How Good Is ‘Comfortably Numb’ Through Its Isolated Tracks

Pink Floyd’s progressive rock mastery looked to reach its zenith during the debut of their famous album of all time, The Dark Side of the Moon. This is following a string of experimental and stylistically varied recordings in the 60s and 70s. Since the last album, Roger Waters helmed the band to high levels of sophistication, with thematic lyrics which have taken on a more intensely contemplative tone. By the end of the 70s, the band, who still have the eclectic bone in them, ended the Waters-Gilmour-Wright-Mason era with their 1979 album, The Wall. Though there is still the final album The Final Cut, we all can agree that the former is the true mark of the old Pink Floyd’s end.

The Wall, upon its release, was received with mostly negative reviews, calling the album something “pretentious.” But time is kind to those who deserve the credit, and the album turned out to be one of the band’s finest works and is even included in the lists of greatest albums of all time. The Wall had several highlight tracks, but none of them could compare to the brilliance of its single, “Comfortably Numb.”

David Gilmour wrote the song’s score, but it was Roger Waters who wrote the lyrics; inspired from the time he got hepatitis and his doctor gave him some muscle relaxant to ease the pain. The effects of the drug made his hands feel like “two balloons,” but as he heard his fans scream with joy during performances, it didn’t matter. Hence, the title “Comfortably Numb.”

Listen to its isolated tracks below, and see how great the band is, at least for the last time.