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{{Infobox album
| name         = Meddle
| type         = studio
| artist       = [[Pink Floyd]]
| cover        = MeddleCover.jpeg
| alt          = The lower half of a right ear underwater.
| released     = 5 November 1971{{sfn|Povey|2007|p=344}}
| recorded     = 4 January – 11 September 1971<ref>{{cite book |last=Guesdon |first=Jean-Michel |title=Pink Floyd All The Songs |publisher=Running Press |date=2017 |isbn=9780316439237 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rF0RDgAAQBAJ}}</ref>
| studio       = [[AIR Oxford Circus|AIR]], [[Abbey Road Studios|EMI]], and [[Morgan Studios|Morgan]],{{nbsp}}London
| genre        = * [[Progressive rock]]
* [[Psychedelic music|psychedelia]]<ref name= "Stanley 2013">{{cite book|first=Bob |last=Stanley|title=Yeah Yeah Yeah: The Story of Modern Pop|chapter= Progressive Rock (And Simpler Pleasures)|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9emZAAAAQBAJ&pg=PT7|date=13 September 2013|publisher=Faber & Faber|isbn=978-0-571-28198-5|page=366}}</ref>
| length       = {{Duration|m=46|s=47}}
| label        = [[Harvest Records|Harvest]]
| producer     = Pink Floyd
| prev_title   = [[Atom Heart Mother]]
| prev_year    = 1970
| next_title   = [[Obscured by Clouds]]
| next_year    = 1972
| misc         = {{Singles
 | name        =  Meddle
 | type        = studio
 | single1     = [[One of These Days (instrumental)|One of These Days]] / [[Fearless (Pink Floyd song)|Fearless]]
 | single1date = 29 November 1971
}}
}}

'''''Meddle''''' is the sixth studio album by the English rock band [[Pink Floyd]], released by [[Harvest Records]] on 5 November 1971 in the United Kingdom.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Pink Floyd Official Website – History |url=https://www.pinkfloyd.com/history/timeline_1971.php |website=Pink Floyd.com}}</ref> The album was produced between the band's touring commitments, from January to August 1971 at a series of locations around London, including EMI Studios (now [[Abbey Road Studios]]) and [[Morgan Studios]].

With no material to work with and no clear idea of the album's direction, the band devised a series of novel experiments which eventually inspired the album's signature track "[[Echoes (Pink Floyd song)|Echoes]]". Although the band's later albums would be unified by a central theme chosen by [[Roger Waters]], and thematically consistent lyrics written entirely by Waters, ''Meddle'' was a group effort with Waters contributing primarily to the lyrics and the bass. It is considered a transitional album between the [[Syd Barrett]]-influenced group of the 1960s and the Waters-led era of the 1970s.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/music/reviews/wnbd |title=Review of Pink Floyd&nbsp;– Meddle |publisher=BBC Music |access-date=5 August 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120816063435/http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/reviews/wnbd |archive-date=2012-08-16 }}</ref>  

As with several previous albums, the cover was designed by [[Hipgnosis]], and has been explained by its creator [[Storm Thorgerson]] – who was unhappy with the final result – to be an ear underwater. The album was well received by critics upon its release, and was commercially successful in the United Kingdom, but lacklustre publicity on the part of the band's American label [[Capitol Records]] led to poor sales in the US upon initial release.

==Recording==
Returning from a series of tours across America and England in support of ''[[Atom Heart Mother]]'', at the start of 1971 [[Pink Floyd]] commenced work on new material at EMI Studios (now [[Abbey Road Studios]]) in London.{{sfn|Mason|2005|pp=152–153}} At the time, EMI was equipped only with eight-track [[multitrack recording]] facilities, which the band found insufficient for the increasing technical demands of their project. They transferred their best efforts, including the opening of what became "[[Echoes (Pink Floyd song)|Echoes]]", to 16-track tape at smaller studios in London (namely [[AIR Oxford Circus|AIR]], and [[Morgan Studios|Morgan]] in [[West Hampstead]]) and resumed work with the advantage of more flexible recording equipment. Engineers [[John Leckie]] and [[Peter Bown]] recorded the main EMI and AIR sessions, while for minor work at Morgan, Rob Black and Roger Quested handled the engineering duties.{{sfn|Mason|2005|p=157}}

Lacking a central theme for the project, the band used several experimental methods in an attempt to spur the creative process. One exercise involved each member playing on a separate track, with no reference to what the other members were doing. The tempo was entirely random while the band played around an agreed chord structure, and moods such as "first two minutes romantic, next two up tempo". Each recorded section was named, but the process was largely unproductive; after several weeks, no complete songs had been created.{{sfn|Mason|2005|p=153}}

Leckie had worked on albums such as [[George Harrison]]'s ''[[All Things Must Pass]]'' and [[Ringo Starr]]'s ''[[Sentimental Journey (Ringo Starr album)|Sentimental Journey]]'' both in 1970, and was employed as a tape-operator on ''Meddle'', partly for his proclivity for working into the early hours of the morning. He has said that Pink Floyd's sessions would often begin in the afternoon, and end early the next morning, "during which time nothing would get done. There was no record company contact whatsoever, except when their label manager would show up now and again with a couple of bottles of wine and a couple of joints."{{sfn|Harris|2006|p=62}} The band would apparently spend long periods of time working on simple sounds, or a particular guitar riff. They also spent several days at AIR attempting to create music using a variety of household objects, a project which would be revisited between their next albums, ''[[The Dark Side of the Moon]]'' (1973) and ''[[Wish You Were Here (Pink Floyd album)|Wish You Were Here]]'' (1975).{{sfn|Harris|2006|pp=63–64}}

Following these early experiments&nbsp;– called ''Nothings''&nbsp;– the band developed ''Son of Nothings'', which was followed by ''Return of the Son of Nothings'' as the working title of the new album, which ultimately evolved into "[[Echoes (Pink Floyd song)|Echoes]]".{{sfn|Mason|2005|p=153}}

''Meddle'' was recorded between the band's various concert commitments, and therefore its production was spread over a considerable period of time.{{sfn|Mason|2005|p=157}} The band recorded in the first half of April 1971, but in the latter half played at [[Doncaster]] and [[Norwich]] before returning to record at the end of the month. In May they split their time between sessions at EMI, and rehearsals and concerts in London, [[Lancaster, Lancashire|Lancaster]], [[Stirling]], Edinburgh, [[Glasgow]] and [[Nottingham]]. June and July were spent mainly performing at venues across Europe.{{sfn|Mason|2005|p=157}}{{sfn|Povey|2007|pp=142–144}} August was spent in the far east and Australia, September in Europe, and October to November in the US.{{sfn|Mason|2005|p=157}} In the same period, the group also produced ''[[Relics (album)|Relics]]'', a compilation album of some of Pink Floyd's earlier works.{{sfn|Mason|2005|p=158}} A mix of the album was prepared at Command Studios on 21 and 26&nbsp;September.{{sfn|Povey|2007|p=148}} New 2016 stereo and 5.1 mixes of the album were inadvertently released as hidden tracks on the ''Reverber/ation'' [[Blu-ray]] disc in ''[[The Early Years 1965–1972]]'' box set.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nme.com/news/pink-floyd-box-set-features-hidden-tracks-1864176|title=Pink Floyd box set features hidden tracks|access-date=21 April 2020|archive-date=15 December 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171215053916/http://www.nme.com/news/pink-floyd-box-set-features-hidden-tracks-1864176|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Writing==
{{listen
 | filename = Pink floyd meddle echoes.ogg 
 | title = "Echoes" 
 | description = First verse of "Echoes"
 | format = [[Ogg]]
}}
Although the tracks possess a variety of moods, ''Meddle'' is generally considered more cohesive than its 1970 predecessor, ''Atom Heart Mother''.{{sfn|Schaffner|1991|p=160}} The largely instrumental "One of These Days" is followed by "[[A Pillow of Winds]]", which is distinguished by being one of the few [[Dynamics (music)|quiet]], [[Steel-string guitar|acoustic]] love songs in the Pink Floyd catalogue. These two songs segue into each other across windy sound effects, anticipating the technique that would later be used on ''Wish You Were Here''. The title of "A Pillow of Winds" was inspired by the games of [[Mahjong]] that [[Roger Waters]], [[Nick Mason]], and their wives [[Judith Trim]] and Lindy Rutter played while in the south of France.{{sfn|Mason|2005|p=156}}

"[[One of These Days (instrumental)|One of These Days]]" was developed around an [[ostinato]] [[bassline]] created by Roger Waters, by feeding the output through a [[Binson]] Echorec. The bassline was performed by Waters and [[David Gilmour]] using two bass guitars, one on old strings. Drummer Nick Mason's abstruse "One of these days I'm going to cut you into little pieces" vocal line was recorded at double speed using a [[falsetto]] voice, and replayed at normal speed.{{sfn|Mason|2005|p=155}}

The song "[[Fearless (Pink Floyd song)|Fearless]]" includes [[field recording]]s of [[Liverpool F.C.#Support|Liverpool F.C. fans]] in the [[Anfield]] [[Spion Kop (stadiums)|Kop]] singing club anthem "[[You'll Never Walk Alone]]", which brings the song to an end in a heavily [[reverb]]erated [[fade-out]]. "[[San Tropez (song)|San Tropez]]", by contrast, is a [[jazz]]-inflected pop song with a [[Swing (jazz performance style)|shuffle tempo]], written by Waters in his increasingly deployed style of breezy, off-the-cuff songwriting. The song was inspired by the band's trip to the south of France in 1970. Pink Floyd uncharacteristically displayed their sense of humour with "[[Seamus (song)|Seamus]]", a pseudo-[[blues]] novelty track featuring [[Steve Marriott]]'s dog Seamus (whom Gilmour was dog-sitting) howling along to the music.{{sfn|Mason|2005|p=156}}{{#tag:ref|"Seamus" was remade as "Mademoiselle Nobs", featuring a different dog and no lyrics, in the film ''[[Pink Floyd: Live at Pompeii]]''.{{sfn|Mason|2005|p=156}}|group="nb"}} Although "Seamus" often tops polls of the worst songs Pink Floyd ever created, the band would use animal sounds again on the 1977 album ''[[Animals (Pink Floyd album)|Animals]]'' (albeit as part of the concept of the album).{{sfn|Schaffner|1991|p=155}}

The final song on the album is the 23-minute "Echoes". First performed as "Return of the Son of Nothing" on 22&nbsp;April 1971 in Norwich,{{sfn|Harris|2006|p=64}} the band spent about three months on the track in three studios (Morgan, AIR and EMI).{{sfn|Guesdon|Margotin|2017|p=287}} "Echoes" began with a studio experiment involving [[Richard Wright (musician)|Richard Wright]]'s piano. Wright had fed a single note through a [[Leslie speaker]], producing a submarine-like [[Sonar#Active sonar|ping]]. The band tried repeatedly to recreate this sound in the studio but were unsuccessful, and so the demo version was used on what would later become "Echoes",{{sfn|Mason|2005|p=153}} mixed almost exclusively at AIR Studios.{{sfn|Mabbett|1995|p=42}} Combined with David Gilmour's guitar, the band were able to develop the track further, experimenting with accidental [[audio signal processing|sound effects]], such as Gilmour's guitar being plugged into a [[wah-wah pedal]] back to front (connecting the guitar to the pedal's output and the pedal's input to the amplifier), an effect they used live from 1970 for the central section of “[[Embryo (Pink Floyd song)|Embryo]]”. Unlike with ''Atom Heart Mother'', the new multi-track capabilities of the studio enabled them to create the track in stages, rather than performing it in a single take. The final, 23-minute piece would eventually take up the entire second side of the album.{{sfn|Mason|2005|pp=153–154}}

"Echoes" also gave its name to the 2001 compilation album ''[[Echoes: The Best of Pink Floyd]]'', on which a much-edited version of the title track was included. On the compilation, multiple edits throughout the entire song cut the running length of the piece down by some seven minutes. Some of the material composed during the creation of ''Meddle'' was not used; however, one song would eventually become "[[Brain Damage (Pink Floyd song)|Brain Damage]]", on ''The Dark Side of the Moon''.{{sfn|Schaffner|1991|p=160}}{{sfn|Povey|2007|p=155}}

==Packaging==
[[File:Pink Floyd, 1971 (HQ).jpg|thumb|276x276px|The inner sleeve, the last to show a group photo of this lineup of Pink Floyd. From left: [[Roger Waters]], [[Nick Mason]], [[David Gilmour]], [[Richard Wright (musician)|Richard Wright]]]]
The album's title ''Meddle'' is a play on words: a medal, and to interfere.{{sfn|Schaffner|1991|p=155}} [[Storm Thorgerson]] of the art-design group [[Hipgnosis]] originally suggested a close-up shot of a baboon's anus for the album cover photograph. He was overruled by the band, who informed him via an intercontinental telephone call while on tour in Japan that they would rather have "an ear underwater".{{sfn|Mason|2005|p=160}} The cover image was photographed by Bob Dowling. The image represents an ear, underwater, collecting waves of sound (represented by ripples in the water).{{sfn|Schaffner|1991|p=155}}

Thorgerson later expressed dissatisfaction with the cover, claiming it to be his least favourite Pink Floyd album sleeve: "I think ''Meddle'' is a much better album than its cover".{{sfn|Blake|2007|p=166}} Thorgerson's colleague [[Aubrey Powell (designer)|Aubrey Powell]] shared his sentiments, saying: "''Meddle'' was a mess. I hated that cover. I don't think we did them justice with that at all; it's half-hearted."{{sfn|Harris|2006|pp=142–143}} The [[gatefold]] contains a group photograph of the band, which would be their last until 1987's ''[[A Momentary Lapse of Reason]]''.{{sfn|Blake|2007|p=166}}

==Release==
''Meddle'' was released on 5 November 1971.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.pinkfloyd.com/history/timeline_1971.php|title=PINK FLOYD|website=Pinkfloyd.com|access-date=19 November 2025}}</ref> It was later released as an [[LP record|LP]] by [[Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab]],<ref>{{Cite web |title= Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab Discography: Original Master Recording LPs |url= https://mofi.com/pages/archive | publisher = mofi.com | access-date = 26 June 2024}}</ref> and in April 1989 on their "Ultradisc" gold CD format.<ref>{{Cite web |title= Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab Discography: Ultradisc II Gold CDs |url= https://mofi.com/pages/archive | publisher = mofi.com | access-date = 26 June 2024}}</ref> The album was included as part of the box set ''[[Shine On (Pink Floyd)|Shine On]]'' on 2&nbsp;November 1992.{{#tag:ref|UK – EMI PFBOX 1, US – Columbia CXK 53180 S1{{sfn|Povey|2007|p=353}}||group="nb"}}<ref>{{cite web | last = Eder | first = Bruce | title = Shine On – Review | url = https://www.allmusic.com/album/shine-on-mw0000090997 | publisher = [[AllMusic]] | access-date = 15 August 2009 | archive-date = 3 June 2012 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120603223409/http://www.allmusic.com/album/shine-on-mw0000090997 | url-status = live }}</ref>

It reached number three on the [[UK Albums Chart]], but lacklustre publicity on the part of [[Capitol Records]] led to weak sales in the US, and a chart position of number&nbsp;70 on the [[Billboard 200|''Billboard'' 200]].{{sfn|Mabbett|1995|p=39}}{{sfn|Harris|2006|pp=158–161}} "Pink Floyd had a strong following in the UK and other parts of Europe," recalled [[Rupert Perry]], then head of [[A&R]] at Capitol. "But they needed to be bigger in the United States, where they were only doing 200,000 units. They were very much an album act&nbsp;– no singles&nbsp;– which was bad news for us. They had a high credibility factor without the sales."<ref>{{cite journal|first= Matthew |last= Gwyther |title= The dark side of success |journal= [[The Observer]] |date= 7 March 1993 |page= 33}}</ref>

On 29 November 1971, "One of These Days" was released as a [[Single (music)|7-inch single]] in the US, with "Fearless" on the B-side.{{sfn|Povey|2007|p=344}} "One of These Days" and "Echoes" were performed in the 1972 concert film ''[[Pink Floyd: Live at Pompeii|Live at Pompeii]]'' (the latter in two parts) and also on the [[BBC]]'s 1971 ''In Concert''.{{sfn|Mabbett|1995|p=43}}{{sfn|Harris|2006|p=67}} ''Meddle'' was certified [[RIAA certification|gold]] by the [[RIAA]] on 29&nbsp;October 1973 and then double platinum on 11&nbsp;March 1994, following the added attention garnered by the band's later successes in the United States.<ref>{{Citation|title=US Certifications Database |url=https://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?table=SEARCH |publisher=riaa.com |access-date=22 August 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070626050454/http://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?table=SEARCH |archive-date=26 June 2007 }}</ref>

==Reception==
{{Music ratings
| title = Retrospective professional ratings
| rev1 = [[AllMusic]]
| rev1Score = {{rating|4.5|5}}<ref name="Erlewine">{{cite web |last1=Erlewine |first1=Stephen Thomas |author1-link=Stephen Thomas Erlewine |title=''Meddle'' – Pink Floyd |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/meddle-mw0000650631 |publisher=[[AllMusic]] |access-date=21 May 2021 |archive-date=11 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210511125833/https://www.allmusic.com/album/meddle-mw0000650631 |url-status=live }}</ref>
|rev2 = ''[[Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies|Christgau's Record Guide]]''
|rev2Score = B−<ref name="CG">{{cite book|last=Christgau|first=Robert|author-link=Robert Christgau|year=1981|title=[[Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies]]|publisher=[[Ticknor & Fields]]|isbn=089919026X|chapter=Consumer Guide '70s: P|chapter-url=https://www.robertchristgau.com/get_chap.php?k=P&bk=70|access-date=10 March 2019|via=robertchristgau.com|archive-date=6 April 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190406133025/https://www.robertchristgau.com/get_chap.php?k=P&bk=70|url-status=live}}</ref>
| rev3 = ''[[The Daily Telegraph]]''
| rev3Score = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref>{{cite news|last=McCormick|first=Neil|date=20 May 2014|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/8790376/Pink-Floyds-14-studio-albums-rated.html|title=Pink Floyd's 14 studio albums rated|newspaper=[[The Daily Telegraph]]|location=London|access-date=27 December 2014|archive-date=27 December 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141227153821/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/8790376/Pink-Floyds-14-studio-albums-rated.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
| rev4 = ''[[MusicHound Rock]]''
| rev4score = 3/5<ref>Graff & Durchholz 1999, p. 874</ref>
| rev5 = ''[[Paste (magazine)|Paste]]''
| rev5score = 8.8/10<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2011/10/pink-floyd-meddle-why-pink-floyd-reissue.html |title=Pink Floyd: ''Meddle'' ("Why Pink Floyd?" Reissue) |last=Deusner |first=Stephen |date=5 October 2011 |work=[[pastemagazine.com]] |access-date=26 August 2015 |archive-date=24 September 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924124542/http://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2011/10/pink-floyd-meddle-why-pink-floyd-reissue.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
| rev6 = ''[[Pitchfork (website)|Pitchfork]]'' 
| rev6score = 9.0/10<ref>{{cite web |url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/pink-floyd-meddle/ |title=Pink Floyd: ''Meddle'' |last=Cush |first=Andy |work=[[Pitchfork (website)|Pitchfork]] |date=12 July 2020 |access-date=21 July 2020 |archive-date=15 July 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200715210504/https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/pink-floyd-meddle/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
| rev7 = ''[[Q (magazine)|Q]]''
| rev7Score = {{Rating|3|5}}<ref>{{Citation |title=Pink Floyd ''Meddle'' |date=October 1995|work=[[Q (magazine)|Q]] |page=137 |quote=The four were at their most collectively prolific at this time …}}</ref>
| rev8 = ''[[The Rolling Stone Album Guide]]''
| rev8Score = {{Rating|3.5|5}}<ref name="RSguide">{{cite magazine|last=Sheffield|first=Rob|author-link=Rob Sheffield|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/artists/pink-floyd/albumguide|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110217230328/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/artists/pink-floyd/albumguide|title=Pink Floyd: Album Guide|magazine=[[Rolling Stone]]|publisher=[[Wenner Media]], [[Fireside Books]]|date=2 November 2004|archive-date=17 February 2011|access-date=27 December 2014}}</ref>
}}
On release, ''Meddle'' received generally positive reviews from [[music journalism|music critic]]s.<ref name="Super70s">{{Citation|url=http://www.superseventies.com/pinkfloyd1.html|title=Pink Floyd – Meddle|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|access-date=6 September 2009|year=1972|archive-date=16 October 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121016071900/http://superseventies.com/pinkfloyd1.html|url-status=live}}</ref> ''[[Rolling Stone]]''{{'}}s Jean-Charles Costa wrote: "''Meddle'' not only confirms lead guitarist David Gilmour's emergence as a real shaping force with the group, it states forcefully and accurately that the group is well into the growth track again",<ref name="Costa">{{cite magazine | last = Costa | first = Jean-Charles | title = Pink Floyd: Meddle | url = https://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/meddle-19720106 | magazine = [[Rolling Stone]] | date = 6 January 1972 | access-date = 19 August 2009 | archive-date = 15 July 2012 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120715020123/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/meddle-19720106 | url-status = live }}</ref> and the ''[[NME]]'' called it "an exceptionally good album".{{sfn|Schaffner|1991|pp=155–156}} Steve Peterson of ''[[Hit Parader]]'' cited "Fearless" as its best song and said of the album, "This has got to be their best ever."<ref name="Super70s"/> Ed Kelleher of ''[[Circus (magazine)|Circus]]'' called it "another masterpiece by a masterful group", noting "Fearless" as "fascinating" and praising "Echoes" as "a [[Symphonic poem|tone poem]] that allows all four band members much time to stretch their muscles".<ref name="Super70s"/> However, ''[[Melody Maker]]'' was more reserved, describing the album as "a soundtrack to a non-existent movie".{{sfn|Schaffner|1991|pp=155–156}}

In ''[[Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies]]'' (1981), [[Robert Christgau]] said ''Meddle'' was a fairly good progression over the group's previous work and featured [[folk song]]s highlighted by unique melodies, although he lamented the lyrics to "A Pillow of Winds": "The word 'behold' should never cross their filters again". In his critique of "Echoes", he believed the vocal melody imitates "[[Across the Universe]]" by [[the Beatles]] but over 23 minutes of music that flows with a "timeless calm" similar to "[[Interstellar Overdrive]]".<ref name="CG"/> Daryl Easlea of the BBC felt it was a similar, but more consistent and tuneful version of ''Atom Heart Mother'', highlighted by "Echoes", which he said "dominates the entire work" and is "everything right about [[progressive rock]]; engaging, intelligent and compelling".<ref name="Easlea">{{Cite web | last = Easlea | first = Daryl | date = 17 April 2007 | url = https://www.bbc.co.uk/music/release/wnbd/ | title = Pink Floyd Meddle Review | publisher = [[BBC]] |website=bbc.co.uk | access-date = 20 August 2009 | archive-date = 9 January 2009 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090109232234/http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/release/wnbd/ | url-status = live }}</ref> In ''[[The Rolling Stone Album Guide|The New Rolling Stone Album Guide]]'' (2004), [[Rob Sheffield]] said "Echoes" showed Pink Floyd to be a more developed group than before, "coloring the slow guitar ripples with deep-in-the-studio sonic details that only the truly baked would notice, much less appreciate."<ref name="RSguide"/> Writing for [[AllMusic]], editor [[Stephen Thomas Erlewine]] called ''Meddle'' the best album from their transitional years leading up to ''The Dark Side of the Moon'', as it "spends most of its time with sonic textures and elongated compositions, most notably on its epic closer, 'Echoes'". He noted a "uniform tone", but not song structure, and wrote of the album's significance in the band's catalogue: "Pink Floyd were nothing if not masters of texture, and ''Meddle'' is one of their greatest excursions into little details, pointing the way to the measured brilliance of ''[The] Dark Side of the Moon'' and the entire Roger Waters era."<ref name="Erlewine"/>

The album was voted number 255 in the third edition of [[Colin Larkin]]'s ''[[All Time Top 1000 Albums]]'' (2000).<ref name="Larkin">{{cite book|title=[[All Time Top 1000 Albums]]|editor=Colin Larkin|editor-link=Colin Larkin|publisher=[[Virgin Books]]|date=2000|edition=3rd|isbn=0-7535-0493-6|page=114}}</ref>

==Live performances==
A short concert tour ran from October to November 1971 to promote the album in the United States and Canada, which was the most extensive tour the group had done to that point. The tour was booked by Allen Frey, who continued to organise North American tours for the group throughout the 1970s.{{sfn|Povey|2007|p=148}}

Some of the album's material had been played in earlier shows and the practice of playing songs before their official release later became a tradition for the group. The set list on the tour was varied, with the band playing material from their previous albums ''[[A Saucerful of Secrets]]'', ''[[More (soundtrack)|More]]'', and ''Atom Heart Mother'', plus the new album. The tour was the final time "[[Embryo (Pink Floyd song)|Embryo]]", "[[Fat Old Sun]]" and "[[Cymbaline]]" were played live by the band.{{sfn|Povey|2007|pp=148–151}}

==Track listing==

All lead vocals by [[David Gilmour]], except where noted.

{{Track listing
| headline      = Side one
| extra_column  = Lead vocals
| total_length  = 23:17
| title1        = [[One of These Days (instrumental)|One of These Days]]
| writer1       = {{flatlist|
* Gilmour
* [[Roger Waters]]
* [[Richard Wright (musician)|Richard Wright]]
* [[Nick Mason]]}}
| extra1        = ''instrumental'' {{#tag:ref|The song is entirely instrumental, except for a spoken
line by [[Nick Mason]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/song/one-of-these-days-mt0042077834|title=One of These Days|last=Ruhlmann|first=William|publisher=[[AllMusic]]|access-date=19 February 2010}}</ref>||group="nb"}}
| length1       = 5:57
| title2        = [[A Pillow of Winds]]
| writer2       = {{flatlist|
* Gilmour
* Waters}}
| extra2        = 
| length2       = 5:13
| title3        = [[Fearless (Pink Floyd song)|Fearless]]
| note3         = including "[[You'll Never Walk Alone]]"
| writer3       = {{flatlist|
* Gilmour
* Waters}} <small>([[Richard Rodgers]], [[Oscar Hammerstein II]])</small>
| extra3        = 
| length3       = 6:08
| title4        = [[San Tropez (song)|San Tropez]]
| writer4       = Waters
| extra4        = Waters
| length4       = 3:44
| title5        = [[Seamus (song)|Seamus]]
| writer5       = {{flatlist|
* Gilmour
* Waters
* Wright
* Mason}}
| extra5        = 
| length5       = 2:15
| length8       = 
| title10       = 
| length9       = 
| title9        = 
| length6       = 
| title8        = 
| length7       = 
| title7        = 
| title6        = 
| all_writing   = 
| length10      = 
}}

{{Track listing
| headline      = Side two
| extra_column  = Lead vocals
| total_length  = 23:30 (46:47)
| title6        = [[Echoes (Pink Floyd song)|Echoes]]
| writer6       = {{flatlist|
* Wright 
* Gilmour
* Waters
* Mason}}
| extra6        = Gilmour and Wright
| length6       = 23:30
}}

==Personnel==
<!-- {{col-begin}}
{{col-break}} -->
Credits adapted from sleeve notes.<ref>{{cite AV media notes |title=Meddle |others=[[Pink Floyd]] |type=sleeve |publisher=[[Harvest Records]]}}</ref> Track numbers noted in parentheses below are based on CD track numbering.

===Pink Floyd===
* [[David Gilmour]] – [[Guitar#Electric guitars|electric guitars]] {{small|(1–4, 6)}}, acoustic guitars {{small|(2, 3, 5)}}, bass (in unison with Waters) {{small|(1)}}, harmonica {{small|(5)}}, vocals {{small|(2, 3, 5, 6)}}
* [[Nick Mason]] – drums {{small|(1, 3, 4, 6)}}, percussion {{small|(2–4, 6)}}, [[spoken word|vocal phrase]] {{small|(1)}}
* [[Roger Waters]] – bass {{small|(all tracks)}}, acoustic guitar {{small|(3, 4)}}, vocals {{small|(4)}}
* [[Richard Wright (musician)|Richard Wright]] – piano {{small|(1, 3–6)}}, [[Hammond organ]] {{small|(1, 2, 6)}}, [[Farfisa organ]] {{small|(6)}}, vocals {{small|(6)}}
<!-- {{col-break}} -->

===Additional personnel===
* Rob Black – [[Audio engineer|engineering]] ([[Morgan Studios]])
* [[Peter Bown]] – engineering (Air and [[Abbey Road Studios|EMI Studios]])
* Peter Curzon – design on album remaster
* Bob Dowling – outer sleeve photos
* [[Doug Sax]], [[James Guthrie (record producer)|James Guthrie]] – 1992 [[Audio mastering|remastering]] at The Mastering Lab<ref>{{cite AV media notes |title=Meddle |others=Pink Floyd |year=1994 |type=Booklet |publisher=Capitol Records (CDP 0777 7 46034 2 3)}}</ref>
* James Guthrie, Joel Plante – 2011 remastering at das boot recording<ref>{{cite AV media notes |title=Meddle |others=Pink Floyd |year=2011 |type=Booklet |publisher=Capitol Records (50999 028942 2 5)}}</ref>
* [[Hipgnosis]] – band photo
* [[John Leckie]] – engineering (Air and EMI Studios)
* Tony May – inner sleeve photos
* [[Pink Floyd]] – album cover design
* Roger Quested – engineering (Morgan Studio)
* Seamus the Dog – [[dog communication#Vocalizations|vocals]] on "Seamus"
* [[Storm Thorgerson]] – design on album remaster
<!-- {{col-end}} -->

== Charts ==
===Weekly charts===
{|class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"
|+1971 weekly chart performance for ''Meddle''
! style="width:20em;"|Chart (1971)
!Peak<br />position
|-
!scope="row"|Australian Albums ([[Kent Music Report]])<ref>{{cite book|last=Kent|first=David|author-link=David Kent (historian)|title=Australian Chart Book 1970–1992|publisher=Australian Chart Book|location=St. Ives, N.S.W.|year=1993|edition=Illustrated|page=233|isbn=0-646-11917-6}}</ref>
|align="center"|24
|-
!scope="row"|Belgian Albums ([[HUMO]])<ref name="billboard1">{{cite magazine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SQ8EAAAAMBAJ&dq=pink+floyd+meddle+billboard&pg=RA1-PA48|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|title=Hits of the World|via=Google Books|page=48|date=25 December 1971|access-date=16 July 2021}}</ref>
|align="center"|10
|-
{{Album chart|Canada|51|chartid=5323|rowheader=true|access-date=9 June 2016}}
|-
!scope="row"|Danish Albums ([[IFPI]])<ref name="billboard1"/>
|align="center"|6
|-
!scope="row"|Finnish Albums ([[The Official Finnish Charts|''Suomen Virallinen'']])<ref>{{cite book |last=Nyman |first=Jake |title=Suomi soi 4: Suuri suomalainen listakirja |publisher=Tammi |year=2005 |isbn=951-31-2503-3 |edition=1st |location=Helsinki |page=130|language=fi}}</ref>
|style="text-align:center;"|22
|-
{{Album chart|Netherlands|2|artist=Pink Floyd|album=Meddle|rowheader=true|access-date=9 June 2016}}
|-
!scope="row"|Italian Albums ([[Discografia Internazionale]])<ref name="billboard1"/>
|align="center"|11
|-
!scope="row"|Spanish Albums ([[Productores de Música de España|AFE]])<ref>{{cite book|last=Salaverri|first=Fernando|title=Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002|edition=1st|date=September 2005|publisher=Fundación Autor-SGAE|location=Spain|isbn=84-8048-639-2}}</ref>
|align="center"|21
|-
{{Album chart|UK|3|artist=Pink Floyd|album=Meddle|rowheader=true|access-date=9 June 2016}}
|-
{{Album chart|Billboard200|70|artist=Pink Floyd|rowheader=true|access-date=9 June 2016}}
|}
{|class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"
|+1972 weekly chart performance for ''Meddle''
! style="width:20em;"|Chart (1972)
!Peak<br />position
|-
!scope="row"|Austrian Albums<ref name="billboard2">{{cite magazine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=R0UEAAAAMBAJ&dq=pink+floyd+meddle+billboard&pg=PA68|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|title=Hits of the World|via=Google Books|page=68|date=29 January 1972|access-date=16 July 2021}}</ref>
|align="center"|4
|-
!scope="row"|French Albums ([[SNEP|D'Information et de Documentation Du Disque]])<ref name="billboard2"/>
|align="center"|7
|-
!scope="row"|Italian Albums ([[Discografia Internazionale]])<ref name="billboard2"/>
|align="center"|7
|}
{|class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"
|+2011 weekly chart performance for ''Meddle''
! style="width:20em;"|Chart (2011)
!Peak<br />position
|-
{{Album chart|France|69|M|artist=Pink Floyd|album=Meddle|url=http://lescharts.com/weekchart.asp?cat=a&year=2011&date=20111001|title=Les charts francais (01/11/2011)|work=lescharts.com|rowheader=true|access-date=9 June 2016}}
|-
{{Album chart|Switzerland|76|artist=Pink Floyd |album=Meddle|rowheader=true|access-date=9 June 2016}}
|}
{|class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"
|+2016 weekly chart performance for ''Meddle''
! style="width:20em;"|Chart (2016)
!Peak<br />position
|-
{{album chart|Hungary|36|year=2016|week=40|access-date=29 November 2021}}
|}
{|class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"
|+2019 weekly chart performance for ''Meddle''
! style="width:20em;"|Chart (2019)
!Peak<br />position
|-
{{album chart|Poland|34|id=1258|rowheader=true|access-date=28 November 2019}}
|}

===Year-end charts===
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|+1972 year-end chart performance for ''Meddle''
! scope="col" | Chart (1972)
! scope="col" | Position
|-
! scope="row" | German Albums ([[GfK Entertainment charts|Offizielle Top 100]])<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.offiziellecharts.de/charts/album-jahr/for-date-1972|title=Top 100 Album-Jahrescharts|date=1972|publisher=[[GfK Entertainment Charts]]|language=de|access-date=2 April 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150509214918/https://www.offiziellecharts.de/charts/album-jahr/for-date-1972|archive-date=9 May 2015}}</ref>
| 19
|}

== Certifications and sales ==
{{Certification Table Top|caption=Certifications and sales for ''Meddle''}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=France|artist=Pink Floyd|title=Meddle|number=2|award=Gold|type=album|certyear=1971|source=infodisc}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Germany|artist=Pink Floyd|title=Meddle|award=Gold|type=album|relyear=1971|certyear=1993}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Italy|artist=Pink Floyd|title=Meddle|award=Gold|type=album|relyear=1971|certyear=2015}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Japan|artist=Pink Floyd|title=Meddle|salesamount=70,000|nocert=true|type=album|salesref=<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VigEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA51|title=From The Music Capitals Of The World – Tokyo|magazine=[[Billboard magazine|Billboard]]|first=Donald|last=Mann|page=51|date=24 June 1972|issn=0006-2510|access-date=5 April 2022}}</ref>}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom |artist=Pink Floyd|title=Meddle|award=Gold |type=album|relyear=1993|certyear=2013|id=12145-1497-2|note=1993 release|access-date=16 July 2021}}
{{Certification Table Entry |region=United States|artist=Pink Floyd|title=Meddle|number=2|award=Platinum|relyear=1971|certyear=1994|type=album}}
{{Certification Table Bottom}}

==References==
===Notes===
{{Reflist|group="nb"}}

===Footnotes===
{{Reflist}}

===Bibliography===
{{refbegin}}
*{{Citation | last = Blake | first = Mark | title = Comfortably Numb – The Inside Story of Pink Floyd | publisher = Thunder's Mouth Press | year = 2007 | isbn = 978-1-56858-383-9}}
*{{Citation | editor1-last = Graff | editor1-first = Gary | editor2-last = Durchholz | editor2-first = Daniel | title = MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide | publisher = Visible Ink Press | location = Farmington Hills, MI | year = 1999 | isbn = 1-57859-061-2 | url-access = registration | url = https://archive.org/details/isbn_9781578590612 }}
*{{Citation | last1=Guesdon| first1=Jean-Michel | last2=Margotin | first2=Philippe | title=Pink Floyd All the Songs – The Story Behind Every Track | publisher=Running Press | year=2017 | isbn=978-0-316-43923-7}}
*{{Citation | last = Harris | first = John | title = The Dark Side of the Moon | publisher = Harper Perennial | edition = 3rd | year = 2006 | isbn = 978-0-00-779090-6}}
*{{Citation | last = Mabbett | first = Andy | title = The Complete Guide to the Music of Pink Floyd | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=7Bc1YbCd7eAC | edition = illustrated | publisher = Omnibus Press | year = 1995 | isbn = 0-7119-4301-X | access-date = 24 September 2016 | archive-date = 22 February 2017 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170222033746/https://books.google.com/books?id=7Bc1YbCd7eAC | url-status = live }}
*{{Citation | last = Mason | first = Nick | title = Inside Out – A Personal History of Pink Floyd | publisher = Phoenix | edition = paperback | editor = Philip Dodd | year = 2005 | isbn = 0-7538-1906-6}}
*{{Citation | last = Povey | first = Glenn | title = Echoes | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=qnnl3FnO-B4C | publisher = Mind Head Publishing | year = 2007 | isbn = 978-0-9554624-0-5 | access-date = 24 September 2016 | archive-date = 13 April 2021 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210413225225/https://books.google.com/books?id=qnnl3FnO-B4C | url-status = live }}
*{{Citation | last = Schaffner | first = Nicholas | title = Saucerful of Secrets | publisher = London: Sidgwick & Jackson | year = 1991 | edition = 1st | isbn = 0-283-06127-8 }}
{{refend}}

===Further reading===
{{refbegin}}
*{{Citation | last = Reising | first = Russell | title = Speak to Me | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=x_0oXORl4dIC | publisher = Ashgate Publishing | year = 2005 | isbn = 0-7546-4019-1 | access-date = 24 September 2016 | archive-date = 22 February 2017 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170222035707/https://books.google.com/books?id=x_0oXORl4dIC | url-status = live }}
{{refend}}

==External links==
{{Wikiquote|Meddle (album)}}
*{{Discogs master|type=album|20649|name=Meddle}}

{{Meddle}}
{{Pink Floyd}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:1971 albums]]
[[Category:Albums produced by David Gilmour]]
[[Category:Albums produced by Nick Mason]]
[[Category:Albums produced by Richard Wright (musician)]]
[[Category:Albums produced by Roger Waters]]
[[Category:Albums with cover art by Hipgnosis]]
[[Category:Albums with cover art by Storm Thorgerson]]
[[Category:Capitol Records albums]]
[[Category:EMI Records albums]]
[[Category:Harvest Records albums]]
[[Category:Pink Floyd albums]]
[[Category:Albums recorded at Morgan Sound Studios]]
[[Category:Albums recorded at AIR Studios]]