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FBG'S TOP 100 PINK FLOYD SONGS - #01 - Comfortably Numb from The Wall (1979) (9 Viewers)
- Thread starter Anarchy99
- Start date
Anarchy99
Footballguy
I believe there are 4 post Waters songs remaining and one of them is next.
PIK95
Footballguy
That's unfortunate. I thought we had real fans here.
I'm actually shocked only one more Division Bell song made the ranking.
FatMax
Member
That's unfortunate. I thought we had real fans here.
I'm actually shocked only one more Division Bell song made the ranking.
By my count, there are eight Division Bell songs already on the list ... unless you meant something else.
PIK95
Footballguy
I must have missed a few.That's unfortunate. I thought we had real fans here.
I'm actually shocked only one more Division Bell song made the ranking.
By my count, there are eight Division Bell songs already on the list ... unless you meant something else.
Anarchy99
Footballguy
Comments on the highest UCR ranked songs we didn't rank . . .
39. “Let There Be More Light,” A Saucerful of Secrets (1968)
Wright and Waters play the chanting druids foretelling of an epic meeting between aliens and earthlings while Gilmour blazes in on the choruses to narrate a close encounter that occurred (at least, according to this song) at Mildenhall. This is fun, fantastic space rock in which the alien takes the form of “Lucy in the Sky” and squalls of organ herald a new era for the human race. Then, Gilmour lets the psychic emanations flow from his guitar – the axeman’s first solo on a Floyd record.
49. “Point Me at the Sky,” single (1968)
Everything shifts on this wacky, space-age tune – which is more Georges Melies than NASA. The mood oscillates between dreamy calm and fiery rock, the vocals flip between co-writers Gilmour and Waters, and the lyrics change from first-person to third. Even time appears to drift between the present (in which our hero is only too happy to escape the Earth) and the future (in which he’s sick of eating his capsules for dinner). The funny, thrilling single flopped, only to become a rarity until the compact-disc boxed set era. Garnering a larger reputation was its b-side.
56. “Apples and Oranges,” single (1967)
Even a seeing a pretty girl at the supermarket is a psychedelic experience for Syd Barrett, who conjures this gonzo song out of things as mundane as, well, apples and oranges. The single, which flopped big-time, struts on the verses – then gets lost in a daydream on the choruses. Barrett defies musical expectations from line to line, as he’s somehow able to cram in too many words here and stretch too few words there. You never know what’s next; but it’s a joy when it arrives.
57. “Matilda Mother,” The Piper at the Gates of Dawn (1967)
Richard Wright brings some Eastern intrigue to Syd Barrett’s portrait of a child being read bedtime stories (told from the kid’s point-of-view, of course). The keyboardist delivers a serpentine solo in the Phrygian dominant scale – employed in Indian and Klezmer music, among others – and gives the lead vocals a dreamy, stately grace.
60. “Chapter 24,” The Piper at the Gates of Dawn (1967)
Early Floyd owes a fair share to another band that was making famous music on Abbey Road. If John Lennon could crib from the Tibetan Book of the Dead, then Syd Barrett might as well pull from the I Ching, describing a mathematical view of progress on “Chapter 24.” Barrett’s nonchalant vocal delivery coupled with Wright’s majestic swirls of organ makes the theory seem enlightening. Hey, maybe it actually is.
39. “Let There Be More Light,” A Saucerful of Secrets (1968)
Wright and Waters play the chanting druids foretelling of an epic meeting between aliens and earthlings while Gilmour blazes in on the choruses to narrate a close encounter that occurred (at least, according to this song) at Mildenhall. This is fun, fantastic space rock in which the alien takes the form of “Lucy in the Sky” and squalls of organ herald a new era for the human race. Then, Gilmour lets the psychic emanations flow from his guitar – the axeman’s first solo on a Floyd record.
49. “Point Me at the Sky,” single (1968)
Everything shifts on this wacky, space-age tune – which is more Georges Melies than NASA. The mood oscillates between dreamy calm and fiery rock, the vocals flip between co-writers Gilmour and Waters, and the lyrics change from first-person to third. Even time appears to drift between the present (in which our hero is only too happy to escape the Earth) and the future (in which he’s sick of eating his capsules for dinner). The funny, thrilling single flopped, only to become a rarity until the compact-disc boxed set era. Garnering a larger reputation was its b-side.
56. “Apples and Oranges,” single (1967)
Even a seeing a pretty girl at the supermarket is a psychedelic experience for Syd Barrett, who conjures this gonzo song out of things as mundane as, well, apples and oranges. The single, which flopped big-time, struts on the verses – then gets lost in a daydream on the choruses. Barrett defies musical expectations from line to line, as he’s somehow able to cram in too many words here and stretch too few words there. You never know what’s next; but it’s a joy when it arrives.
57. “Matilda Mother,” The Piper at the Gates of Dawn (1967)
Richard Wright brings some Eastern intrigue to Syd Barrett’s portrait of a child being read bedtime stories (told from the kid’s point-of-view, of course). The keyboardist delivers a serpentine solo in the Phrygian dominant scale – employed in Indian and Klezmer music, among others – and gives the lead vocals a dreamy, stately grace.
60. “Chapter 24,” The Piper at the Gates of Dawn (1967)
Early Floyd owes a fair share to another band that was making famous music on Abbey Road. If John Lennon could crib from the Tibetan Book of the Dead, then Syd Barrett might as well pull from the I Ching, describing a mathematical view of progress on “Chapter 24.” Barrett’s nonchalant vocal delivery coupled with Wright’s majestic swirls of organ makes the theory seem enlightening. Hey, maybe it actually is.
Galileo
Footballguy
Taking a little inspiration from Pip for a stroll down memory lane, here are the setlists that I saw live. Not much diversity on the AMLOR tour 
Nov 21, 1987 Reunion Arena, Dallas TX
May 28, 1988 Ohio Stadium, Columbus OH
Nov 21, 1987 Reunion Arena, Dallas TX
- Shine On You Crazy Diamond (Parts I-V)
- Signs of Life
- Learning to Fly
- Yet Another Movie
- Round and Around
- A New Machine, Part 1
- Terminal Frost
- A New Machine, Part 2
- Sorrow
- The Dogs of War
- On the Turning Away
- One of These Days
- Time
- On the Run
- Wish You Were Here
- Welcome to the Machine
- Us and Them
- Money
- Another Brick in the Wall, Part 2
- Comfortably Numb
Encore - One Slip
- Run Like Hell
May 28, 1988 Ohio Stadium, Columbus OH
- Shine On You Crazy Diamond (Parts I-V)
- Signs of Life
- Learning to Fly
- Yet Another Movie
- Round and Around
- A New Machine, Part 1
- Terminal Frost
- A New Machine, Part 2
- Sorrow
- The Dogs of War
- On the Turning Away
- One of These Days
- Time
- On the Run
- The Great Gig in the Sky
- Wish You Were Here
- Welcome to the Machine
- Us and Them
- Money
- Another Brick in the Wall, Part 2
- Comfortably Numb
Encore - One Slip
- Run Like Hell
Pip's Invitation
Footballguy
Hey, I got one of the 12 shows where they played Echoes!Not much diversity on the AMLOR tour
Pip's Invitation
Footballguy
I think this is the best song from AMLOR, and if I'd found room on my list for something from this album, this would have been it. Gilmour's solos and opening riffage are incredible. I had no idea the studio track was 100% drum machine, they did a good job of making it sound like overprocessed real drums, which is something, I guess.
Pip's Invitation
Footballguy
-- Fun, snappy psych rock until it fizzles out at the end.
-- Might be the best of More's instrumentals. The opening is spooky and the bass-and-drum pattern that drives most of the song is groovy, baby.
-- One of the best non-Barrett psychedelic tracks. I agree with the part about the rockin' groove to start, but I don't think things go south. They just get a little freaky.
-- Dull, but not actively bad like some of the other things on the studio half of Ummagumma. (It's spelled Grantchester.)
-- The lyrics and vocal cadence leave a lot to be desired, but the guitar-and-organ run in the middle is pretty thrilling. "It's not on commercial radio" is a weird argument to make, but a lot of Vulture's takes haven't made sense. (It's Thy, not They.)
Pip's Invitation
Footballguy
-- The verses sound like Ray Davies after huffing helium. The chorus is fuzzed-out Beatles and lots of fun.
-- This is all kinds of disjointed. Who the hell decided to release it as a single?
-- Lord you've got me strung out on Eastern intrigue.
FatMax
Member
I must have missed a few.That's unfortunate. I thought we had real fans here.
I'm actually shocked only one more Division Bell song made the ranking.
By my count, there are eight Division Bell songs already on the list ... unless you meant something else.
Hey you, don't worry about it. Probably just a momentary lapse of reason. Or brain damage. Either way, the show must go on.
Anarchy99
Footballguy
#49 - The Dogs Of War from A Momentary Lapse Of Reason (1987)
Appeared On: 4 ballots (out of 33 . . . 12.1%)
Total Points: 36 points (out of 825 possible points . . . 4.4%)
Top Rankers: @PIK95 @Ridgeback @Yo Mama @Galileo
Highest Ranking: 14
Live Performances:
DG's PF: 198 (DSOT, Venice)
Covers: The Great Gig, Laibach, Brit Floyd
Galileo and Yo Mama make their first appearances . . . which should leave only one person left whose list is still fully intact. To provide some perspective on how the votes in the countdown are spread out, it will take 10 times the votes this song go to make the Top 10.
The Dogs Of War is a song about "physical and political mercenaries", according to Gilmour. It came about through a mishap in the studio when a sampling machine began playing a sample of laughter, which Gilmour thought sounded like a dog's bark. describes politicians orchestrating wars, suggesting the major influence behind war is money. This song is about war on the highest level, the political level. The dogs of war describe how politicians orchestrate wars that the public does not know about. Also, the major influence behind war is money. This song was written about the covert wars of the 80's where millions of American dollars went to Afghanistan to fight off the Russian threat of communism. It possibly a reference to United States president Ronald Reagan, who was dealing in covert war with countries like Nicaragua Contras and others. Gilmour wrote this song with Anthony Moore, who was in a band called Slapp Happy.
Vanilla Fudge drummer Carmine Appice played drums on this track. "I came home one day and there was a message on my machine from producer Bob Ezrin. He said, 'Hey Carmine, I'm in the studio with Pink Floyd and there's a track that's just screaming for some Carmine fills.' I called him back, I said, 'Where's Nick Mason?' He said, 'He's here, but he's a bit rusty and everybody wants a bit of a change, so they're bringing in guest drummers.' So I went down and did it, it was pretty wild. Nick was there. I said, 'Why aren't you playing?' He said, 'Well, I've been racing my cars, my calluses are soft...' Bob said they were just looking for a little different inspiration from the drumming. All I did was fill up a 24-track with drum parts and they edited it all together. I didn't hear the whole drum part until the album came out. Every time I'd ask Bob, 'What about it?' he'd have one word: 'Daring.'"
It was performed at every show on the band's 1987-1989 tours, and featured on the CD and video releases of Delicate Sound Of Thunder. When the Momentary Lapse album was played in concert, this track was the eighth track performed from the album. The live versions would have an extended intro, middle solo for the saxophone, a guitar and sax duel and a longer outro as compared to the album version. The track was a minor rock radio hit in the US and reached #16 on MTV's Video Countdown in May of 1988.
In a 1989 poll of readers, it was voted, by a comfortable margin, the worst Pink Floyd song of all time in the fanzine The Amazing Pudding. The consensus amongst readers of that publication was that the writer David Gilmour was trying to ape Roger Waters in writing and convincingly delivering an angry anti-war song, and failing dismally.
Vulture Ranking (out of 165 songs): 152
Ultimate Classic Rock Ranking (out of 167 songs): 136
Louder Ranking (out of 50 songs): 34
WMGK Ranking (out of 40 songs): NR
Ranker Ranking (out of 132 songs): 584
Billboard Ranking (out of 50 songs): NR
Vulture Ranking (152 out of 165 songs): The exquisite irony of the result of Waters’s departure — which Waters has always been smart enough to acknowledge — was that in 1984 the members of Pink Floyd were by far the most anonymous superstars in the world. Interviews with the band were almost nonexistent, and their picture hadn’t been on the cover of an album since Ummagumma, in 1970. (The band was never on the cover of Rolling Stone until a piece about the breakup … which was published in 1987, years after it all happened.) Who the hell cared that someone named Roger Waters left Pink Floyd? All that said, Gilmour himself had no business creating a Pink Floyd album on his own — and it was on his own, because, once the album got underway, it was plain that Mason couldn’t even drum any more. Pink Floyd had to hire outside drummers to play drums for its drummer. Gilmour also brought in outside songwriters, a motley crew that extended even to former Madonna collaborator Patrick Leonard. And the record company still rejected the album! Back to the drawing board. The ultimate result was as lame a work as you can imagine.
Next up, we say goodbye to an album.
Appeared On: 4 ballots (out of 33 . . . 12.1%)
Total Points: 36 points (out of 825 possible points . . . 4.4%)
Top Rankers: @PIK95 @Ridgeback @Yo Mama @Galileo
Highest Ranking: 14
Live Performances:
DG's PF: 198 (DSOT, Venice)
Covers: The Great Gig, Laibach, Brit Floyd
Galileo and Yo Mama make their first appearances . . . which should leave only one person left whose list is still fully intact. To provide some perspective on how the votes in the countdown are spread out, it will take 10 times the votes this song go to make the Top 10.
The Dogs Of War is a song about "physical and political mercenaries", according to Gilmour. It came about through a mishap in the studio when a sampling machine began playing a sample of laughter, which Gilmour thought sounded like a dog's bark. describes politicians orchestrating wars, suggesting the major influence behind war is money. This song is about war on the highest level, the political level. The dogs of war describe how politicians orchestrate wars that the public does not know about. Also, the major influence behind war is money. This song was written about the covert wars of the 80's where millions of American dollars went to Afghanistan to fight off the Russian threat of communism. It possibly a reference to United States president Ronald Reagan, who was dealing in covert war with countries like Nicaragua Contras and others. Gilmour wrote this song with Anthony Moore, who was in a band called Slapp Happy.
Vanilla Fudge drummer Carmine Appice played drums on this track. "I came home one day and there was a message on my machine from producer Bob Ezrin. He said, 'Hey Carmine, I'm in the studio with Pink Floyd and there's a track that's just screaming for some Carmine fills.' I called him back, I said, 'Where's Nick Mason?' He said, 'He's here, but he's a bit rusty and everybody wants a bit of a change, so they're bringing in guest drummers.' So I went down and did it, it was pretty wild. Nick was there. I said, 'Why aren't you playing?' He said, 'Well, I've been racing my cars, my calluses are soft...' Bob said they were just looking for a little different inspiration from the drumming. All I did was fill up a 24-track with drum parts and they edited it all together. I didn't hear the whole drum part until the album came out. Every time I'd ask Bob, 'What about it?' he'd have one word: 'Daring.'"
It was performed at every show on the band's 1987-1989 tours, and featured on the CD and video releases of Delicate Sound Of Thunder. When the Momentary Lapse album was played in concert, this track was the eighth track performed from the album. The live versions would have an extended intro, middle solo for the saxophone, a guitar and sax duel and a longer outro as compared to the album version. The track was a minor rock radio hit in the US and reached #16 on MTV's Video Countdown in May of 1988.
In a 1989 poll of readers, it was voted, by a comfortable margin, the worst Pink Floyd song of all time in the fanzine The Amazing Pudding. The consensus amongst readers of that publication was that the writer David Gilmour was trying to ape Roger Waters in writing and convincingly delivering an angry anti-war song, and failing dismally.
Vulture Ranking (out of 165 songs): 152
Ultimate Classic Rock Ranking (out of 167 songs): 136
Louder Ranking (out of 50 songs): 34
WMGK Ranking (out of 40 songs): NR
Ranker Ranking (out of 132 songs): 584
Billboard Ranking (out of 50 songs): NR
Vulture Ranking (152 out of 165 songs): The exquisite irony of the result of Waters’s departure — which Waters has always been smart enough to acknowledge — was that in 1984 the members of Pink Floyd were by far the most anonymous superstars in the world. Interviews with the band were almost nonexistent, and their picture hadn’t been on the cover of an album since Ummagumma, in 1970. (The band was never on the cover of Rolling Stone until a piece about the breakup … which was published in 1987, years after it all happened.) Who the hell cared that someone named Roger Waters left Pink Floyd? All that said, Gilmour himself had no business creating a Pink Floyd album on his own — and it was on his own, because, once the album got underway, it was plain that Mason couldn’t even drum any more. Pink Floyd had to hire outside drummers to play drums for its drummer. Gilmour also brought in outside songwriters, a motley crew that extended even to former Madonna collaborator Patrick Leonard. And the record company still rejected the album! Back to the drawing board. The ultimate result was as lame a work as you can imagine.
Next up, we say goodbye to an album.
Ghost Rider
Footballguy
Wow, I did not see Dogs of War finishing this high. As much as I like A Momentary Lapse of Reason, warts and all, this song is a mixed bag for me. It has some parts I really like, but it feels like it never really comes together. Definitely another was better live.
zamboni
Footballguy
AHM took me a bit to wrap my arms around it, but as I got more and more into Floyd, I really came to appreciate the innovation and musicianship (despite its length).
Galileo
Footballguy
I had this at 24 on my list, and admittedly, I probably have it overrated. But, this song is etched in my mind forever in connection with my college friend and roommate. We were partying one evening when this tune came on, and my roommate claimed he had a vision from God. While I am sure the vision had more to do with mushrooms than Pink Floyd, he fully believed God spoke to him through this song and told him to stop doing drugs. From that moment forward, he never touched a single substance other than alcohol through his remaining college days. I am not sure why God left alcohol off the list. Anyway, I can't help but get a little nostalgic for the college days when I hear this track.
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zamboni
Footballguy
This was also on my just missed list.
zamboni
Footballguy
I always found this a bit long (which I don't say very often for a PF tune) and boring, especially the beginning. I guess at the end of the day, while I appreciate the musicianship of Momentary and Division Bell, I find them to be a bit sterile. Absent the two gems (one from each) that I'm sure will be upcoming.
Dr. Octopus
Footballguy
Don't get the love for this song at all. So dull and generic. It's not Pink Floyd.
PIK95
Footballguy
It crushes live. It's better than most of the Wall imo.
Dr. Octopus
Footballguy
He's not an evil God.
Dr. Octopus
Footballguy
Yeah, sure it is.
Pip's Invitation
Footballguy
Dogs of War is a better production than it is a song. It doesn’t deserve the vitriol it gets from its haters, but nor is it one of AMLOR’s best.
zamboni
Footballguy
I think about 92.4% of rock songs in the '80s were touched by either Carmine or Steve Lukather.
PIK95
Footballguy
I think it's the 4th best on that record. Live, it's a monster imo.
FatMax
Member
I'm with you here. Most Pink Floyd music I like. Some I love. Dogs of War doesn't even reach the first bar. And it's crazy, because I know some people who LOVE this song, and I have never been able to figure out why.
Dr. Octopus
Footballguy
Haters?
Dr. Octopus
Footballguy
So if some one doesn't like a song. they're haters. Lots of hate in this thread then I guess from a few posters.
Anarchy99
Footballguy
@Dwayne Hoover @ericttspikes @BrutalPenguin @Mookie Gizzy @Rand al Thor @Anarchy99
I believe the 6 of us were the ones that did not vote for any song after Waters left the band. If you had to pick your favorite post-Roger song, what would it be? How far away would you guess that song would be from your Top 25 PF songs?
I believe the 6 of us were the ones that did not vote for any song after Waters left the band. If you had to pick your favorite post-Roger song, what would it be? How far away would you guess that song would be from your Top 25 PF songs?
FatMax
Member
Well, now we have three left. I know for sure what two of the songs are, but no idea what the third could be. I would guess it is coming soon.
zamboni
Footballguy
One might slip and divulge it. Or perhaps I'm not learning my lesson.
Galileo
Footballguy
Of course if you slip, you might learn to fly...perhaps better if you just turn away.
BrutalPenguin
Footballguy
That's the problem - I listened to AMLOR when it came out and didn't find much I liked and this was decades ago, so I don't remember all that much. I don't think I even listened to the last two albums. I guess I'd go with "Learning to Fly" since I heard it on the radio all the time and mostly liked it, but post Waters Floyd doesn't feel like Floyd to me.
PIK95
Footballguy
I am not ragging on you but I never really understood that sentiment. DG had all the best songs imo vocal wise and the monster guitar solo's. Wright was a wizard and that certainly added to the PF sound. People really miss the Bass guitar sound that much? Guns an Roses just wasn't the same after Duff left....
Edited to add: I just watched the Band of Brothers series for like the twentieth time, and my grams was in the pacific during ww2, so I'm certainly aware of all that.
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Anarchy99
Footballguy
I don't miss the bass guitar playing all that much . . . but I do miss the song development, lyrics, and edge that Roger provided. That was next level. Dave's guitar and voice was next level. Take away one or the other, and you end up with half a loaf of bread. IMO, Dave has huge limitations as a composer and a lyricist that held back AMLOR and TDB. To me, they ring hollow and seem like a lot is missing (compared to peak Floyd).
I enjoy both albums, but when I am in the mood to listen to Floyd, I would never reach for either of those two albums. If songs from them come on in shuffle play mode, I will listen to and enjoy them, but they would literally never be my first choice.
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Dr. Octopus
Footballguy
Gilmour is surely a main reason why I love Floyd. His vocals are much better than Waters' for sure and he's my third favorite guitarist to listen to, but while the post Waters catalogue has a few decent songs, most of the music is much more generic and the lyrics are weak.
It's not bad music (I picked two songs here) but I also don't consider it "real" Floyd either. I personally like solo Waters' albums better than Floyd's post Waters output - both both sorely miss the other.
Dr. Octopus
Footballguy
- yeah that's all Roger contributed.
Ghost Rider
Footballguy
No offense to anyone, but it makes no sense to say post-Waters Floyd material doesn’t sound like Pink Floyd. The band can sound like whatever they want. The prime 70s material sounded very little like the Syd Barrett material. Was not that the real Floyd sound either?
zamboni
Footballguy
I think when most talk about sounding like PF, they're talking about the sound of the core run from DSOTM (or Meddle for many) through The Wall. I can understand that.
PIK95
Footballguy
I didn't miss him at all. I just thinks he gets way to much credit for "songwriting", and I really don't enjoy much that he touched. His solo stuff is awful imo. I like Hey You and Run but the rest of the Wall has always been autoskip in a shuffle. That being said I am much more into the sound of the music, than the poetry and lyrics. I would rather listen to the old psychedelic stuff than the Wall or Final. I play Division Bell all the time fwiw.
Dr. Octopus
Footballguy
No offense, but different things can make sense to different people.
Dr. Octopus
Footballguy
They probably wouldn’t have lasted as a band for very long without songwriting.
Ghost Rider
Footballguy
I get that, but even those albums don’t sound alike. Animals is a very different animal (no pun intended) from Dark Side of the Moon. I think some get too tied up with what they want a band to sound like.
Ghost Rider
Footballguy
Without songs, you’ve got nothing. And t while DG and RW were valuable musical contributors at their peaks, Roger wrote the lion’s share of their most highly regarded work. That is immeasurable. Not to mention that the concepts are a massive part of their appeal, and that was all Roger.I didn't miss him at all. I just thinks he gets way to much credit for "songwriting", and I really don't enjoy much that he touched. His solo stuff is awful imo. I like Hey You and Run but the rest of the Wall has always been autoskip in a shuffle. That being said I am much more into the sound of the music, than the poetry and lyrics. I would rather listen to the old psychedelic stuff than the Wall or Final. I play Division Bell all the time fwiw.
Dr. Octopus
Footballguy
There’s a difference between a band finding it’s way early in their careers - especially when a key member is being replaced by a very different musician who would become a key member - and a band “phoning it in” after their peak.
To me it makes perfect sense. Those post- Waters albums can be considered Gilmour solo albums which isn’t “real” Floyd. I mean those albums were just Gilmour and Mason as official members - and my guess is no one would notice if Mason wasn’t involved.
PIK95
Footballguy
For sure, RW sells out solo shows. He obviously has a huge fan base.
Ghost Rider
Footballguy
Wright was an official member again when writing and producing The Division Bell, and he’s all over that record.
PIK95
Footballguy
Where was Richard Wright during AMLOR and Division Bell? I didn't realize he wasn't involved. Actually, I'm sure he was in Davision Bell? Why would you not mention him?
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