Comfortably Numb

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For the 1995 film, see Comfortably Numb (film).

"Comfortably Numb"
Pink-Floyd-Comfortably-Numb-single.jpg
Single by Pink Floyd
from the album The Wall
B-side"Hey You"
Released23 June 1980[1][2]
RecordedApril–November 1979
Length
  • 6:21 (album version)
  • 3:59 (single edit)
  • 6:53 (Echoes version)
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Pink Floyd singles chronology
"Run Like Hell"
(1980) 		"Comfortably Numb"
(1980) 		"When the Tigers Broke Free"
(1982)

"Comfortably Numb" is a song on English rock band Pink Floyd's eleventh album, The Wall (1979). It was released as a single in 1980, with "Hey You" as the B-side. The music was composed by guitarist David Gilmour, and the lyrics were written by bassist Roger Waters.

"Comfortably Numb" is one of Pink Floyd's most well-known songs, notable for its two guitar solos.[3] In 2004, it was ranked number 314 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.[4] In 2005, it became the last song ever performed by Waters, Gilmour, keyboardist Richard Wright, and drummer Nick Mason together. An early version was included on the 2012 Wall "Immersion Box Set".

Composition[]

The Wall is a concept album about an embittered and alienated rock star named Pink. In "Comfortably Numb," Pink is medicated by a doctor so he can perform for a show.

The verses are in B minor, while the chorus has been described as using a modal interchange of that key's relative major, D major, and D Mixolydian.[5] The song, together with "Mother", is one of two tracks on The Wall that are not connected with an adjacent track. It is also the longest on the album at 6:21, followed by "Mother", which is 5:32.

Writing[]

Guitarist David Gilmour recorded a wordless demo, and bassist Roger Waters[6] wrote lyrics, inspired by an experience of being injected with tranquilizers for stomach cramps before a 1977 performance in Philadelphia on the In the Flesh Tour.[7] "That was the longest two hours of my life," Waters said, "trying to do a show when you can hardly lift your arm."[8] The song's working title was "The Doctor".[9]

For the chorus, Gilmour and session player Lee Ritenour used a pair of acoustic guitars strung similarly to Nashville tuning, but with the low E string replaced with a high E string, two octaves higher than standard tuning. This tuning was also used for the arpeggios in "Hey You".[10]

Waters and Gilmour disagreed about how to record the song; Gilmour preferred a more grungy style for the verses. Gilmour said: "We argued over 'Comfortably Numb' like mad. Really had a big fight, went on for ages."[11] In the end, Waters' preferred opening and Gilmour's final solo were used.[citation needed]

To write the two guitar solos, Gilmour pieced together elements from several other solos he had been working on, marking his preferred segments for the final take.[12] He used a Big Muff distortion and delay effects on the solos.[13]

Live performances[]

Pink Floyd[]

During the 1980/81 The Wall tour, where a giant wall was constructed across the stage during the performance, the song was performed with Roger Waters dressed as a doctor at the bottom of the wall, and David Gilmour singing and playing guitar from the top of the wall on a raised platform with spotlights shining from behind him. It was the first time the audience's attention was drawn to the top of the completed wall. According to Gilmour, the final solo was one of the few opportunities during those concerts that he was free to improvise completely. Gilmour said:

It was a fantastic moment, I can tell, to be standing up on there, and Roger's just finished singing his thing, and I'm standing there, waiting. I'm in pitch darkness and no one knows I'm there yet. And Roger's down and he finishes his line, I start mine and the big back spots and everything go on and the audience, they're all looking straight ahead and down, and suddenly there's all this light up there and they all sort of—their heads all lift up and there's this thing up there and the sound's coming out and everything. Every night there's this sort of "[gasp!]" from about 15,000 people. And that's quite something, let me tell you.[14]

After Waters left the band, Gilmour revised the verses to suit his "grungier" preference for live performances. Verse vocals were arranged for three-part harmony. In both 1987–88 and 1994, these were sung by Richard Wright, Guy Pratt and Jon Carin.

In December 1988, a video of the live performance from Delicate Sound of Thunder reached number 11 on MTV's Top 20 Video Countdown. The video was two minutes shorter than the album version and the video clip had different camera angles from the home video version.

Pink Floyd performed the song at Knebworth Park on 30 June 1990, published on Knebworth: The Album (cd) and on Live At Knebworth 1990 (DVD).

A 10-minute version of "Comfortably Numb" was performed at Earls Court, London on 20 October 1994, as part of The Division Bell tour. The Pulse video release edited out approximately 1:20 minutes of the ending solo, whereas the original pay-per-view video showed the unedited version.

Pink Floyd, complete with Waters, reunited briefly to perform at the Live 8 concert in Hyde Park, London in July 2005. The set consisted of four songs, of which "Comfortably Numb" was the last.[15]

Roger Waters[]

After leaving Pink Floyd, Waters first performed "Comfortably Numb" at the 1990 concert staging of The Wall – Live in Berlin on 21 July 1990. The event's purpose was to commemorate the fall of the Berlin Wall. Waters sang lead, Van Morrison sang Gilmour's vocal parts backed by Rick Danko and Levon Helm of The Band, with guitar solo by Rick Di Fonzo and Snowy White, and backup by the Rundfunk Orchestra & Choir. This version was used in the Academy Award-winning 2006 film The Departed, directed by Martin Scorsese. It is also heard in the TV show episode of The Sopranos, titled "Kennedy and Heidi", when Christopher Moltisanti plays The Departed soundtrack on his car stereo before a serious accident. Van Morrison's 2007 compilation album, Van Morrison at the Movies – Soundtrack Hits includes this version.

Waters subsequently performed the song at the "Guitar Legends" festival in Spain in 1991 (with White on guitar solos, waters playing acoustic guitar during the second solo and guest vocals by Bruce Hornsby), and at the Walden Woods benefit concert in Los Angeles in 1992 with guest vocals by Don Henley.

During 1999–2000, Doyle Bramhall II and Snowy White stood in for Gilmour's vocals and guitar solos; a role carried out by Chester Kamen and White in 2002 with Andy Fairweather Low on bass while Waters played acoustic guitar in unison with Jon Carin with Andy Fairweather Low on bass; whose role was carried out by Harry Waters in 2002. In 2006–2007 Gilmour's vocals were performed by Jon Carin and Andy Fairweather-Low (while both playing acoustic guitar and Waters playing bass) with Dave Kilminster and White performing the guitar solos.

During Waters' The Wall Live tour, Robbie Wyckoff sang Gilmour's vocals, and Dave Kilminster performed the guitar solos with G E Smith on bass, both of them atop the wall, as Gilmour had been in the original tour. During the performance of 12 May 2011 at the London O2 Arena, David Gilmour appeared as a guest during this song, and both sang the choruses and played guitar from the top of the wall, echoing the original Earls Court performances.[16] The song contains one of the show's most memorable moments, when, at a specific point of the final guitar solo, Waters steps toward the wall and pounds it with his fists, triggering both an explosion of colours on the previously dark-grey screen projections and a collapsing wall.

Waters performed the song with Eddie Vedder singing Gilmour's vocals at 12-12-12: The Concert for Sandy Relief.

During Mexico City and Desert Trip shows Waters Performed with the same band setup as The Wall tour.

During the Us + Them Tour, Gilmour's vocals were performed by Jonathan Wilson with Guitar Solos by Kilminster and bass by Gus Seyffert

David Gilmour[]

Gilmour has performed the song during each of his solo tours. In his 1984 tour to promote his album About Face, the set list referred to the song as "Come on Big Bum". The vocals during the verses were performed by band members Gregg Dechert and Mickey Feat (in harmony).

In 2001 and 2002, the verse vocals were performed on different dates by guest singers: Robert Wyatt, Kate Bush, Durga McBroom, and Bob Geldof, who had played Pink in the film version of The Wall. Geldof, who had not memorized the verses, read the lyrics as he sang.

On 29 May 2006, at the Royal Albert Hall, David Bowie, in a guest appearance, sang the verses. The next day, 30 May, Richard Wright sang the verses, by himself (as per the rest of the tour), at the same venue. Both performances were immortalised on Gilmour's Remember That Night concert video, compiled from all three of his shows there on 29, 30 and 31 May 2006, which were part of his "On an Island" Tour to promote his new album of the same name.

In 2006, Gilmour performed the song in a concert, with the Polish Baltic Philharmonic Orchestra providing the orchestral parts that had usually been done with backing tapes or multiple synthesizers. This version would be released on Live in Gdańsk.

On the 2016 Rattle That Lock tour, the verses were sung by Jon Carin (on legs 1-3), Chuck Leavell (on leg 4) (this version can be seen and heard on Live at Pompeii) and Bryan Chambers (leg 5).[17] They were also performed by Benedict Cumberbatch on 28 September 2016 at the Royal Albert Hall.[18]

During a performance at the Royal Albert Hall on 24 April 2016, Gilmour and his band incorporated the final refrain of the Prince song "Purple Rain" into the song as a tribute to that artist, who had died three days earlier.[19]

Personnel[]

Pink Floyd[20]

  • Roger Waters – lead vocals (verses), bass guitar (verses and outro guitar solo), screams (film version)
  • David Gilmour – lead and harmony vocals (chorus), acoustic guitar (second verse), electric guitar, bass guitar (chorus and middle guitar solo), pedal steel guitar, Prophet-5 synthesiser
  • Nick Mason – drums
  • Richard Wright – Hammond organ

with:

Reception[]

In 2011, the song was ranked 5th in the BBC Radio 4's listeners' Desert Island Discs[21] choices. Gilmour's solo was rated the 4th best guitar solo of all-time by Guitar World magazine, in a reader poll.[12] In August 2006, it was voted the greatest guitar solo of all time in a poll by listeners of digital radio station Planet Rock.[22] Gilmour's guitar tone in the song was named best guitar sound by Guitarist magazine in November 2010.[23] The two guitar solos were ranked as the greatest guitar solos of all time by Planet Rock listeners.[24][25]

Certifications[]

Region Certification Certified units/sales
Italy (FIMI)[26]
sales since 2009 		Platinum 50,000double-dagger
United Kingdom (BPI)[27]
sales since 2004 		Platinum 600,000double-dagger

double-dagger Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Scissor Sisters version[]

"Comfortably Numb"
Single by Scissor Sisters
from the album Scissor Sisters
B-side"Rock My Spot (Crevice Canyon)"
Released19 January 2004 (2004-01-19)
Genre
Length4:25
LabelPolydor
Songwriter(s)
  • David Gilmour
  • Roger Waters
Producer(s)Scissor Sisters
Scissor Sisters singles chronology
"Laura"
(2003) 		"Comfortably Numb"
(2004) 		"Take Your Mama"
(2004)

American pop rock band Scissor Sisters recorded a radically re-arranged disco-oriented version released in January 2004 on Polydor, with the B-side "Rock My Spot (Crevice Canyon)". This release reached number 10 on the UK Singles Chart. David Gilmour and Nick Mason expressed a liking for the group's version,[30] and Roger Waters is said to have congratulated the Scissor Sisters on the version, although a lyric was changed, from "a distant ship's smoke on the horizon" to "a distant ship floats on the horizon".[31] Jake Shears, the band's lead singer, was invited by Gilmour to sing "Comfortably Numb" with him in some 2006 shows, but the idea was dropped at the last moment to Shears' public disappointment.[32] This cover received a Grammy nomination for Best Dance Recording but lost to "Toxic" by Britney Spears.[33]

Track listings[]

UK and European enhanced CD single[34]

  1. "Comfortably Numb" – 4:25
  2. "Comfortably Numb" (Fatboy extended mix) – 5:01
  3. "Rock My Spot (Crevice Canyon)" – 3:37
  4. "Comfortably Numb" (video)

Australian CD single[35]

  1. "Comfortably Numb" – 4:25
  2. "Comfortably Numb" (Fatboy extended mix) – 5:01
  3. "Comfortably Numb" (Paper Faces remix) – 8:25
  4. "Comfortably Numb" (Hughes & Spier remix) – 6:58

Charts[]

References[]

  1. ^ "Pink Floyd – "Comfortably Numb"". Pink Floyd Discography. Discogs. Retrieved 9 May 2013.
  2. ^ "Pink Floyd The Wall – single releases". Pink Floyd's Timeline. EMI; Facebook. Retrieved 18 December 2012.
  3. ^ "The 50 greatest guitar solos of all time". Guitar World. Retrieved 31 March 2021.
  4. ^ "Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Songs of All Time". Scribd. Retrieved 23 May 2011.
  5. ^ "In what key is "Comfortably Numb" by Pink Floyd? – Guitar Music Theory by Desi Serna". Retrieved 16 August 2020.
  6. ^ "Pink Floyd's Comfortably Numb: behind the meaning of the lyrics". Aural Crave. 29 January 2019. Retrieved 29 March 2021
  7. ^ Mabbett, Andy (1995). "The Wall". The Complete Guide to the music of Pink Floyd. Omnibus Press. p. 82. ISBN 0-7119-4301-X.
  8. ^ "Rolling Stone: Comfortably Numb". Archived from the original on 5 December 2009. Retrieved 11 December 2017.
  9. ^ Marty Yawnick (March 2016). "Finding a Long Version of Pink Floyd's Comfortably Numb". The Wall Complete. Retrieved 11 December 2017.
  10. ^ "David Gilmour Talks About The Wall". YouTube. Retrieved 23 May 2014.
  11. ^ "Interview with Roger Waters". Issue 3. Rock Compact Disc magazine. September 1992. Retrieved 4 February 2010.
  12. ^ Jump up to: a b "50 Greatest Guitar Solos". guitarworld.com. Archived from the original on 1 June 2017. Retrieved 6 April 2016.
  13. ^ Tolinski, Brad (September 1994). "Welcome to the Machines". Guitar World. Archived from the original on 24 May 2012. Retrieved 29 July 2011.
  14. ^ Kendall, Charlie (1984). "Shades of Pink – The Definitive Pink Floyd Profile". The Source Radio Show. Archived from the original on 11 September 2012. Retrieved 27 July 2011.
  15. ^ Greene, Andy (7 July 2015). "Pink Floyd Reunited With Roger Waters 10 Years Ago This Week". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 14 September 2020.
  16. ^ "David Gilmour Joins Roger Waters for Wall at London O2". Roger Waters The Wall Live Tour 2010/2011.com. 12 May 2011. Archived from the original on 24 May 2012. Retrieved 23 May 2011.
  17. ^ David Gilmour - Comfortably Numb - Royal Albert Hall - September 29th 2016, retrieved 29 July 2021
  18. ^ David Gilmour - Comfortably Numb (featuring Benedict Cumberbatch), retrieved 28 June 2021
  19. ^ "Watch David Gilmour Seamlessly Blend 'Comfortably Numb,' 'Purple Rain'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 24 June 2017.
  20. ^ Fitch, Vernon; Richard Mahon (28 July 2006). Comfortably Numb-A History of "The Wall" – Pink Floyd 1978–1981. PFA Publishing, Inc. p. 99. ISBN 0-9777366-0-1.
  21. ^ "Listeners Desert Island Discs". BBC. Retrieved 13 June 2011.
  22. ^ "The Greatest Guitar Solos". planetrock.com.
  23. ^ "Pink Floyd's David Gilmour & Jimi Hendrix Have 'The Best Guitar Sound of All Time'". live4ever.uk.com.
  24. ^ Neil McCormick. "Everyone wants to be an axeman..." Telegraph. Retrieved 16 October 2016.
  25. ^ "Top 10 Guitar Solos". YouTube. 8 September 2013. Retrieved 16 October 2016.
  26. ^ "Italian single certifications – Pink Floyd – Comfortably Numb" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved 26 November 2020. Select "2018" in the "Anno" drop-down menu. Select "Comfortably Numb" in the "Filtra" field. Select "Singoli" under "Sezione".
  27. ^ "British single certifications – Pink Floyd – Comfortably Numb". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 8 July 2021.
  28. ^ Bodenner, Chris (28 November 2016). "Track of the Day: 'Comfortably Numb' by Scissor Sisters". The Atlantic. Retrieved 30 April 2018.
  29. ^ Petridis, Alexis (14 February 2004). "Roll over Britpop ... it's the rebirth of art rock". The Guardian. Retrieved 14 February 2021.
  30. ^ Endelman, Michael (27 September 2006). "Think 'Pink'". EW.com. Retrieved 23 May 2014.
  31. ^ Tom Bishop (2 February 2004). "Scissor Sisters' stab at success". BBC.co.uk. Retrieved 8 January 2008. ...Pink Floyd Publishing told us the band was very pleased with our version. Roger Waters wants a picture disc.
  32. ^ "Scissor Sisters star lashes out at Pink Floyd legend | News". Nme.Com. 8 September 2006. Retrieved 23 May 2014.
  33. ^ "47th Grammy® Awards Nominations". DigitalHit. Retrieved 23 March 2018.
  34. ^ Comfortably Numb (UK & European enhanced CD single liner notes). Scissor Sisters. Polydor Records. 2003. 981 588-3.CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  35. ^ Comfortably Numb (Australian CD single liner notes). Scissor Sisters. Polydor Records. 2003. 986 630-4.CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  36. ^ "Issue 734" ARIA Top 100 Singles. National Library of Australia. Retrieved 24 September 2020.
  37. ^ "The ARIA Report – ARIA Club Tracks – Week Commencing 15th March 2004" (PDF). ARIA. 15 March 2004. p. 16. Retrieved 24 September 2020.
  38. ^ "Issue 734" ARIA Top 50 Dance Singles. National Library of Australia. Retrieved 24 September 2020.
  39. ^ "Ultratop.be – Scissor Sisters – Comfortably Numb" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 23 March 2018.
  40. ^ "Ultratop.be – Scissor Sisters – Comfortably Numb" (in French). Ultratip. Retrieved 23 March 2018.
  41. ^ "Ultratop.be – Scissor Sisters – Comfortably Numb" (in Dutch). Ultratop Dance. Retrieved 24 September 2020.
  42. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Scissor Sisters – Comfortably Numb" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 23 March 2018.
  43. ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Comfortably Numb". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 15 January 2020.
  44. ^ "Top 10 Dance Singles, Week Ending 22 January 2004". GfK Chart-Track. Retrieved 17 June 2019.[permanent dead link]
  45. ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Scissor Sisters – Comfortably Numb" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 23 March 2018.
  46. ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 23 March 2018.
  47. ^ "Swedishcharts.com – Scissor Sisters – Comfortably Numb". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 23 March 2018.
  48. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 23 March 2018.
  49. ^ "Official Dance Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 27 May 2018.
  50. ^ "ARIA Charts – End of Year Charts – Club Chart 2004". ARIA. Archived from the original on 15 April 2020. Retrieved 17 September 2020.
  51. ^ "The Official UK Singles Chart 2004" (PDF). UKChartsPlus. Retrieved 27 May 2018.

Bibliography[]

  • Fitch, Vernon. The Pink Floyd Encyclopedia (3rd edition), 2005. ISBN 1-894959-24-8

External links[]

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