There must be at least a gazillion Pink Floyd lovers out there. OK maybe I’m underestimating that number. For anyone who’s ever discovered their genius, its a sheer lifetime that involves getting to know them and imbibe them into one’s blood. So here is a list of the ten Pink Floyd songs that anyone who cares has to hear for the sheer shock and awe of the first hand experience:
10. Jugband Blues – A Saucerful of Secrets
Syd Barrett’s painful goodbye to the entity that made him the icon that he is, is more so a pastiche of what might have been growing in his head at the time. Singing “I don’t care if the sun doesn’t shine / And I don’t care if nothing is mine“, the slight effervescence of the pusillanimous pariah that he was to become etches through. But I of course, remember this song as one of the best he ever made.
9. Money – The Dark Side of the Moon
It’s the song that made Pink Floyd a household name and ensured that The Dark Side of the Moon would become the biggest selling album of the 70’s. However, the song feeds on exactly the opposite principles, but then even Roger Waters’ nihilism couldn’t shield the song from universal fame.
8. Shine on You Crazy Diamond – Wish You Were Here
Clocking 26 minutes in length, the wailed, feeling vocals don’t even start until almost 9 minutes into the song. But they’re not missed much as the band speaks a million words with its music before the words flow in, as they always did.
7. Another Brick in the Wall – The Wall
This nod here is for all three parts of this Waters masterpiece. With the melancholy part 1 to the protesting part 2 (which, paired with its forerunner The Happiest Days of our Lives climbed to number 1 in the US) and the angry part 3, he makes sure that the character Pink’s anguish is felt, making the modern day Tommy as clear and alive as could be.
6. Wish You Were Here – Wish You Were Here
From school talent shows, to weddings to just moment of longing; Wish You Were Here is probably the most accessible Pink Floyd ever got. And it’s at a good time too, right before Animals would turn every Roberta Flack-living kid off them.
5. The Great Gig in the Sky – The Dark Side of the Moon
Clare Torry apparently one a suit for her rights to this song in 2004 and embittered the people’s perception of her to a certain extent. But then, this song would be absolutely nothing without her marvelously belted vocals. Even now, after over 35 years, there’s still something other-worldly hearing her voice as she gently sighs her way past the end of the song to signal the oblivion the song was supposed to personify. But the song still is Richard Wright’s and the movements here represent all that he was: sublime.
4. Dogs – Animals
Animals might be the ultimate cult album of all time. Considering the commercial behemoths that Wish You Were Here and The Wall are, it is almost completely and rightly ignored many a time. However, one listen to the album shows why. With five songs three over 10 minutes, this record cannot be exactly called radio-friendly. But that in no way should undermine the greatness of it. Dogs is my favourite out of the Animal Farm based album where the lyrics hold sway. And of course, the architect is Waters, who slowly degenerates the life of the deified muscle man to that of an aberration.
3. Echoes – Meddle
Meddle was the band’s coming of age album. Here is the primordial soup of the musical powers the band would later harness. And Echoes is their coming of age song. Once called a space-rock band, the song fuses subterranean lyrics, subtle style changes and a monster of a bass riff to create what might be the greatest song ever made to last an entire LP side.
2. Comfortably Numb – The Wall
The story goes that the song is actually Waters’ favored beginning and Gilmour’s favored ending. The Wall might just be the best blend of lyrics and music that the band ever reached and here is the proof of it. Still the thing that totally kicks it for me here is the sheer menace of the guitar that cringes through in the end. It’s an absolute disgrace that many publications (Yes you, Rolling Stone) completely undermine him. So here is my nod of appreciation to the greatest Fender player of all time.
1. Speak to Me/ Breathe/ Time/ Breathe Reprise
The beginning of The Dark Side of the Moon is the stuff that makes me truly question where Pink Floyd stands in the pantheon of progressive rock artists. While the progressive world was willowing in 20-odd minute songs about armadillos and weird things from Siberia, Pink Floyd was making gorgeous, fluid songs about the trysts of life and its purpose. It’s surprising to see how the rabble from Speak to Me builds up to the landscape that is Breathe. And Time remains the quintessential Floyd song. If you haven’t heard these, you need to find some purpose in your life. Seriously.
