it, and that it was an all-embracing feel-good hit.

2. “Love You Till Tuesday” by David Bowie

We know very little about Syd Barrett’s favorite songs, but we do know that he wrote a very pleasant review of “Love You Till Tuesday” by David Bowie back in the late 1960s. He reviewed the song with his telltale peculiarity that some might mistake as sarcasm. However, we think Barrett was at least kind of a fan. Bowie was a fan of Barrett as well.

“I think people will like the bit about it being Monday when in fact it was Tuesday,” said Barret in his review of the song. “Very chirpy but I don’t think my toes were tapping at all.”

3. “The Sunday Song” by Alex Harvey Band

Back in the old days, The Sensational Alex Harvey Band was once, quite simply, Alex Harvey Band. Barrett had his criticisms of the song… or at least it seems like he did, though he covered it with the kind of glitter you’d expect from a bonafide fan.

“Lots of drums but it avoids being cluttered,” Barrett once said in his review of “The Sunday Song” from 1967. “Is it English? Maybe it’s one of those young groups like Johns Children. It moved me a little bit but I don’t think it will be a big hit. Very snappy.”

4. “Bob Dylan’s Blues” by Bob Dylan

Bob Dylan is considered one of Barrett’s biggest influences, and it surely makes sense why. Barrett was quite a songwriter, so it only makes sense that he’d look up to one of the best of the best. He even wrote the song “Bob Dylan Blues” back in 1965, a clear homage to the original song of the same (or rather, similar) name. Barrett’s song was unreleased for decades until David Gilmour found and released it in 2001.

Photo by Chris Walter

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