The Threatening Voice in Pink Floyd's 'One of These Days'

“One of These Days” is the opening track on Meddle and a landmark instrumental for Pink Floyd. Its driving bass riff, played by David Gilmour through a Binson echo unit, was actually recorded by Roger Waters using a slide — and the whole track is built around that pulsing, almost menacing rhythm.

The line “One of these days, I’m going to cut you into little pieces” is the only vocal in the song, and it’s delivered by drummer Nick Mason through a heavily processed, slowed-down voice. Mason later said the threat was a joke aimed at a particular radio journalist who had been annoying the band — though he never named the target. It’s one of the few times Mason speaks on a Floyd record, and the line became a concert staple, often triggering a red spotlight and a gust of wind on stage.