"Careful with That Axe, Eugene" is an instrumental piece by the British rock bandPink Floyd. The studio recording, featured on the Relicscompilation album, was originally released in mono in 1968 as the B-side of the group's single "Point Me at the Sky"; live versions can also be found on various releases. Pink Floyd re-recorded the track for Italian director Michelangelo Antonioni's filmZabriskie Point, retitling it "Come In Number 51, Your Time Is Up" on the film's soundtrack album. The song was one of several to be considered for the band's "best of" album, , but it was left off that compilation. It was included on the multi-artist Harvest compilation, A Breath of Fresh Air – A Harvest Records Anthology 1969–1974 in 2007.
Composition
The music consists of a light, organ-based jam, with Richard Wright using the Phrygian mode and an accompanying bass guitar playing just one tone in octaves, with a segue into the song's only lyrics: the title of the song whispered; followed by Roger Waters' scream. The song becomes much louder and more intense before gradually settling down again. In the heavier parts and later, quieter parts, David Gilmour can be heard with guitar and scat vocals; in concert, Gilmour would often sing along with his guitar line. For the soundtrack to the film The Committee, recorded in early 1968, one piece has the band playing a long instrumental featuring a very similar riff to this song. In the re-recording made for Zabriskie Point, retitled "Come In Number 51, Your Time Is Up", whispering and a choir were added. Gilmour and Waters provided the vocals, and Waters' screaming is noticeably louder. It is a complete instrumental; unlike the original "Careful with That Axe, Eugene", "Come in Number 51, Your Time Is Up" does not feature the spoken words "Careful with that axe, Eugene", and is in the key of E minor instead of the original D minor. In the film, it plays at the end during an explosion sequence filmed in slow motion. In the booklet of the soundtrack's reissue, David Fricke writes: "'Come In Number 51, Your Time Is Up' is a cryptically titled remake of the Floyd's volcanic 1968 B-side 'Careful With That Axe, Eugene.' But its bonfire sound—all roaring guitars, crashing drums, and death-throe screaming—is the perfect complement to the movie's cataclysmic finish." The name "Come In Number 51, Your Time is Up" was a surrealistic line by comedian Spike Milligan shouted through a megaphone as part of his act in the BBC TV show Q5. Milligan's phrase, and means of delivery, was based on the type of command issued on boating lakes to individual boat renters to return to shore because their hourly rental period had expired. Yet another wholly instrumental remake was attempted during the Zabriskie Point sessions, and was eventually released as "Explosion" on The Early Years 1965–1972 box in 2016, as part of the 1970: Devi/ation volume.
Live history
Pink Floyd performed the song frequently in concert from 1968 to 1973 in progressively slower and alternative formats, and once at the Oakland Coliseum in 1977. An embryonic form was performed as early as 31 May 1968, under the original title of "Keep Smiling People", and another version was recorded on 25 June 1968 at the BBC Piccadilly Studios and broadcast on John Peel's Top Gearradio programme on 11 August 1968 with the title "Murderotic Woman", later re-titled "Murderistic Woman". A version was recorded live in May 1969 for the Ummagumma live disc. This version is considerably longer than its studio counterpart, as well as having the organ parts played on Wright's Farfisa Compact Duo rather than a Hammond. Footage also exists of the group performing the song live in Australia on GTK. The song was also played on their 1969 The Man and The Journey Tour, under the name "Beset by Creatures of the Deep". The live renditions on a whole were much slower, with the piece gradually building in intensity before a drum fill signaled Waters' screams. In the version recorded for 'Ummagumma' the scream cues in the drum roll.
Release history
"Careful with That Axe, Eugene" was often performed under different titles and of varying durations. Until the release of The Early Years 1965–1972 only three versions had been officially released while many other versions were available on bootlegs. "Careful with That Axe, Eugene" has been released on the following releases: Audio only:
"Point Me at the Sky" single, B-side of the single; mono
Relics, single version; stereo remix
Ummagumma, a live rendition of the track
Zabriskie Point, a re-working for the film soundtrack, re-titled "Come in Number 51, Your Time Is Up"
The Early Years 1965–1972 – various versions, see below
* Volume 2 – 1968: Germin/ation, appears as the single version and a BBC session under the title "Murderotic Woman"
* Volume 3 – 1969: Dramatis/ation, appears as live renditions from a BBC session, 'Live at the Paradiso' and as part of The Man and The Journey under the title "Beset by Creatures of the Deep"
* Volume 4 – 1970: Devi/ation, appears as live renditions from a BBC session and as a re-working for the Zabriskie Point soundtrack under the title "Explosion"
* Volume 6 – 1972: Obfusc/ation, appears on the ' CD. Two versions appear on this CD – the original and another titled "Careful with That Axe, Eugene ".
Creation – The Early Years 1967–1972, a 2 CD compilation to promote the 'Early Years' box set, the track appears as the single version and from a BBC session.
The Early Years 1965–1972 – various versions, see below
* Volume 3 – 1969: Dramatis/ation, The Man and The Journey: Royal Festival Hall, London, rehearsal re-titled as "Beset by Creatures of the Deep"; Essencer Pop & Blues Festival and Music Power & European Music Revolution, Festival Actuel Amougies Mont de L'Enclus
* Volume 4 – 1970: Devi/ation, An Hour with Pink Floyd: KQED and Pop Deux Festival de St. Tropez
* Volume 5 – 1971: Reverber/ation, Get To Know’ Randwick Race Course
* Volume 6 – 1972: Obfusc/ation,
' and Live at Brighton Dome
* Volume 7 – 1967–1972: Continu/ation, The Amsterdam Rock Circus
