Most of the tracks on Pink Floyd’s concept album The Wall were written by Roger Waters. Gilmour co-wrote only three compositions. One of them was the great song Comfortably Numb, for which he composed the chorus melody. Many years later, David called her “the last ember” of their creative union. Recall how the famous work was born.
History and Meaning Comfortably Numb
The lyrics of the song are based on Waters’ personal experience from different years. Roger seems to have come up with the idea for the composition through childhood memories.
Author’s word:
I remember I had the flu or something, an infection with a temperature of about forty and feverish delirium. The hands didn’t look like balloons, but they did look very large, intimidating. Many people think that these lines are about masturbation. Only God knows why.
Mojo, 2009
Another case is reflected in the line “That’ll keep you going through the show” from the words of the song Comfortably Numb. A reporter from Mojo magazine asked Waters about the meaning of the phrase. In response, Roger related the following story:
She appeared thanks to a show that took place at the Spectrum, Philelphia. [29 июня 1977]. I had terrible stomach cramps, and I thought that I could not compete further. The doctor backstage gave me an injection of something that I swear to God would kill a damn elephant. Throughout the show, I could hardly raise my arm above the knee. He said it was a muscle relaxant. But he practically robbed me of sensitivity. It was so bad that at the end the audience demanded more, but I couldn’t.
Here are some more of Roger’s memories of that concert:
It was the longest two hours of my life. You’re trying to put on a show even though you can barely raise your hand.
Rolling stone
Some researchers of the group’s work believe that the idea for the song arose after the famous incident with Syd Barrett, who went over with drugs and could not participate in the concert.
It is widely believed in Pink Floyd fan circles that Comfortably Numb’s lyrics are about drugs.
Recording
When recording the composition in the studio between Gilmour and Waters, serious disagreements arose. David remembers:
There were two records that we fought over. I wrote it when I was doing my first solo album [David Gilmour, 1978]. We seem to have changed the key of the song’s intro from mi to si. The chorus stayed exactly the same. Then we had to add a little, because Roger wanted to use the line “I have become comfortably numb”. Other than that, it was very, very easy to write. The controversy around her was about how to mix it and what track to use.
We did one track with Nick Mason on drums and I thought it was too rough and sloppy. We tried again, and I liked the second option better. Roger disagreed. The main reason for this was selfishness. We literally bumped heads over something so small. I might not notice the difference at all if you played me both records today. But then we ended up extracting an excerpt from one version in order to paste it into another version.
Guitar World 1993
Producer Bob Ezrin also mentioned the controversy that arose in the studio while working on the composition:
I struggled to include the orchestra on that record… This turned out to be a major problem on Comfortably Numb, which Dave saw as a simpler track. Roger took my side. So the song was a real collaboration: David’s music, Roger’s lyrics and my orchestral arrangement.
guitar world
Gilmour also told how he composed the famous guitar solo:
I just went into the studio and quickly did five or six solos. Then I just went through the usual plan, which was to listen to all the solos and mark the barlines, pointing out which passages were good. In other words, I sketched out the chart, putting ticks and crosses on different lines while I did the math: two ticks if it was really good, one tick if it was good, and a cross if it wasn’t good. Then I just went through the pattern, turning up one fader, then another, going from phrase to phrase and trying to create a really good solo from start to finish.
This is how we worked on Comfortably Numb. It wasn’t that hard. But sometimes it turned out that you jumped from note to note in an impossible way. Then you had to go to another place and find a modulation that sounded more natural.
guitar world
Release and covers
The song closes the third part of the album The Wall (1979). It is woven into the overall storyline and tells of the weakness that gripped Pink Floyd before the concert. People from his environment are interested in how he feels, and then the doctor comes and gives an injection.
Comfortably Numb was released as a single in June 1980 with Hey You on the back.
Incredibly cool Roger Waters sang the song with Van Morrison and The Band.
The composition was performed by other musicians. The Scissors Sisters’ version reached the top ten of the UK charts in 2004.
Interesting Facts
- Comfortably Numb is featured on several top track lists, including the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time (Rolling Stone) and the 100 Greatest Songs of the 1970s (NME).
- The guitar solos used in the composition were recognized as the best by Guitar World, Guitarist, WatchMojo.com and Planet Rock.
Comfortably Numb Pink Floyd Lyrics
hello
Is there anyone in there?
Just no if you can hear me
Is there anyone at home?
Come on now
I hear you’re feeling down
Well I can ease your pain
Get you on your feet again
Relax
I’ll need some information first
Just the basic facts
Can you show me where it hurts?
There is no pain you are receding
A distant ship smoke on the horizon
You are only coming through in waves
Your lips move but I can’t hear what you’re saying
When I was a child I had a fever
My hands felt just like two balloons
Now I’ve got that feeling once again
I can’t explain you would not understand
This is not how I am
I have become comfortably numb
OK
Just a little pinprick
There’ll be no more, ah
But you may feel a little sick
Can you stand up?
I do believe it’s working, good
That’ll keep you going through the show
Come on it’s time to go
There is no pain you are receding
A distant ship, smoke on the horizon
You are only coming through in waves
Your lips move but I can’t hear what you’re saying
When I was a child
I caught a fleeting glimpse
Out of the corner of my eye
I turned to look but it was gone
I cannot put my finger on it now
The child is grown
The dream is gone
I have become comfortably numb
Comfortably Numb Pink Floyd Lyrics
Hi
Is anybody here?
Just nod if you hear me
Is there anyone at home?
Hey come on
I hear that you feel bad
I can ease your pain
Get you on your feet again
Relax
But first I need to know something
Just general facts
Can you show me where it hurts?
There is no pain, you retreat
A ship in the distance, haze on the horizon
You’re only passing through the waves
Your lips are moving but I can’t hear what you’re saying
When I was a child I had a fever
My hands looked like two balloons
Now I have the same feeling again
Can’t explain cause you wouldn’t understand
Actually I’m not like that
I fell into a cozy daze
Okay,
Just a little prick
No more, ah
But you might get a little sick
You can get up?
I’m sure everything will work out okay
This will help you get through the show.
Come on, it’s time to go
There is no pain, you retreat
A ship in the distance, haze on the horizon
You’re only passing through the waves
Your eyes are moving but I can’t hear what you’re saying
When I was a child,
I caught the elusive vision
Out of the corner of my eye
I turned to look but it was gone
Now I can’t tell what it was
The child has grown
The dreams are gone
I fell into a cozy daze
Song quote
…one of the saddest drug songs of all time…
Rolling stone
