COMFORTABLY NUMB

'Comfortably Numb' - Pink Floyd (Single)

As with all singles, radio edits don't do much for me, especially when my local classic rock station is happy to play the thing in all seven minutes of it's glory. 'Comfortably Numb' is one of my favourite tracks, and has my favourite guitar solo of all time in it. Suffice to say, the fact that this single revolves around that does it good.

'Hey You' is also a superb acoustic track and a fair b-side to compliment the other song. Both of these songs are melancholic, and seem to represent the emotional headspace that 'The Wall' generally dwells in for the majority of it's playtime.

'The Wall' is a great album, and here are two great songs off of it, even though an originally perfect song was cut in half. Simply put.

Nice single from The Wall masterpiece that should have had a picture sleeve but here it is for all that its worth. It was always Gilmour who provided the most glorious tracks including the best track on The Wall, Comfortably Numb. The low key verses are portentous and foreboding and then that uplifting chorus with vocal techniques that would be emulated by many prog artists especially Mostly Autumn's Josh, "There is no pain you are receding, a distant ship smoke on the horizon... when I was a child I caught a fleeting glimpse out of the corner of my eye, I turned to look and it was gone, I cannot put my finger on it now... " masterful, perfect, unforgettable. The lead guitar solo at the end of this is legendary and I have heard many live versions which are even better with an extended screaming solo section, while a massive chandelier UFO light contraption opens above the audience sending out cascading rays of light upon them. A magic moment. Unfortunately this single is an edited version and it really is quite worthless after you hear the full version.

Side 2 is the great Hey You, with incomparable acoustic flourishes and Gilmour's soothing warm vocals 'Hey you "out there in the cold getting lonely getting cold can you feel me... out there beyond the wall". A delicate song excised from the film but always has a dear place in my heart.

Worth grabbing this single for the historicity if nothing else.