Top Ten Songs by Pink Floyd
I’m listing my favorite songs of this group in three categories (Wordy, Haunting, and Primarily Instrumental). The corresponding numbers don’t reflect the order in which I like them, as these top ten tunes of mine make up the cream rising to the top:
The First Part of The Top Ten: My 3 Favorite Wordy Pink Floyd Songs
1. Sheep, originally from 1977’s Animals album
This tune begins with such tranquilly, with the sound of sheep baa-ing in a meadow, but then all the sudden it becomes a frantic manic rage about the exploitation of the human masses that even parodies the 23rd Psalm of the Holy Bible.
2. Take It Back, originally from 1994’s The Division Bell album
Pink Floyd isn’t exactly in the top ten love song business, so this very fast paced and deeply emotional take about a long-suffering romantic partner stands out for me. Some believe this work is about man’s cruelty to the environment. The lyricsâÂ?¦
“And I push her to the limit to see if she will break
She might take it back, she could take it back someday”
âÂ?¦could certainly mean Mother Earth’s answer to man’s terrible stewardship of the environment.
3. Yet Another Movie, originally from 1987’s A Momentary Lapse of Reason album
Whenever I listen to this tune, I always think about all the worthless movies that get made and are released every year. Ironically, sound bytes from a wonderful film called Casablanca are used in the song.
The Middle Part of The Top Ten: My 4 Favorite Haunting Pink Floyd Songs
1. The Fletcher Memorial Home, originally from 1983’s The Final Cut album
Talk about hating politicians: This song wishes that all the corrupt world leaders would be put in a special home and then be gassed to death! Furthermore, Roger Waters’ views about the Falklands War are expressed in a tune that has some really riveting drum work. The music itself reminds me a lot of Pink Floyd’s The Wall album, which is why I find it so haunting.
2. Comfortably Numb, originally from 1979’s The Wall album
In 1989, Comfortably Numb was voted the best Pink Floyd song of all time in a readers’ poll conducted by the fanzine The Amazing Pudding. This song says it best about what can happen if you don’t follow your heart and/or are feeling regretful over the lost years. The music to this work is really condemning at the end as if it’s too late to make a change.
3. High Hopes, originally from 1994’s The Division Bell album
When I first heard this song, it was a dreary and rainy spring day, and nothing reminds me more of such days as High Hopes with the bells chiming at the beginning and end of this 8 minute-plus overly-serious work.
4. Sorrow, originally from 1987’s A Momentary Lapse of Reason album
“He’s chained forever to a world that’s departed
It’s not enough, it’s not enough”
Such lyrics to one of my top ten songs from this progressive rock group trumpet another really long tune. Add the intense playing of music throughout the tune, which ends with a long instrumental montage, it makes me think that Sorrow (and one’s sorrow) will keep going on and on forever. The guitar introduction was recorded inside a cavernous arena.
Rounding out The Top Ten: My 3 Favorite Primarily Instrumental Pink Floyd Songs:
1. On the Run, originally from 1973’s Dark Side of the Moon album
When I begin to listen to this 30-plus year old tune, I think I’m caught in some kind of strange vortex and then feel a bit scared as the song’s ominous conclusion comes to an exploding end. The song used a white noise generator, a wah-wah pedal, and synthesizers to create one of the strangest sounding pieces ever composed and then released to the public.
2. The Great Gig in the Sky, originally from 1973’s Dark Side of the Moon album
Singer Clare Torry’s wailing really makes an impression on this musical work, where a soft piano melody is the main backdrop. It’s as if Torry is being tortured to death throughout this work. Even the few words in the song allude to dyingâÂ?¦
“And I am not frightened of dying. Any time will doâÂ?¦”
For one of Pink Floyd’s most notable top ten songs (of mine) that comes from one of the biggest selling albums of all time, Torry was paid just 30 British Pounds originally (around $125 US Dollars in the early 1970’s) for all her troubles, but in 2005, she got a lot more money via legal action taken against Pink Floyd and EMI.
3. One of These Days (Live Version from 1988’s Delicate Sound of Thunder album), originally from 1971’s Meddle album
I wonder how many people have sent this favorite top ten tune of mine in the mail to their sworn enemies as the only words to the song, “One of these days, I’m going to cut you into little pieces”, make it quite clear the intention? Pink Floyd actually directed this song to BBC Radio 2 DJ Jimmy Young because they loathed his on-air personality. This is one song from Pink Floyd that I prefer the live version of, over the studio recording, especially when listening to the drum work. For years, I listened to this song not knowing what was being said after “One of these daysâÂ?¦”. I thought the voice was supposed to sound like some kind of monster babbling. Thank goodness for the internet informational highway to clue me in!
