What If "Comfortably Numb" Came Out Today? /w Special Guest
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- Опубліковано 23 кві 2024
- In today's episode I discuss what would happen if Pink Floyd did not exist and "Comfortably Numb" came out today.
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Thanks,
Rick!
ps: Referring to it as a "Theory Book" probably doesn't do it justice. I would call it a musicians companion lol.
Rick, we need a My Bloody Valentine breakdown from Loveless. Please and thank you!
Thank you, Tim, for pointing out something I've been telling people for years. People don't listen to music like they used to. It's on our phones and we carry it in our pockets and ... it's all around us. When we listened to records we went to "the room where the music lives". We sat on the couch or bed in front of big speakers and listened to an album. We went TO the music and now the music is a satellite to our everything else. When I finally put a turntable back in my basement about ten years ago with some big cabinets pushing the music at me, I remember sitting on the sofa and just crying for no reason other than the music was beautiful and I was in it. Probably part nostalgia, but I was in MY basement surrounded by MY guitars and stuff, and listening to music was the thing I was doing. Not cooking, not cleaning, not driving ... when you can close out everything else and focus on the music it's what music should be. Does that make sense?
You gotta have the concrete walls and candles. I highly recommend AC/DCs "If you want blood" live album with a candle in the dark. Cranked.
Some of us still have music rooms where we play our records
So Great to have my two favourite guys talking about this! (Rick & Tim)
It absolutely makes sense except you left out one gigantic NOT - that being, not dancing. Music now is reduced to "beats" and the kids may also say "groove" - but really, it's about dance rhythm with everything other than angry sad heartbroken revengeful redeemed pop ballads. Nobody dancing to "Comfortably Numb" . Music to sit down and listen to is lost when da beats ain't da basis.
It's called "active listening". People often call it the "background music of (my) our lives." It really was front and center, not background. NOW music is just background noise.
i think pink floyd will never been forgotten and people will still listening after 100 years
Absolutely agree. PF is modern classical music and much like (old) classical music it will be listened to for 100's of years.
Think anyone will be listening to Taylor Swift or rap crap in 100 years, doubt it.
I once heard someone say "Pink Floyd are the Ents of Rock music. Anything worth saying, is worth saying slowly". I'm so thankful for those long, slow stories delivered with music via the talents of Waters, Gilmour, Wright, and Mason.
😁
Films today are much less prone to "taking their time" with a story, or indeed to indulging in subplots and character studies,. Almost no movies today run for close to three hours or even more - reasonably common in the 1970s-80s. For instance, "Dances With Wolves" and "2001" are both of them really slow by today's standards, not to mention "Zabriskie Point" where the Floyd were involved. It was a different age, the span of attention in many people was far wider and there were much fewer "fast-wind" options when listening to songs or watching tv or movies.
Love that description.
"Anything worth saying, is worth saying slowly."
What a great sentence. 👏
Great quote, very appropriate, must remember it.
Well, I still can listen the Pink Floyd’s Echoes(25 mins), Dogs(17 mins), Pigs(11 mins), Shine on you crazy diamond(23 mins), and so many other 6-7 mins songs Equally loving it more than ever..
Gilmour Guitar can make anyone cry..
One of the components that you don’t mention is the fact that this song had context to the album. The album was a concept. Also, the guitar solo is more of a composition than just a guitar solo. The solo accentuates the disconnection of the chorus singer’s experience/mood from the verse singer’s urging. The whole album was an experience.
This ☝️
They do mention it in speaking of the album as "long form content."
Something can be composed and still be a solo; while solos are often an opportunity for improvisation, not all solos are necessarily improvised. "DB-MUSIC" above suggested that this may well have been improvised anyway, but that's not what makes a solo in any case.
I agree that this album is an experience as a whole, but I disagree if the point you are making, is that this song doesn’t stand on its own. I never had Floyd albums as a kid and teen, but the singles radio play was very powerful, at least to me.
The songs were all scenes in an audio movie..
David Gilmour and John Lennon both had voices no voice teacher would call perfect, but few throughout history are more memorable.
No voice teacher would call any voice perfect
@@kevtop351 As does Gilmour for that matter
@@kevtop351 no he did not, Reed thin and nasal, that's why he doubled tracked all his vocals
@@brianadams5088 I agree. It's what he did with his voice and the fact it had a unique sound that counts.
@@brianadams5088 I agree, JL's voice was not smooth, it just grates.
I've also noticed a trend. When we are sitting around and having a few drinks with friends and listening to music, people can't even finish a song completely before they want to jump to the next song. So not only it is faster, and the music tempo is much faster, people don't even have the attention span to listen to a full song. When I listen to Pick Floyd, I hear and "FEEL" every last note. They are by far my favorite band and David Gilmore is my inspiration on guitar.
Nothing worse than drunk people messing around with music at a party. Because EVERYONE has THEIR song that EVERYONE ELSE has to listen to.
and even if they do, they hit shuffle, and are constantly changing styles. there is no interest in the record or album as an artistic expression of themes and moods over the course of an hour.
Pink Floyd is timeless, and the music will be "relevant" and listened to 50 years from now, because it is soooo different. These guys were so good at their craft together. There are people on both sides of the David Gilmour, Roger Water controversy. But you really ought to mention Richard Wright and Nick Mason, they too had just as much to do with what made Floyd successful.
Yes and fortunately 50 years from now his politics will be totally forgotten
@@joepregiato1987 And yours.
And probably sooner.
You never know. Classical which has been around more time has had time to forget and resuscitate arguably the greatest composer who ever lived. If it could happen to Bach it can happen to anyone.
Agreed 110% Sadly wright and Mason had very little musical input for the Wall, and it shows. For all the bombast, kinda flat album musically. Formulaic. At least comfortably has this epic guitar solo.
True and you can't forget some of the part time players they brought in for specific songs. Clare Torry, Dick Perry and no few others. All superb.
When I listen to David Gilmour's solos I could not imagine any other solo (in any song).....so perfect
Great point..A less is more thing with me..So many technically amazing players out there but they tend to lack feel imho..✌️
@@evrgreen_69 well- most rock guitarists don’t really improvise much. I would say the same of all the good guitarists. I wouldn’t change what I recognize. It’s part of the song just like the vocal melody.
Whoever, 'Layla' is...she has a lot to learn.
@@bojangles6444 well, true perhaps but luckily there are some of them who like improvising e.g. Mark Knopfler, EC or John Mayer
LOL @coming out today,
you have no more music
who could write such a masterpiece today? roland orzabal is too old now and already wrote his pieces, sting also too old already done it, david bowie, freddie, george michael all in much better place, so who? kate bush? she already gave her ok for her masterpiece to be played on stranger things, and she quit the scene because she saw what was coming
SO who? david gilmour? he is also old
dont you see there is no replacement for that generation of real pop/rock? that was real music..
Back in O.C. Calif when I was 30 my wife heard a commercial on the radio about a P.F. show coming up. Knowing I am a Floyd fan she called the radio station (KMET - LA, “The Mighty Met”) to get information on the concert, The DJ on live radio Cynthia Fox…. said...."Congratulations, YOU are caller number 10, YOU just won tickets to the show and the Sound Check Party before the show"...
I met David Gilmour back stage. He gave us both a signed album that I have in my music room. We talked for 22 minutes. I called him…“The Master Of The Stratocaster” He smiled. I told him his music will stand the test of time with anything from Beethoven or Mozart. He smiled even bigger. I asked if I could shake both his hands that make such great guitar solos, he smiled bigger and said “Sure” and shook both hands at the same time, making a cross between us, I smiled HUGE. I asked him to describe his technique of playing guitar, he replied… “I strike a note, bend it, shake it and then release it”…. Yes, he does that quite well, better than any other guitarist I know. . I told him in my eyes he’s a “Legend“. He thanked me and said “Enjoy the show”…. during the concert after the song “Money” he looked right at me and said…. “On saxophone, another Legend, Mr. Raphael Ravenscroft” … acknowledging my comment to him. It is my favorite moment in over 300 shows I’ve seen.
I asked David…. How do you create those awesome solos?… he said….. I sit on a stool and listen to what Roger, Nick and Rick put down and play along. I listen to what I played and pick out what I like, then I put the pieces together into one piece then learn to play it as one. Our fans are fanatics for our shows to sound like the albums so I must play it correctly each time in a show. I have the concert Brochure and album on the wall with David’s picture centerfold.
HOLY CRAP! I won tickets to the Sunday February 10th show and backstage party afterwards on KLOS! I was 17 and lived in Garden Grove. Because you had to be 18 to win, I told them I was my dad. He had to take a day off so he could drive to the KLOS studios to pick up the tickets. He wasn't real happy. I still have the Pink Floyd rainbow bumper sticker they would give out at every concert. We didn't get to spend too much time with anyone. Waters went straight to his trailer. Didn't say a word to anyone. Cynthia Fox was the MC at our show. She almost got hit by a big beach ball when she came out after the intermission. I remember the big billboard KLOS had on Hollywood Blvd that did the countdown to the first show. It started out plain white. Each day they would paste a new piece up. By February 7th it looked like the album gatefold.
A great memory
Wow, a life experience. Congratulations.
@@krkhns Pink Floyd Live memories are awesome.
Thank you for the great story
Thank you Mr. Pierce. Amused to Death is unquestionably one of the greatest works Roger has completed.
It truly is, if it was a Pink Floyd album you and I both know it would have sold millions of units. It's an outstanding album.
All I can say is that I am glad I was a teen in the 1970s. Musicianship at its best. Pink Floyd is my favorite band. Their hypnotic style was one of a kind.
A great guitar solo is a solo which suits the song perfectly, blends into its ambience and shows the song's emotions.
"On the turning away" is a good example of that. That guitar solo brings on the tears for me with even more intensity than the lyrics.
I love the Solo in Comfortably Numb. However, my favorite David Gilmore solo is on his first solo album on No Way Out of Here.
Thejus - well said....good examples being David Gilmour and the Cars' Elliott Easton.
True, and JMHO here, but only a few are as good as David Gilmore when it comes to producing such that fit as perfectly well as ALL of David's do!!
@@annanimmitty1412 Like the forlorn and achingly painful feeling you may get listening to his solo for, 'Time'.
Layla is so lucky to have this exposure so early. I wish I could come back in 50 years and hear her memories of the songs her dad played for her. Glad to have Rick in my life even if it is on the ‘tube’
Was with an old friend recently, both of us musos to varying degrees - his teenage son loves his music and yet even having all his dad's stuff around him, he'd never heard 'Gimme Shelter'. It was so amazing to watch te kid hear it for the first time, was envious but also so proud. As expected, it rocked his world.
@@JamesHartnell I wish I had that, but I’m sure my kid would be a disappointment. A joke, I wouldn’t know, but I’ve taught some Chinese teens who want to know rock and roll
Guess she’s way too young to realize rap came long after The Wall.
This song has never failed to tear at something in my guts for over 40 years now....and I know I'm not alone in that, every time I listen to it again.
Me too!
Absolutely every time!
Yeah…heard this song for the 1st time right now. Listened with the lyrics going on Spotify. Teared up, not really knowing why?
@@wald3287 Because it hits something deep...maybe too deep to even put into words. Seems to me that same thing, whatever the hell it is, is in so many of us...
Same!!!!!
I like Tim's comment about guitar sales being up during the pandemic. I actually bought my first guitar 3 weeks ago and have begun beginner lessons. (I'm 61 - better late than never, huh? lol)
Go for it! 👍
I've been meaning to learn guitar for at least 10 years. Every Winter I fool around with it and every Spring I find other things to do. Hope you have better luck than me. I'm 69 btw.
How are your fingertips feeling ;)
@@jmb92555 lol. not as sore as when I started.
@@SurfMurph that's great. You might be reaching the point where they go sort of numb. And then they will feel normal and your good to go. I'm going through it for the second time (soreness atm) and I can't say if knowing what's coming is a good thing or not ;) Keep at it. You're past the point where quitters quit.
Since the day this was released in 1980, this has been my favorite song and guitar solos of all time! To this day I still get chills hearing it! Eternal!!
“Eternal” is the perfect descriptive.
It wasn't only the wall or this song, it was the all 70's and 80's, i mean listen to edge of heaven by wham, within 30 seconds you will understand why so many who understand music come to the conclusion george michael was probably the best of all, but it is all this last quarter of 20th century, the peak of pop/rock music.
I long loved this song, especially, obviously, the solo but the non-video, album version of ‘The Delicate Sound of Thunder’ is my fave
1979 not 80
@@timoromeo7663 as teenagers we drove from Cleveland,Oh10 to Nassau Coli for the Wall show. Caught the 2nd of 5 nights they played there. I'm thinking it was Feb 8th?9th? of 1980. The LP coming out the previous yr of course. What a trip! Much Love Brother. ✌
I heard The Wall while I was in Navy boot camp in 1980. One of the guys in my company was a huge Floyd fan. We had pooled our money to buy a boom box (1980s, right?) and that guy bought a cassette of The Wall at the small, tiny Exchange available to recruits on occasion. 4 or 5 of us stayed up late and sat in the head and listened to the whole album together. It was like church.
I was in Orlando RTC when John Lennon was shot, Dec 1980....Just 10 years after the breakup of The Beatles so they were still very culturally relevant.... I loved them....just went to the head and cried. I had never before or since cried for the passing of a public figure
My last year at Iowa State. After finishing my homework (sometimes not), I'd lay out on the sofa or floor or bed, headphones in place, and listen to The Wall from start to finish. All year long.
I was in college and one guy in the dorms went to the concert for The Wall. He talked about what an impact it made in him. I never saw them in concert, missed out there
Pink Floyd: in 76 I was in Canada, the boy had Dark Side and he pull the cover of the speaker and I could see how heart beat was moving the membrane...
Now that’s freaking cool! I grew up in the same time in the 80s and your memory is way better than mine! Ha ha! rock on
Pink Floyd IS ART. Like no other band and the art revolves around Gilmour's guitar solo's and Waters story lines with video.
Not to forget The Syd Barrett pyshedelic Sound that is the soul of Floyd. ❤️❤️❤️
Art in music? You have to include Kate Bush.
@@andyallan2909 Who ?? What !!!!??? 🤡
Blasphemy to even include a group, let alone any individual, with the Timeless Priceless Masterpieces from The Maestros that is Pink Floyd. 🤦🏽♂️
DSOTM - 14 years on Billboard.
Path-setting Cult Epic Concerts.
Can't put No Bush or Cavemen with The Kings of Rock. 😤
That's like saying the cake revolves around the icing. Guitar solo's are less than 5% of Floyd.
You can't dismiss Richard Wright and his contributions to the music on many, many albums that helped make Pink Floyd with their distinctive sound
They played "Us and Them" on the UK's largest national radio station yesterday and you could feel an entire country go "WTF was that???" You have a generation of people for whom a "song" is a one line lyric beaten into the skull through endless repetition and suddenly being presented with something requiring and also allowing thought must have come as shock to many of them.
Bloody well said mate!
Watch the US millennial rappers reaction to first time hearing PF. They are in ecstacy during Gilmore's guitar solo & speechless at the end.
The thing is that Pink Floyd were never a singles band. The popular culture was disco in the 70's, and synth music in the 80's. At no point was their music the 'in genre'. They had a massive fan base that they built over many years, who couldn't care less what was supposed to be popular .The same is true now. I don't give a flying fig what anyone listening to singles thinks about Pink Floyd then or now.
Very true. I was into the smiths, Depeche mode, The cure, new order, etc in the '80s. But of course Pink Floyd, Led zeppelin, Beatles, are beyond any time period.
Much like classical, or anything else that requires talent, effort, and passion to create.
Sales in such large quantities - and selling out such large venues consistently - is the definition of “pop”, or popular. It’s a conceit to hold onto Floyd as “niche”.
@@BitcoinToOneBillion beyond any time period? What does that even mean? Every band logically has a sound that dates them including Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, The Beatles.. and as for The Cure, they have been going for nearly fifty years, still giving concerts that are 3hrs plus long...Robert ignores genres , they have a loyal huge fan base...you could say not unlike Pink Floyd ...very similar really!
Absolutely, “Comfortably Numb” was just another track on the album, it wasn’t pushed as a song.
If you haven't heard it yet, look on UA-cam for the version from David Gilmour playing at Pompeii in 2016, the outro solo is extended and it's incredible.
... also on YouBube, search for Gabriella Quevedo's rendition ... a person in her early 20s playing PFloyd at its original pace....
It’s my favorite version too 👍🏻
There's another one with Eddie Vedder singing the lyrics that the best I've seen, I think it's in the UK.
Gilmour's concert "Remember That Night" David Bowie sings the verses and turns it magically into a Bowie song. Amazing.
David did that when I saw them in 95. At one point it felt like the song would never end. It was amazing.
Note the bass drum work on the chorus. The strategic omissions is really what makes this chorus suspend and float even more that it does. Absolutely stunning.
I’m glad I’ve seen them live! It’s still the best concert I’ve seen
The live recording of comfortably numb on delicate sounds of thunder is just amazing.
I absolutely love that album. It was nearly always in my CD player in high school.
It's funny because I was just talking to a friend of mine about pink floyed. We're in our thirties and I've always been a huge pink floyd fan. He's been putting off listening to their discography forever. He just started getting into it and he's like, "Why the hell did wait so long!?" I literally just yesterday told him about The Delicate Sound of Thunder, and how it was nearly constantly in my CD player in highschool.
I'm having one of those moments where you think, "I must be exactly where I'm supposed to be because these things are all coming together right now." You know what I mean?
I was at the taping of that concert. It was great.
2019 version of DSOT is my favourite.
Best live performances of Comfortably Numb from a serious Pink Floyd live show collector:
1. Pink Floyd New Orleans 1994
2. Pink Floyd Roma 1994
3. David Gilmour Columbia Volcano Relief Concert 1986 (an otherwise cringe-worthy attempt to “modernize” the song in the 80s. Way over played, but the solo is searing and uncharacteristically fiery for Gilmour).
4. Pink Floyd Oslo 1994
Music in the old days was like a movie. Today, music is like a commercial.
This song never fails to give me goose bumps.
When I heard the line about the ''Hands felt like two balloons'' I was amazed because it happened to ME as a child and I thought it was my unique experience. I realized it was actually something others had felt and I wasn't alone in it!
Me too
The last solo will always hit people in the feels.
It’s always been the first solo that gets me the most, I must be in the minority on that.
It’s funny how we’ve all listened to this thousands of times but we’re still amazed every time we hear it
I always really enjoy it when you and Tim have a conversation.
I listened to David Gilmour’s first solo album today while working out and Atom Heart Mother while mowing. I’m glad I was born in an era that could appreciate music that has length, breadth and depth. I hadn’t listened to Atom Heart Mother for many years but you can hear little bits of future albums like Meddle being hinted at. Gilmour has the perfect voice for the music he wrote and played on.
The 2nd solo on Comfortably Numb is the greatest rock solo ever recorded. Tone, feel, space, phrasing, et al.
I've always loved the 1st. When I think of Gilmore solos, In a general sense, this one is one of my personal favorites. So soulful and clean, like an angel singing.
My favourite rendition is on "Delicate Sound of Thunder" where David finally got to crank up his guitar and let loose his tone... so good.
@@Knome-Ansland I would agree the first solo is just so tasteful, unreal.
This song has always caused at least a tear since the first time I heard it as a kid back in the ‘70’s, and initially right at that point Rick hits on; the chorus to first guitar solo. I’m not an emotional guy, but this brings the pain to the surface some of us experienced as a child, but then leaves you uplifted, a survivor.
I love these discussions for many reasons. One is the thought of what if this Song was released today etc… I’ve thought of a variety of bands in the same way. Great job Rick!🔥🔥🔥
Re: "It's too slow". My impression of modern pop is that it's about finding a hook in the song ASAP to get the consumers singing it constantly once it's stuck in their heads. Songs seem to be more about that than about a message or creating a really good piece of music with soul and feeling. What do you all feel about this?
A qualifier statement like that barely deserves a response. I mean, there are bits of music that are fast, slow, loud, less loud, staccato, legato, rubato, improvised and a thousand things more, and when you put all that together, you get a complex mix of emotions, logics, spirit, just like the human mind is. I mean, any Adagio of classical music may otherwise be qualified as "too slow". This is especially true about concept albums like DSOTM. People just don't seem to have the patience to listen to an album format. Classical music isn't mainstream either.
That doesn't mean rick or AOR are dead - there's just parallel audiences.
For Reals .... like Who where's short shorts ?
Even in the 50's and 60's there was a philosophy of getting to the hook quickly. It was bands like Pink Floyd (among others) and the late 60's/early 70's counter culture of looking at an album as a singular piece of art (in the face of radio singles and greedy-trying to cash in-record execs) that allowed a song to breathe, to become more than a flash in the pan earworm. Sadly, in today's streaming/downloading culture, we are unlikely to have a song like this capture the public's attention.
That is what it is. These producers use these music psychology tricks, and in the end it's only for money.
JBCavern nailed it.
Pink Floyd is fine art. Pulse Live-1994 is a masterpiece of visual and sonic expression. I doubt there will ever be another live performance to compare.
Really enjoyed this conversation between you two! Congrats Rick on 3 million subs!👍
Great job! Keep doing these spontaneous interviews analyzing classic rock songs.
Something that you are probably aware of, but not everyone out there will know, is that in those days not many recordings (neither classical nor modern) were very well engineered. The majority were average at best.
Pink floyd always stood out - most of their tracks were very good. Some were (for the day) spectacular in terms of recording and engineering - comfortably numb was one of them. I can still remember at the time (late 70's) hearing it played on a friend's high end system (mine was pretty good but his was phenomenal, koetsu cartridge and all) and I was just mesmerized by the whole thing - the music, the sound, it was absolutely magic. I can still put myself back there in Dan's audio room, and hear comfortably numb on his system in my mind. Just amazing.
Dan died many years ago, but my memories of shared moments with music - many of them with pink floyd - live on in me.
Id agree. The engineering and production is very cut and paste . Not alot of experimenting to see what really works. Everything today is so HOT and way over compressed. I think fidelity Is not something really considerd in todays music. If it sounds bad, replace it with software....
Shhh! Don’t tell the vinyl audiophiles! They’ll be so upset to discover that their $15,000 stylus and $75,000 turntable are a complete waste of money!
I am sure George Martin and Glyns John would totally agree with you...uh huh.
You should hear it on a reel-to reel. One of the good early ones before they divided the heads up. 😃
In modern classical music there is a term "sprechgesang" and another called " sprechstimme" both refer to something between singing and speaking. Dylan, Cohen, Dire Straits, etc.--a lot of people use this
Conceptually sure, but sprechstimme is performed very differently
Fred Schneider...
@@seanbeadles7421 I know it doesn't sound the same, but the concept of mixing singing with speech has a long history, that was my point.
@@musiclistsareus1029 I think sprechgesang when listening to this. It isn't just speaking, as Layla and Rick said. Kurt Weill (Mack the Knife), Weimar Berlin 1930s, if memory serves.
Leila is a 9 yo girl and I was a 14 yo girl when this came out … and it definitely wasn’t my thing until MUCH later. I think it’s great that you ask her, but music is gendered in many ways and probably even more so now. I think if you had asked a 9yo girl in 1979 if she liked Comfortably Numb her response would’ve been much the same as your daughter’s.
I agree.
I agree also. I didn't "get" Pink Floyd until I was in my mid 20s.
I discovered Pink Floyd when I was 7 and I already liked them
Although it's worth mentioning that I only used to listen to Another Brick in the Wall Pt2 and Money
Unfortunately, my friends told me my taste was very old which hurt my ego and I stopped listening to Pink Floyd for years
Interesting and valid point, MarieBeth…
I also think that the age of the listener, and the development. stage they’re in, plays a huge role. I was a teenager back then, sitting up all night with friends, smoking and flipping these record over, forth and back, all night long… a very different mind-and mood-set to that of a 6-year old was the backdrop for us back then ;)
Agreed.
Love the discussion, love the music and love Tim and Rick, there is good in the world and they remind us.
Comfortably numb transcends time. Everything about that song is freaking awesome. I woke up watching this video this morning and immediately got out of bed and played comfortably numb. Amazing tune
One of the most jaw-dropping verses I have ever heard, "The paper holds their folded faces to the floor, and everyday, the paperboy brings more." I am reminded of T.S. Eliot's, I have measured out my life in coffee spoons." EPIC.
First Prufrock reference on a rock music channel. :)
@@dakotaslim I grow old, I grow old - I shall wear my trousers rolled :)
@@dakotaslim I have held that notion since the 70's.
I also think of it as poetry. Comfortably Numb makes me think of the transcendental poets like Wadsworth.
@@tezfestival4009 Even as a 20 something that line was pretty devastating to me. Allowing the young man a glimpse of old age. Still resonates.
It’s the best guitar solo ever, the pulse version much better than the studio version.
Try the 1980 version live from the Wall…the laser/ liquid guitar tone is mind blowing
Totally
The 2016 Pompeii version is the best
There's a version from a Pulse era bootleg called the Bell Gets Louder. It's here on YT and about 12 minutes long and hands down the most ripping version I've ever heard Dave do.
Fun topic, always love to see Tim!
The last guitar solo is absolutely one of the greatest of all time.
So happy to see this video Rick. Gilmour and Floyd started my whole artist career. "Sorrow" for me was the game-changer and made me work with music for a living.
Sorrow is one of my favorites! I used to crank the the opening chord just to hear the walls and window resonate!
one of their best to this day, great solo...
Loved the discussion. IMHO the guitar and great melody is central to every great song I've ever loved.
The Live 8 version is amazing. The way in which the bass, drums, guitar, keys interacts in the final solo, one instrument gets in, the guitar holding a note, the bass the makes a fill in, then pass to the next and guitar continues, then the drums fill ins together with keys and guitar.. They lead the song to a place where only master players can. I don't think modern musicians are allowed the time and space to do this in modern songs anymore.
As I watched the Live 8 performance I realized that it was the FIRST time Waters actually ever played bass on this song while publicly performed. In the past he would wear the doctor's coat and only sing and someone else would play bass.
The chorus is so uplifting and beautiful especially because its set against the dark Stark desperate quality of the verse same with both the souls it's the contrast between both parts that makes this song so great... And shows why gilmore and waters were such a great team when they worked together
More than ever I am astonished at the quality of lyrics and musicality of the great artists of the 1960s to 1980-ish period. I agree with whoever made the comparison to fine art. Comfortably Numb and other pieces by Pink Floyd and the great bands are truly pieces of fine art.
It’s a very hypnotic song, it has stood the test of time and will continue to do so. The music from this era is so much better than some of today’s mostly due to the fact of the technology. Today’s music is all massaged by modern technology to achieve the results that were obtained by pure talent back in the day.
One of the things I love is these young people on reaction channels who are discovering our music - and loving it! I follow a couple young guys here who are musicians who are in love with this music, and I recently stumbled across a couple brothers from the Country of Georgia, one of the guys is 26, and I believe the other is younger. They appear to be musicians and they say they were born at the wrong time! There are a lot of kids doing reaction videos today who are discovering the quality of our music. They all love it! And they're passing it on to their friends! And a lot of them are REALLY getting into prog! Also, I love the ones who are rap or.hip-hop fans doing reactions to our music and absolutely LOVING it!
I can’t imagine any other track as well constructed as this. Everything in its place, not over done and not under done. Simply stunning in every respect, makes the hair on my neck stand.
One thing that took me years to nail down what I was missing was the switch back and forth from Waters to Gilmour singing. Pure genius.
I was 21 when The Wall was released. I just becoming my Bi-polar I self and this song touched me soooo deeply. It expressed both sides of the person I was to become. I was finally diagnosed at age 34 and this song took on an even deeper meaning. It was like staring at myself in the mirror.
There is just nothing to improve upon in this song. Just awesome.
You guys hit the nail on the head. Current culture behavior engenders short attention span models. Primarily social media as the catalyst. Everything from our information intake, to how we bank and even date is instantaneous and web related. In comparison, when one buys an album and takes the time to listen while perusing the cover art and credits is like meditation. Yet, there seems to be a strong desire, amongst some, to pursue that old school notion of taking the time to slow ourselves down to actually experience the moment. Rick and Tim, great segment. Thank you.
I remember reading every word on an album and falling into a trance while inspecting every stroke of the cover art while listening to every sound. I would listen to the lyrics, then the guitar, the drums, and so on. It’s why music was so interesting back then.
amused to death is SUCH an amazing album, with amazing dynamic range. The thunder claps make you feel like your in a field facing natures fury. They released the album on SACD, and have a blu-ray release now. If you have a 5.1+ system I highly recommend seeking it out! the multi channel mastering is awe inspiring, and will make you question why more music isn't released in multi channel!
Totally agree, well pointed out.
I feel the same way about Pros and Cons of Hitchhiking. There's so much going on in there - I would turn out the lights, turn up the volume and get lost in the album.
Yeah I bought the cassette version of the album when it came out in 1992 and it was engineered with QSound audio technology. Amazing quality!
I can honestly listen to you two talk music all day.
Rick your an international treasure been watching since perfect pitch still my favorite . Love you and your positive outlook.
Tim made an amazing observation I’ve never thought about: back in the day, you had to stay in one place to listen to music (except for radio). All kinds of interesting implications to that. More focus, paying attention to it, thinking about it, appreciating it. Hmm . . .
Just flipping the album or cassette
Well yes, but also being able to walk could allow you to appreciate the music. Also music has been portable since 'back in thr day'. Walkmans were probably around in the 80s which was like 40 years ago now.
@@Ryan-mw1ry There were Walkmans from what I remember in the early 80’s. In 1982, I remember my cousin had a Walkman FM radio (in stereo and Dolby NR!) and it was the coolest. I don’t remember how much they cost, but I remember the cassette players were fairly expensive, at least for my family. It’s interesting to think about how much has changed.
Yes, Tim’s observation caught me as well. Really interesting.
@@Ryan-mw1ry I was born in 83 and we cherished our walkmans in the early 90s til portable CD players came out a few years later
If I made a list of what I think are the greatest Rock singers, David Gilmour would be top ten. Totally underrated.
I always preferred Gilmour’s singing and his affinity for backup singers. Also, The Division Bell is a good album.
@@EricGranata yes, it is. My favourite of all of the Floyd's records
He's the guy Pink Floyd had sing if they didn't want the song to have any character.
Love it when you two do video's together.
Look at all the 80's bands that are coming back on the scene today. Doing huge shows! I thank it's great. Tim's guitar work on countless albums is another show Rick lol. But Runaway is my favorite song by JOVI. Tim was a massive guitar influencer to me before I knew who Tim was. I hope all the old bands put everything aside and Rock.
I love these spontaneous chats! I missed it, but this was so great!
... reminds me of the wonderful conversations I had at my college radio station....
Love seeing both Tim and you . Pink Floyd was awesome back in our youth !
'Rock around the Clock' didn't hang about either and that was 65 years ago! Totally Tick-tockable!
This song was a mainstay cover song that I have been playing for most of my time as a musician 20 years plus. Not every show or performance but always available. As a cover band player the first solo is what people expect to hear note for note and it moves them. The second solo is fantastic and David played it amazing but it can be improvised and can be molded without taking away from the song. The first one however needs to as is and it’s brilliant.
You are so correct. The first solo is my fav. It has to be note for note, thank you.
Agree! I really love the attention to detail that Brit Floyd pays to the song when they cover it.
counterargument: modern indie rock is relatively popular (as far as indie gets) without the help of TikTok (Black Road New Country, Glass Beach, Car Seat Headrest, black midi, etc.), and their main audience are young adults and teens (speaking as one). These bands got popularity by sharing music with friends and word spreading around online communities. I'm guessing Comfortably Numb would go through that same effect
Great point.
But it's a boomer territory so everyone gonna ignore them.
@@Vikdeb25502 lmfao fair
Have to watch by production, not as much by popularity
The "Papa Roach" style songs dominate really big on almost everything that's not Pop songs, and sadly pop songs are just a template
1 - Inflated with supertones (second tone in the octave)
2 - Same rhythm Down-Up-Down-Down-Up, and
3 - Same song structure (2xV, 1xC, 2xV, 1xC, 1xB, 1xC) all the time
There's some slight, really new/fresh but still super SLIGHT gain of popularity of "Led Zeppelin" type songs but hastened a bit (Maneskin, GVF, Arctic Monkeys)
@liamplays1 Black Country New Roads 12” single “Sunglasses” is a work of genius. Such a well written song, both lyrically and musically. The album version of the song lost its ‘teeth’ due to some ill-advised lyric changes. black midi’s “Schlagenheim” album is just fucking incredible. The first song “953” takes off and just doesn’t stop building with its jagged guitars and syncopated drums; again incredible writing. Both bands are phenomenal live!
@@uremawifenowdave these titles sound like 90’s indie spoof bands? Shlogenheim???? This is Amurican?
Whose next the Bootie Grease Boys?
I’ve brought up this exact question to family and friends for years and they never understand really why I ask it. I say it’s a smash hit today, there is a great appreciation for talented musicians by many younger listeners.
Story first, as you say👍. The music supports the lyric perfectly. It is exactly what the music arrangement does, it serves the lyric. The numbness of the anesthetic taking affect over time as you are pulled into the mood they are creating. It is an amazing example of song writing of the time. It is not a light snack to be consumed as songs even in their day were.
I totally agree with your opinion of this song, Rick! It is wonderful!
Thank you for another GREAT video--you're the best! Thank you, for your eternal optimism, your thirst for knowledge and your joyful desire to freely share your knowledge. God bless you, Rick.
Long live you!
P.S. Songwriters: David Jon Gilmour / Roger Waters
Everytime i hear it i have an intense emotional reaction/connection. Amazing
Above all amazing bands out there, these guys where my teachers. So many hours listening to every detail over and over and over again.
Let's not forget, The Wall was a series of songs all set to a theme/story. The various tempos for the songs were probably meant to strike an emotional chord as each song was played in sequence on the album. That's why I think this is a slower rock song...think back to the movie and the scenes paired with the songs.
After 50 years, still my favorite rock band of all time. Gilmour is an absolute genius.
Rick, don’t forget David Gilmour is still creating his music and still mesmerizing us with his guitar today!
But does he have 50 million tik tok followers.... Therein lies the answer.
He doesn't need them...He has 3 times that many recordings out...lol
@@RatelHBadger You really think his success is dependent on TikTok? 🤣🤣🤣
@@janinecarson8380 if he was a modern artist today then yes.
@@Jreb1865 all historical. If Gilmour, Floyd or any other classic rock n roll artists were just starting out today. They would be totally reliant on social media platforms.
what a Kick ass painting your son did on you...what an amazing gift for father's day. LOVE IT...
Hey Dylan your a great artist - what a nice pic of your dad!! love it well done!
I love having these “conversations” with music guys my age who “get it” and look at modern culture in wonder. This song is my life song! 🤟🏼❤️
Listening to Floyd today… so many instrumental solos in their songs, not just guitar. Today people would call them a jazz band lol.
Especially the work of Richard Wright....
@@WERC-lawyer yeah underrated member of the band imo. It’s his magic chords that’s really lift so many Floyd tunes too.
San tropez is a pretty jazzy song of theirs though, especially rick's solo at the end
@@djjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjj I think Rick was a bit of a jazz head
Huge fan of both of you!
Excelente!!! Gracias!!!
What you're saying about the speed of modern everything is absolutely spot on.
It's anecdotal, but our 12 year old can not watch films. He can hardly sit still long enough to listen to a 4 minute song.
Some of that is age, for sure. Yet a lot of that is the jump-cut UA-cam style and reality TV editing he's accustomed to. YT has done a number on kids who grew up watching it. It really is a shame but we have to take 5 or 6 intermissions just to get through an 80 minute film.
He's not alone either. It is generational to a massive degree. We see it in most kids his age.
Ruined by Sesame Steeet.
Thinking of "long form" - not just a long collection but of one long song. "Love Chronicles" held me captive for the whole, what, 18 minutes. As did Mcdonald & Giles "Birdman" - a whole side. Great stuff.
I'm sitting here watching two men listening to this superb song with contented smiles on their faces just as pretty much everyone else has who is watching.
Hello Rick,
Well, that’s just a great painting there of you by your son, man!
You should be so proud!
A little bit more as music is, being able to paint is a psychological thing, like ‘Knowing me, knowing you’ by ABBA...
Your son got you on canvas one hundred %! That’s art right there.
Great. 🙏
Like life... music is just a series of crescendos and decrescendos.
Rogers is a master of it. Tom Scholz, possibly Mercury, are some I'd equally applaud.
The conversation about slow and length was interesting. Maybe in the 70s and 80s the writers were closer and familiar to symphonic music. For example some of Mahler's symphonies went for an hour or more in order to develop and explore a theme.
Leonard Bernstein made a similar remark about Mahler and 20th century music.
Exactly: timeless as Fine Art!🌟
Oh give me the days of the 70’s& 80’s& vinyl, you could not wait to get into your bedroom& take the LP out of the bag, not only to listen to great music but to study the works of art that were the covers… priceless times, cannot be beaten , I am so blessed that I grew up with all this genius.❤
Today, well no comment 😫
For me, the long spoken words build up the tension which the long chorus releases so well. Such a very soothing and satisfying song.
Comfortably Numb is even more relevant today than it was in 1980. We hear about wars, shootings, and other tragedies like tsunamis and earthquakes on a daily basis. Unless a tragedy happens to you or a loved one, we send our thoughts and prayers, then go on with our lives. 😔
They did a song for that too..."On the Turning Away"
@@alangil40 I don't know if I've ever heard the song. I've listened to a lot of their songs! Just the title gave me some chills. Thank you for sharing it with me! I'll look through the albums of theirs to see if I have it. 😊
Hey Rick .. I hope your Tinnitus is getting better. Love all your videos
Rik, excellent vid, You and Tim made the best point, so many Strats being sold.
The whole point if the guitar is to do things, rhythm and lead.
This tune is a great example, a roadmap to evert hobbyist and pro alike
Yes, speaking of story coming first- this one song is part of that larger story told in and by this album. It’s, to me, one act of an important musical play. An important one, having merits on its own accord; but also connected tightly to a theme of marginalization, isolation, sadness and a bit of anger. The album was highly important to the generation in which it emerged, who were born in that historical, post war era-the war in which our parents served and from which many never returned. I can’t count how many times my friends and I would sit and listen to it from beginning to end, all four sides. We saw the movie in theaters more than once.