Corporal Clegg by Pink Floyd

Album: A Saucerful Of Secrets (1968)

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Songfacts®:

This song is about a soldier who lost his leg in World War II, and his apparently alcoholic wife. It is the first mention of war in a Pink Floyd song. >>>
Suggestion credit:
adri - zadar, Croatia
Pink Floyd drummer Nick Mason sang the lines, "He won it in the war... in orange red and blue... he's never been the same... and from her majesty the queen." It was Mason's only vocal contribution until Pink Floyd's sixth album, Meddle, in 1971.
The title "Corporal Clegg" was chosen as a reference to Thaddeus Von Clegg, the inventor of the kazoo, hence the section where kazoos are played. >>>
Suggestion credit:
alex - Dublin, Ireland
Roger Waters told Mojo magazine December 2009 that this song is autobiographical. He explained: "Corporal Clegg is about my father and his sacrifice in World War II. It's somewhat sarcastic - the idea of the wooden leg being something you won in the war, like a trophy."

Comments: 11

Nick from NetherlandsIt definitely is Nick Singing....
Jason from Las Angeles, CaLeave it to PiNK FLOyD to catch you off guard with the kazoos.
Terry from Wickford, RiCouple of things here....aside from One of These Days, Nick's voice appears on the unreleased "Scream Thy last Scream", not Clegg or Vegetable Man. And I'm surprised that the footage of Roger and David fighting has never been used for journalistic propaganda before. Brilliant!
Harry from South Bend, InAt the end of the song, you can hear the band break into laughter, during one of the "Corporal Clegg" phrases during the kazoo solo. As soon as I heard this, I just broke into laughter as well.

Amazing chord structure. It's just something I come back to whenever I'm listening to Pink Floyd.
Oldpink from New Castle, Inbtw...anyone wanting to hear the only example of Nick singing on a Floyd song must dig up the unreleased studio version of the song "Vegetable Man."
Oldpink from New Castle, InActually, the statement about Nick Mason singing is inaccurate.
The lines credited to Nick were actually sung by Roger.
It's a great song, albeit jarring and not for the faint of heart.
It is also definitely Roger's first foray into political commentary.
Paul from London"...and his apparently alcoholic wife."

I thought Mrs Clegg was his mother. Now I'm not sure.
Mentor from Cambridge, EnglandLove the psychedelic sound of this song...
Leah from Lebanon, OrI have to say when I first heard this song I didn't really like it... but as I am figuring out, old Floyd has to grow on you.
Shelby from Idiotville , Kyas usual, great lyrics
Shelby from Idiotville , Kynever heard this...but it has to be good. =]

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