JPF Home Page Forums General Messages General Message Forum Greatest Lyrics: Pink Floyd

I was driving down the road listening to some Pink Floyd and it dawned on me how these lyrics never cease to produce a vivd image in my mind--which is what we're all striving to do I suppose with our own lyrics. They are from the song Comfortably Numb, and althogh there are many more great lyric lines in this tune these are the ones that stick out to me as the best:

There is no pain, you are receding,
like distant ship's smoke on the horizon,
You are coming through in waves,
Your lips move, but I can't hear what you're saying,
I have become comfortably numb.

The picture that is so vivd to me is the ship on the horizon--In my minds eye I can see the tiny ship trailing a thin wisp of black smoke just as it dips below the grey horizon.
This is such an incredible way to describe someone who is receding from view or in this case from someone's conciousness. When he goes on to say that the fellows lips are moving but he can't hear what he's saying reinforces this image perfectly to me.
This is what I want to write like. I want to be able to produce these sorts of images in the minds of the people that hear my songs. Every once in a while I'll hit it- and it seems that's when Ive let go and let it flow.
I don't really understand how this works but I know when it does it's magic and for me the lyrics of this song are just that--magic.
Tim

Don't we all aspire to do that! Keep writing and you will do it one day (heck, you might have already done it). At the same time -- be your own biggest fan. We have to enjoy the here and now even if we are total hacks (ha, ha).

Kevin

lolol=good advice Kevin!!!
Tim

Roger Waters writes great lyrics. At least I think that he wrote most of the Pink Floyd lyrics. From what I understand, the band would spend the day in the studio making melodies and instrumentals. Then they would depend on Roger to make a lyric. He would write overnight the lyric to match the previous session.

He would write the lyric in one day just from being alone with his thoughts, and the music that was previously recorded. Is that a songwriter or what?

Of course the Beatles also wrote lots of stuff at home and not in the studio.

Great song! Great lyric.

Without a word spoken Gilmore's guitar speaks volumes and makes that song great all by itself.

Waters/Gilmore wrote GREAT music, this song like many many others by them have it all. So many bands write "Whatever" lyrics and only count on there style to put it all over. Not the case with Floyd and other MONSTER groups of that era.

Some of my favorite & well known Floyd lyrics ....

"Dogs"
You have to be trusted by the people that you lie to
So that when they turn their backs on you
You'll get the chance to put the knife in

"Have A Cigar"
Well I've always had a deep respect, and I mean that most sincerely.
The band is just fantastic, that is really what I think.
Oh by the way, which one's Pink? LOL

"Money"
It's a gas
Grab that cash with both hands and make a stash
New car, caviar, four star daydream
Think I'll buy me a football team

"Wish You Were Here"
We're just two lost souls swimming in a fish bowl, year after year,
Running over the same old ground.
What have you found? The same old fears.
Wish you were here.

The sun is the same in a relative way, but you're older
Shorter of breath and one day closer to death

"Time"
The sun is the same in a relative way, but you're older
Shorter of breath and one day closer to death
Every year is getting shorter,
never seem to find the time
Plans that either come to naught
or half a page of scribbled lines
Hanging on quiet desperation is the English way
The time is gone, the song is over,
thought I'd something more to say

And it goes on & on.

Like The Beatles, Pink Floyd evolved over the years. Their first album was recorded and produced at the same time The Beatles were recording "Sgt. Pepper", one door over at Abby Road. Pink Floyd and The Beatles were visiting each other between breaks.

I can only imagine a conversation between Syd Barrett and John Lennon. John must of thought that he was nuts, which he was. And imagine George Martin chasing John around the studio, to find him smoking pot with Syd.

Gilmour has always been a part of Pink Floyd, even in the Syd Barrett days. He just wasn't recognized as part of the band until Syd left. Syd was an English pop star guitarist who wrote catchy and cute ditties that made the British pop charts. Gilmour brought the band to an international level.

There is no doubt that Roger Waters became the lyricist of Pink Floyd music after Syd left.

Oh yeah-great lyrics and music-They are definitely one of a kind and I agree with you Mike-they never never never just called it in-they were fresh in everything they did- one of my favorites is:
The tolling of the iron bell, calls the faithful to their knees,
to hear the softly spoken magic spell--
Incredible geniuses all-
great posts guys
tim

Amen to all that

I keep wondering if the caliber of lyrics like these would "sell" today....

Or, who IS writing like this in the current market.......
Because if anyone's got this level I'd like to know about them

Kids today are still going back and digging into the Classic Rock. There's a reason for that - it endures because it's THAT. GOOD.

All right........... can of worms, opened --


Linda

I agree Linda. Kids identify with "Comfortably Numb", though it was recorded before many of them were born. Besides the great melody, dual lead vocals, the lyric reaches out and grabs you. It's one of those "This song is about me" songs. And you have to listen to it loud. It can put you into a trance.

Just check out this live performance from Live 8 a few years ago. The audience was in awe. Unfortunately the keyboardist and fellow founding member Rick Wright has passed since. This was their last performance.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0wtiNzci1Wc

Good point Linda-
Nickelback does good lyrics but not as poetic as Floyd- Your right about kids going back to listen to all the old great ones- even in my little town there's a group of kids that walk around wth their dark side of the moon t-shirts on--as for if it's marketable today I don't know- I think if a band of exceptional talent like pink floyd (if it were around) would always be marketable--maybe---lolol
tim

Yes, Pink Floyd is IMO one of those bands people will be listening to 100 years from now. Not too many we can say that about.

But it's the whole deal. Lyric and music come together is a great way. I absolutely love Us And Them. Great sax, awesome lyric...

And as Linda says, youth today discover PF and keep playing them.

BTW, here's one of my favourites, Dar Williams, doing a cover of Comfortably Numb.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SqQFWXWVBNA

John-
That is awesome
thanks for that link
tim

HiDee Brother Tim!

Back in the late '60's, Pink Floyd regularly played gigs in Heidelberg, where I was stationed..but..I never attended a concert since I didn't appreciate them at the time..being more into Hendrix & The Stones.

Took YEARS to realize how great they were/are...but Yeah..Artfully-Poetic Lyrics with Incredible Guitars & Vocals. I was pretty impressed with their "take" on English Schooling...in "Another Brick in The Wall"... (There's a bit of Irony realizing Today's Kids'll prolly never know that's a CASH REGISTER ringing-away in the background of "Money"..heh-heh!)

Best Wishes,
Stan

haaaaaaaaaa-good point stan!!!!never thought of the cash register!!!!!!lololol-you're right-they probably haven't got a clue as to what that sound is!!!lololol

Hi Tim

This is my homage to Pink Floyd - Silent Battles There is also a reggae version of this knocking about somewhere on CD Baby

Nige

that's awesome nigel!

Pink Floyd did such a great job of marrying lyrics, music, and visuals. I just saw Roger Waters recently, performing on the Wall 2010 tour... I don't think I'll ever see anything that was so perfectly choreographed again.... and the lyrics have definitely withstood the test of time. It seems like the challenge, what they were so good at, is keeping the lyrics abstract enough that it's poetic, visual enough that it tells a story, and specific enough that it draws you in.

Just to add to the list of favorite lyrics above, I really love 'Nobody's Home'

"I've got the obligatory Hendrix perm and the inevitable pinhole burns
All down the front of my favorite satin shirt
I've got nicotine stains on my fingers, I've got a silver spoon on a chain
Got a grand piano to prop up my mortal remains
I've got wild staring eyes
And I've got a strong urge to fly, but I got nowhere to fly to...."

Just really good stuff.

I found "On the Turning Away" to be one of their great songs. Have you noticed that it seemed musically totally different than the other work they had done or did afterward.
These lyrics are great but it takes the melody to create the haunting imagery in our minds.
Syd Barret seem to be a character out of a British mystery or a show like "The Prisoner" with Patrick McGoohan.
Maybe it take stepping over the edge to produce great work.
Wyndham

Lyrically I absolutely love Echoes - the words flow so smoothly with the melody (similar to Across The Universe). I find the whole song part so uplifting (I don't care for all the indulgence in the middle).

A lot of their lyrics seem to touch on things that relate to our very existence (I realise some may call it pretentious twaddle but what the hell it's prog rock )

And no-one called us to the land
And no-one knows the wheres or whys
But something stirs and something tries
And starts to climb towards the light

Also the philosophy of Wots...uh the Deal with its Crosby, Stills, Nash-esq harmonies

So let me in from the cold
Turn my lead into gold
Cause there's chill wind blowing in my soul
And I think I'm growing old

In my opinion, Pink Floyd had three phases.
The first was the Syd Barrett Pink Floyd http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bhJYqa_htCY&feature=related

The second was the post-Barrett Pink Floyd that played movie soundtracks.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iCv4cLqs1ik
The third is what we know of them as of now. I personally don't think of the band as anything but Gilmour, Wright, Mason, and Waters.

The band has always given credit, written songs, and given tributes to the founder, Syd Barrett, may he rest in peace with Richard Write.