Song written by Syd Barrett based on the fiction stories of J. R. R. Tolkien.

It can also be taken as a reference to the use of drugs (especially LSD) that may make you see some sort of creatures than aren’t real, such as gnomes.

PROPOSED SUGGESTION: This song is about the gnomes and elves commonly met on the psychedelic drug, DMT. While under the influence of DMT, it is commonly reported to meet aliens/beings, with reference to gnomes often seen. When you break through to their world, you can hear the chanting of the gnomes in excitement to see you, almost as if you were good friends who haven’t met in a while. They will then show you their world, the sky, the river etc. Psychedelics heavily influenced a lot of the work Pink Floyd (and especially Syd Barrett) released, and this song is no different.