“It was one of my first songs of Pink Floyd, and one of my first compositions,” explains Roger Waters. Most importantly, according to Peter Jenner it was “…the first song that Roger wrote that stood up against Syd’s songs, which was significant at the time.” Waters wrote “Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun” in autumn 1967. He took its title not from a poem by William S. Burroughs, as is often supposed, but from The Fireclown (1965), the fourth novel by the great science fiction writer Michael Moorcock. “'Set the Controls' is about an unknown person who, while piloting a mighty flying saucer, is overcome with solar suicidal tendencies and sets the controls for the heart of the sun,” explains Roger Waters. Musically, it was his first great classic, although he may well have spent several months wondering whether to play it to the other members of the group.
“It was one of my first songs of Pink Floyd, and one of my first compositions,” explains Roger Waters. Most importantly, according to Peter Jenner it was “…the first song that Roger wrote that stood up against Syd’s songs, which was significant at the time.” Waters wrote “Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun” in autumn 1967. He took its title not from a poem by William S. Burroughs, as is often supposed, but from The Fireclown (1965), the fourth novel by the
great science fiction writer Michael Moorcock. “'Set the Controls' is about an unknown person who, while piloting a mighty flying saucer, is overcome with solar suicidal tendencies and sets the controls for the heart of the sun,” explains Roger Waters. Musically, it was his first great classic, although he may well have spent several months wondering whether to play it to
the other members of the group.
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