#PinkFloyd – Tom MacInnes, Writer

The Top 500 Songs in Modern Music History…Song #146: Money by Pink Floyd (RS)

This list of songs is inspired by lists published by radio station KEXP-FM from Seattle in 2010, as well as the latest poll taken in 2021 by Rolling Stone Magazine. For the most part I will faithfully countdown from their lists, starting at Song #500 and going until I reach Song #1. When you see the song title listed as something like: Song #XXX (KEXP)….it means that I am working off of the official KEXP list. Song XXX (RS) means the song is coming from the Rolling Stone list. If I post the song title as being: Song #xxx (KTOM), it means I have gone rogue and am inserting a song choice from my own personal list of tunes I really like. In any case, you are going to get to hear a great song and learn the story behind it. Finally, just so everyone is aware, I am not a music critic nor a musician. I am a music fan and an armchair storyteller. Here is the story behind today’s song. Enjoy.

RS: The Top 500 Songs in Modern Music History.

Song #146: Money by Pink Floyd.

“Money” by Pink Floyd comes from an obscure little album that few have heard of called, “Dark Side of the Moon”. In actual fact, I am sure that most of you have heard of this album. “Dark Side of the Moon” has gone on to become one of the most iconic albums in all of music history. So, before getting into the story of the song, “Money”, itself, here are a few bits of trivia regarding “Dark Side of the Moon” that you may or may not know.

First of all, “Dark Side of the Moon” maintained a spot on the Billboard Top 200 Album Chart for an astounding fifteen consecutive years; stretching all the way from 1973, when it was released, up until 1988. In terms of weekly appearances, that worked out to be 753 weeks in a row that “Dark Side of the Moon” made the Billboard chart. The album sold fifteen million copies which sounds like a lot….and it is….but, that total made it only the second highest selling album for Pink Floyd. Their biggest selling album was, “The Wall” with sales of 23 million worldwide. This album was the one that broke PInk Floyd into the upper echelons of music superstardom and, in the process, it made the band members independently wealthy. One of the things they did with their newfound wealth was to make an investment in a film that went on to become known as “Monty Python and the Holy Grail”. If you watch the credits of that movie, you will see their names near the end, as financial backers of the film. And finally, speaking of films, there is a conspiracy theory of sorts out there in the world that posits that the construction of the songs on “Dark Side of the Moon” was inspired by the classic movie, “The Wizard of Oz”. The theory is that if you start the movie and the album at the very same time, the lyrics to the songs will line up with the action on the screen. I have not tried this myself to see if it is true but, if you have some cannabis edibles at the ready and want to have a go then, I am sure we will all eagerly receive your report when you are through.

The song, “Money”, was written as a critique of conspicuous consumption in our capitalistic societies. At the time it was written, Roger Waters viewed himself as a Socialist, politically. But, after the album took off and their bank accounts swelled, Waters admitted that having enough money to do anything, anywhere, at any time wasn’t actually so bad.

One of the things that “Money” is noted for is its’ liberal use of sound effects throughout the song. In our modern, digital world, adding in sound effects has become a relatively simple process. But, back in the early 1970s, these sound effects had to be recorded individually on to audio tape. If editing was required, the tape would have to be spliced manually and re-taped together. For this song, the band ended up creating a reel-to-reel tape of sound effects that was twenty feet long. In order to have it sync up properly to the master music tape, the sound effects had to be placed precisely in certain spots on the twenty foot-long piece of audiotape so that when played, the effects would fill in exactly where the band wanted them to. The band has stated that the recording process for “Money” was far harder and more labourious than was the creative process involved in making the song in the first place.

In any case, “Money” is a song that has made a lasting impression on listeners for several generations now. It is a song about the dangers of too much wealth in too few hands that is sung by millionaires and yet, we, commoners, lap it up, as if they are reading our thoughts aloud. It should not be surprising, given the subject matter of the song, that “Money” ended up being more successful and well-received in America than it was anywhere else. For now, let’s take our own look at Pink Floyd playing “Money” from one of the most popular albums of all-time, “Dark Side of the Moon”. Enjoy.

The link to the video for the song, “Money” by Pink Floyd, can be found here.

The link to the official website for Pink Floyd, can be found here.

The link to the official website for Rolling Stone Magazine, can be found here.

The Top 500 Songs in Modern Music History…Song #47: Comfortably Numb by Pink Floyd (RS)

RS: The Top 500 Songs in Modern Music History.

Song #47: Comfortably Numb by Pink Floyd.

“Comfortably Numb” comes from the famous Pink Floyd album called, “The Wall”. It is a unique entry in that album for many reasons:

First of all, Roger Waters was the principal songwriter for all of Pink Floyd’s songs at the time and, most certainly, for the songs that ended up on “The Wall”. However, the foundation of “Comfortably Numb” came from an instrumental track that David Gilmour had been playing around with. When first shown to Roger Waters, he dismissed the track out of hand as being incompatible with the rest of the songs on the concept album they were creating. However, producer Bob Ezrins, heard something within the instrumental sounds and asked Waters to take another look and, perhaps while doing so, think about adding a verse or two. So, Waters did so. When Gilmour heard his music paired with Waters new lyrics, he found it elevated the song to a higher plain. As it turned out, it was to be the final time that Gilmour and Waters ever collaborated on a song. Soon after “The Wall” was released, Roger Waters left the band.

Secondly, the way the songs were constructed on “The Wall” was that there was always a connection between them. In other words, one song helped set up the next song which, in turn, helped introduce the song after that. “Comfortably Numb” was decreed to be worthy of inclusion on the album by Waters but, he still felt, even after all he added to the song via his lyrics, that it did not fit the theme he was going for. So, “Comfortably Numb” is used as a stand-alone song on the album. It does not connect to the song that proceeds it nor to any that follow. It is a musical island, all on its own.

Finally, in order to tell the story being told on “The Wall”, the band created a character named “Pink” who experiences all that goes on during that album. In “Comfortably Numb”, the character of “Pink” does not actively “experience” anything. In fact, it is the exact opposite. “Comfortably Numb” is based upon an real life experience Roger Waters had at a concert when he felt too sick to perform due to a bout of food poisoning. In that incident, Waters was attended to by a doctor, who hooked him up, pre-show, to an intravenous drip meant to medicate him, all the while, rehydrating him so that he might be able to, somehow, perform up to the standards that he, his bandmates and their fans had come to expect. Well, as it turned out, he recovered enough to perform while feeling “comfortably numb” because of the IV drip. So, on “The Wall”, “Pink” is not actively experiencing any pain and is, instead, finding a way to hide from the pain for one song.

“Comfortably Numb” has gone on to be one of Pink Floyd’s most popular songs. It was the last song that the original lineup ever played live before Roger Waters left. Both Waters and Gilmour continue to play the song; Gilmour, with the remaining members of Pink Floyd and, Waters, as a solo artist, who invites guest singers (such as Eddie Vedder, from Pearl Jam or Bruce Hornsby) to sing Gilmour’s part during his shows. The song is noted for having for having two, separate guitar solos. These solos are universally rated as being among the best guitar solos of all-time by those in the know. For me, I have always liked “Comfortably Numb” best among all of Pink Floyd’s great songs. I love the lyrics but I also love the guitar solos, too. To my way of thinking, it was a very fitting song to have served as the final collaboration between David Gilmour and Roger Waters and as the final song they all ever played together.

So, without further delay, here is what all the fuss is about. I present to you all, Pink Floyd and their classic hit, “Comfortably Numb” from the album, “The Wall”. Enjoy.

The link to the video for the song, “Comfortably Numb” by Pink Floyd, can be found here.

The link to the official website for ink Floyd, can be found here.

The link to the official website for Rolling Stone Magazine, can be found here.

The Top 500 Songs in Modern Music History…Song #86: Another Brick in the Wall by Pink Floyd (RS)

RS: The Top 500 Songs in Modern Music History.

Song #86: Another Brick in the Wall by Pink Floyd.

It seems appropriate that on the day following “Mental Health Day” in Canada, that a song built around the premise of depression, anxiety and social isolation should be next on our countdown list. “Another Brick in the Wall” was released in 1979. It was from a concept album called “The Wall”. The idea for the album, “The Wall”, came about while Pink Floyd were touring the world in promotion of their previous album, “In The Flesh”. During that tour, singer Roger Waters began to sense that the connection the band had always had with its fans was waning. He felt a disconnect and became increasingly agitated at the fact that fans seemed as eager to drink and to socialize among themselves as they did to listen and interact with the band. By the end of that tour, Waters was having angry exchanges with the audience and, at one point, he even spit upon some partiers in the front row in Montreal.

As the tour drew to a close, tensions were high within the band. Waters emotional issues aside, the band was also in financial trouble due to some poor investment decisions made by a firm they had hired to manage their finances so that they could concentrate on the creative side of things. So, even though everyone in the band desperately needed a break from performing, from touring and from each other, their financial dire straits forced them straight back to work.

David Gilmour took it upon himself to look into managing the band’s money, which left Waters to come up with a concept for the next album which, by necessity, needed to be released quickly. Because of the alienation he was feeling with regard to their fans, Rogers came up with the idea of building a wall on stage between the band and the audience. Then, he went one step further and thought about all the different ways people manage to erect walls around their own lives in order to protect themselves from things that are hurtful or scary or that make them angry. Waters then took that idea and refined it based on the memory of former lead singer, Syd Barrett, and how he retreated within himself as mental illness took hold. From it all, the concept for an album called, “The Wall” was formed.

Within the album concept are a collection of songs that all explore various facets of the the process that brings one to the point where an emotional wall is needed. The song that we know as, “Another Brick in the Wall” is actually the middle song in a three-part trilogy of tunes. The song deals with Waters’ experiences in the British school system. If you know the song at all, you can surmise that Waters did not enjoy his time in school; finding the teachers to be overly strict and lacking in real teaching skills. After hearing the song on the radio, many fans mistakenly thought that the entire album was one big anti-education rant but, that is not the case. Waters’ views on his school experiences were, quite literally, just “another brick in the wall” that he built around himself in order to survive, psychologically and emotionally.

Ordinarily, Pink Floyd were not in the habit of releasing singles. They preferred that their fans accept their vision as being album-based so, as a result, many fans were perplexed when “Another Brick in the Wall” was actually released on its own. Originally, when Waters was writing the song, as part of the overall story arc, it was less than two minutes long and was meant to be just one small part of an entire rock opera. However, producer Bob Ezrins saw something in it that Waters didn’t and asked to be allowed to “add” to the song. Waters reluctantly agreed, as long as Ezrins didn’t expect to receive a song writing credit because the band needed all the money it could get and couldn’t afford splitting it any further for Ezrins. Ezrins agreed anyway.

His idea was to add a children’s choir. He felt that a song about school experiences held by children would seem more real if there were real children’s voices on the song. So, Ezrins approached a music teacher at a school located not far from their studio and asked if they had a choir and, if so, would they agree to practice part of the song and them come to the studio to record it. The music teacher, who knew of Pink Floyd, was very happy to allow his students to become involved. However, he was fearful that the Headmistress of the school would probably not allow her school to be associated with an anti-education song. So, the teacher rehearsed with the students in secret. The Headmistress didn’t find out what he had done until the choir had recorded their part for Ezrins. When Ezrins played the finished song for Waters and the rest of the band, they all agreed that the children helped to elevate the track and added a level of poignancy that, otherwise, would have been lacking. The funny thing about this is because of how tight the band was with money at the time, they simply made a small donation to the school, along with a framed album and cover. They did not give the children a singing credit and, as such, denied them a share of the royalties they should have been earning all along. At the time, copyright laws in the UK allowed for such a thing but, about twenty years later, the laws changed and someone rounded up all of the former choir members and launched a class action suit against the band. The children, who were adults now, won a nominal sum to settle their claim.

All in all, the song, “Another Brick in the Wall”, from the album, “The Wall” was a huge success, selling almost forty million copies making “The Wall”, along with “Dark Side of the Moon”, two of the most important albums of all-time. There was a musical staged, as well as, a movie shot. Many who saw the movie claim that it was really “weird”. But, in Pink Floyd’s defence, the movie was based on someone having to battle a variety of mental illnesses which, as some of you may know from firsthand experience, isn’t easy to describe in a safe, linear fashion. So, of course, the movie, “The Wall” is confusing and disturbing because, in real life, mental illness is that way, too. So, when we speak of being advocates for Mental wellness, it means really rolling up our sleeves and being prepared for whatever awaits. For those who suffer, if a wall helps you then, build away. If my hand and my time help you then, ask away and it shall be yours. For now, let’s all strive to be there for others as they need us to be.

In the meantime, here is Pink Floyd’s famous song, “Another Brick in the Wall” from the album, “The Wall”. Enjoy.

The link to the video for the song, “Another Brick in the Wall” by Pink Floyd, can be found here.

The link to the video for the trailer for the movie, “The Wall” by Pink Floyd, can be found here.

The link to the official website for Pink Floyd, can be found here.

The link to the official website for Rolling Stone Magazine, can be found here.

The Top 500 Songs in Modern Music History…Song #298: Wish You Were Here by Pink Floyd (RS)

RS: The Top 500 Songs in Modern Music History.

Song #298: Wish You Were Here by Pink Floyd.

Like a lot of bands/singers who had endured through the many decades, the story of “Pink Floyd” is a varied and interesting one. It is a story of big egos that nearly destroyed the band several times over, childhood friendships that lasted a lifetime, creative genius that resulted in a new genre of music (Progressive or “Prog” Rock) and a literary mindset that helped create some of the most memroable songs of all-time. Pink Floyd’s catalogue of hits include such classics as “Money”, “Time”, Comfortably Numb”, “Another Brick in the Wall”, “Shine On You Crazy Diamond”, “High Hopes”, “On The Turning Away”, “Wish You Were Here” and many others, too. Like many tales well told, the story of “Pink Floyd” begins in childhood, in Cambridge, England. The time: the early 1960s.

Roger Waters (guitar), Nick Mason (drums)and Richard Wright (Keyboard/guitar) were childhood friends who all attended school together. As teenage boys, they moved in and out of a number of garage-type bands, eventually meeting up with another boy named Syd Barrett. Barrett joined the three boys in a band called “Tea Set” and because he had an outgoing personality, Syd Barrett became the face of that band. After playing some local gigs and honing their skills, the boys decided to rename the band as the “Pink Floyd Sound”. The name arose from a combination of two Bluesmen named Pink Anderson and Floyd Council. Eventually, the boys settled on the simpler name, “Pink Floyd” and started playing paying gigs around Cambridge.

There are moments of epiphany for everyone and, in the case of Pink Floyd, their moment came when they agreed to play three, 90-minute sets on the same day at one concert venue. They did not have enough material at their disposal to fulfill their time commitment but, the band realized that they could extend the length of the songs they knew by inserting jazz-like guitar and drum solos into each song. Some folks were confused by what they were doing but some found their approach fresh and original and soon, the band became known as a psychedelic band. In truth, they became one of the first bands to play a form of epic song stylings that became known as “Prog. Rock”.

Under Syd Barrett’s direction, the boys released their first album called “Piper at the Gates of Dawn” and managed to score a couple of minor hits. As attention grew toward the band, Syd Barrett began to exhibit symptoms of mental illness and he became increasingly unstable and unpredictible. In order for the rest of the band to proceed with touring commitments, they hired a new band member whose job was to shadow Barrett on stage, singing his parts (if he lapsed into silence) and playing his instrument parts (should he become catatonic). That new member turned out to be David Gilmour. Not too long after Gilmour joined “Pink Floyd”, Barrett left the group. As cold and calculating as that may sound, it was actually a period of great emotion for the band; especially those members who had known Syd Barrett since childhood. For Roger Waters, Nick Mason and Richard Wright, it was their first experience watching someone they cared about suffer and wither away in front of their eyes. One of the ways creative people deal with grief is by becoming creative so, in Waters case, he dealt with Syd Barrett’s demise through song. The song he wrote to memorialize his friend was called, “Wish You Were Here”. When discussing the song, Waters has said that he wasn’t just talking about Barrett’s physical absence from the band but more, he was talking about watching his vibrant, personable, charming friend withdraw from reality and retreat within himself. Waters says that, by the end, the person he knew as Syd Barrett didn’t even exist, even though Barrett lived for many years afterwards.

“So…..so you think you can tell

Heaven from Hell?

Blue skies from pain?

Can you tell a green field

from a cold, steel rail?

A smile from a veil?

Do you think you can tell?”

Barrett’s demise was transition #1 for the band. Roger Waters took over principle songwriting duties and the overall leadership of “Pink Floyd”. His period at the helm resulted in classic albums such as “Dark Side of the Moon”, “The Wall” and “Wish You Were Here”. It was during this middle phase of “Pink Floyd’s” existence that the band reached their greatest artistic and commercial heights. But, with great success often comes enormous pressure and, in this case, that pressure was internalized and ego-driven. Founding member Richard Wright left the band after feeling excluded from the creative decisions Waters was now making on his own. Not long after that, the remaining members became fed up to the point that Waters left the band and began a solo career. He did not leave on pleasant terms. There were court battles with Gilmour and Mason (who wished to continue writing and touring under the name “Pink Floyd”) over control of the existing song catalogue plus, the use of the band name, going forward. Eventually, the case was settled out of court and “Pink Floyd” continued on, under the guidance of David Gilmour and Nick Mason.

In phase three of the band’s career, they have released some successful albums such as, “A Momentary Lapse of Reason” and “The Division Bell”. From “The Division Bell” comes my personal favourite “Pink Floyd” song, “High Hopes”. This song is an autobiographical look at the whole history of the band. The song ends with the lines, “The endless river……forever and ever”, which is significant because it echoes the closing lines of the band’s very first hit single, “See Emily Play”……..”Float on a river, forever and ever”.

For all of the ego and in-fighting, there has always existed a foundation of warm affection beneath the gruff exterior of this band. A sense of pride and satisfaction resides within the hearts of David Gilmour and Nick Mason and Roger Waters, even if they have followed different paths as their journey has evolved. For proof, I give you “Wish You Were Here”; an ode to a lost friend and one of the only songs that Waters and Gilmour ever collaboarted on together. Sometimes, Love is enough to overcome division and bring people together.

PS: the video for “Wish You Were Here” is grand and glorious. Recorded live at Pompeii, Italy, the setting is gorgeous and when the crowd sings along with the opening lines, it is goosebump time, for sure. What a song! What a band! Enjoy. #RIPSydBarrett

The link to the video for “Wish You Were Here” by Pink Floyd, can be found here.

The link to the official website for Pink Floyd, can be found here.

Thanks, as always, to KEXP for helping to inspire the writing of this post. The link to their website can be found here.