I’m a King Bee (1965: studio session - unreleased 7" acetate)

~ Recording by Pink Floyd

Annotation

First recordings from Pink Floyd. Appears on many bootleg compilations alongside Lucy Leave.

Some bootlegs incorrectly credit this to "Screaming Abdabs" or "Architectural Abdabs". According to most biographies Syd had come up with the "Pink Floyd" name before this recording session in 1965.

Nick Mason's biography, Inside Out gives the date as "Around Christmas 1964". Recorded at Decca Studios, West Hampstead. All other sources take this into 1965, including official CD releases. Assume the "around" date is likely to mean "New Year 1965".

Most other sources have this as May 1965 and some October 1965 (not possible as Klose left in the summer) and an EMIdisc acetate, credited to early 1966

Bootleg zone notes:
"I'm a King Bee" was written by blues musician Slim Harpo and was recorded by Pink Floyd in late 1965 by the original line-up: Barrett, Klose, Waters, Wright and Mason. This song was released in 1996 on a two track mini-CD that came bundled with an Italian, now-withdrawn, 96-page book "A Fish Out of Water" (not to be confused with the children's book of the same name).

http://www.bootlegzone.com/songxref.php?sid=11317

Annotation last modified on 2021-09-05 11:55 UTC.

Appears on releases

#TitleLengthTrack ArtistRelease TitleRelease ArtistRelease Group TypeCountry/DateLabelCatalog#
Official
1.2(I'm a) King Bee3:07Architectural AbdabsA Fish Out of WaterSyd BarrettSingle
Sonic BookSB2, SONIC.002
2.3I’m a King Bee3:07Pink Floyd1965: Their First RecordingsPink FloydEP
  • XE2015-11-27
  • GB2015-11-27
Parlophone0825646018611
1.3I’m a King Bee3:11Pink Floyd1965: Their First RecordingsPink FloydEP
  • GB2015-12-25
Parlophone
1.6I’m a King Bee3:14Pink FloydThe Early Years: 1965–1972Pink FloydAlbum + Compilation
  • GB2016-11-11
Pink Floyd Records0190295950255, PFREYB1
1.6I’m a King Bee3:14Pink FloydThe Early Years: 1965–1972Pink FloydAlbum + Compilation
  • US2016-11-11
Pink Floyd Records88985361952
1.6I’m a King Bee3:14Pink FloydThe Early Years: 1965–1967: Cambridge St/ationPink FloydAlbum + Compilation
Pink Floyd RecordsG010003683967X
1.6I’m a King Bee3:13Pink FloydThe Early Years: 1965–1967: Cambridge St/ationPink FloydAlbum + Compilation
Pink Floyd RecordsG010003683967X
1.6I’m a King Bee3:14Pink FloydThe Early Years: 1965–1967: Cambridge St/ationPink FloydAlbum + Compilation
  • XE2017-03-24
Pink Floyd RecordsPFREY1
1.6I’m a King Bee3:13Pink FloydThe Early Years: 1965–1967: Cambridge St/ationPink FloydAlbum + Compilation
Pink Floyd RecordsG010003683967X
1.6I’m a King Bee3:14Pink FloydThe Early Years: 1965–1967: Cambridge St/ationPink FloydAlbum + Compilation
Pink Floyd RecordsG010003683967X
1.6I’m a King Bee3:14Pink FloydThe Early Years: 1965–1967: Cambridge St/ationPink FloydAlbum + Compilation
Pink Floyd RecordsG010003683967X
1.6I’m a King Bee3:14Pink FloydThe Early Years: 1965–1967: Cambridge St/ationPink FloydAlbum + Compilation
Pink Floyd Records
1.6I’m a King Bee3:14Pink FloydThe Early Years: 1965–1967: Cambridge St/ationPink FloydAlbum + Compilation
Pink Floyd Records
1.6I’m a King Bee3:14Pink FloydThe Early Years: 1965–1967: Cambridge St/ationPink FloydAlbum + Compilation
Pink Floyd RecordsG010003683967X
Bootleg
1.2I'm a Kingbee2:59Pink FloydA Saucerful of OuttakesPink FloydAlbum + Compilation
  • -1992
Chapter One (Chapter One Digital Recordings (cat no. CO #####))CO 25195
1.2King Bee3:07Pink FloydMagnesium ProverbsSyd BarrettAlbum + Compilation
Gold Standard (bootlegs)SD-10
1.14King Bee3:05Pink FloydJewel Box 4: Rare Live & UnreleasedPink FloydAlbum + Compilation
Home Records (Italian bootleg label)HR-5947-3
1.2I’m a King Bee (unreleased 7″ acetate)3:04Pink FloydA Tree Full of SecretsPink FloydAlbum + Compilation
Cochon Production
1.2King Bee3:08Pink FloydAnthology IPink FloydAlbum + Compilation
Highland (bootleg label)HL274/75
1.2King Bee3:07Pink FloydGames for May (Numbered)Pink FloydAlbum + Compilation
Bedrock Records (no trance, house or techno)none
1.2King Bee3:04Pink FloydDawn of the PiperPink FloydAlbum + Compilation
  • -2000-02-13
HarvestedHRV CDR 018
1.1I’m a King Bee (session from 1965)3:01Pink FloydEarly Flights, Volume 1Pink FloydAlbum + Compilation
Euro BootsEB-58
1.1I’m a King Bee?:??Pink FloydArchives, 1966-1972 - Ultra Rare Trax Volume 3Pink FloydAlbum + Compilation
Aziя RecordsAZCD 0140
1.2King Bee3:03Pink FloydDawn of the Piper (Revision A)Pink FloydAlbum + Compilation
  • -2005-09-04
HarvestedHRV CDR 018
1.2I’m a King Bee (unreleased 7″ acetate)?:??Pink FloydRarities “The Tree Full of Secrets”Pink FloydAlbum + Compilation
  • -2005
Cochon Production
1.7I’m a King Bee2:59Pink FloydI Know a Room Full of Musical TunesPink FloydAlbum + Live
  • -2006
Capitol (1990s German bootleg label)
1.2I’m a King Bee (demo)3:05Pink FloydThe Syd Barrett TapesPink FloydAlbum + Compilation
  • -2013
1.2I’m a King Bee (demo)?:??Pink FloydThe Syd Barrett TapesPink FloydAlbum + Compilation
IME Records12-19-4
3.3I’m a King Bee (mono acetate)3:07Pink FloydThe Piper at the Gates of Dawn: High Resolution RemastersPink FloydAlbum
Stethoscope Records & TapesSTR567
1.2King Bee (acetate)3:06Pink FloydHave You Got It Yet?Syd BarrettAlbum + Compilation
1.2King Bee (acetate)3:06Pink FloydHave You Got It Yet?Syd BarrettAlbum + Compilation
1.2I'm a King Bee2:59Pink FloydInterstellar Overdrive: The Alternate Masters '66-'68Pink FloydAlbum + Compilation
1.12I’m a King Bee3:01The Screaming AbdabsLucy Leave & Other RaritiesSyd BarrettAlbum + Compilation
Diamonds in Your EarDIYE 16
1.2I’m a King Bee (unreleased blues‐cover)?:??Pink FloydOriginal Radio, TV & Studio Sessions 1965–1968Pink FloydAlbum + Compilation + Live
[no label] (Special purpose label – white labels, self-published releases and other “no label” releases)PF-6568
1.2King Bee?:??Pink FloydPsychedelic Games for MayPink FloydAlbum + Live
1.2King Bee3:11Pink FloydPsychedelic Games for MayPink FloydAlbum + Live
snap-01
1.2King Bee3:05Pink FloydRaritiesPink FloydAlbum + Compilation
1.6I’m a King Bee (mono)3:14Pink FloydThe Complete Early Years: 1965–1967: Cambridge St/ationPink FloydAlbum + Compilation

Relationships

producer:Pink Floyd
drums (drum set):Nick Mason (of Pink Floyd) (in 1965)
electric bass guitar:Roger Waters (in 1965)
electric guitar and lead vocals:Syd Barrett (in 1965)
harmonica:Rado Klose (in 1965)
keyboard:Richard Wright (Pink Floyd keyboardist) (in 1965)
phonographic copyright (℗) by:Pink Floyd Music Ltd. (in 2015)
recorded at:Decca Studios in West Hampstead, Camden, London (Greater London), England, United Kingdom (in 1965)
stream for free:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1HR4GOlUdSk [info]
recording of:I’m a King Bee (in 1965: cover)

Related works

I’m a King Bee

lyricist and composer:James H. Moore (aka Slim Harpo)
publisher:Campbell Connelly & Co.
Embassy Music Corporation