How an argument became the world’s greatest guitar song
Comfortably Numb by Pink Floyd is often considered the greatest guitar song of all time, featuring two of the greatest guitar solos of all time, but the story behind it is more difficult than it seems.
The book featured in this video is ‘Pigs Might Fly: The Inside Story of Pink Floyd’ by Mark Blake.
@snidelywhiplash
May 31, 2026 at 7:49 am
The second demo segment you played reminded me quite a bit of "Hey You".
@kingberzerk
May 31, 2026 at 7:49 am
Very good job of presentation and understanding. Outstanding.
@fevolenko3995
May 31, 2026 at 7:49 am
Is it just me or does that Horn if F clip sound like a slower version of what i thought was the Sax in "Harden My Heart" by i think Quarterflash?
And that midi sequence reminds me of Paul Kelly's Alive and Well…
@Yorkie-69
May 31, 2026 at 7:49 am
People often say that they prefer the "Pulse" version, but it's the studio version for me, it's a perfect song. The Pulse version goes on too long as the guitar solo becomes a bit boring in my opinion.
@hairylittlewombat
May 31, 2026 at 7:49 am
Awesome video, David. Thanks!
@meadlinemeadow
May 31, 2026 at 7:49 am
Your videos are always so helpful, thank you!
@tdhume1
May 31, 2026 at 7:49 am
I love Comfortably Numb song but I really love this song and how it's mixed differently in the movie The Wall. Those screams at the end is so haunting.
@Usetheforce4321
May 31, 2026 at 7:49 am
Great video for us Floyd fans. ❤ What guitar are you using? The logo seems faded…could be a Fender strat but not sure why the logo is so faded?
@kefhomepage
May 31, 2026 at 7:49 am
The wall is one of the greatest albums of all time… it would never get written today. We are so blessed to have it .
@joanbaxter-c1z
May 31, 2026 at 7:49 am
You do this well young man. No crappy blathering on. Just straight forward explanations. So nice to see.🤩
@teppC
May 31, 2026 at 7:49 am
Thank you to let us look behind the curtain.
@russc788
May 31, 2026 at 7:49 am
As a non music person, I often wonder about how songs are made. Its interesting that he started with music and humming. I wonder if some artists start with lyrics, or the guitar.
@coyote4237
May 31, 2026 at 7:49 am
Thank you.
@oldwave6106
May 31, 2026 at 7:49 am
This is really unique! Great video.
@stevedriver1376
May 31, 2026 at 7:49 am
I'm not keen on the orchestration. I've always preferred the live version.
@busnorth
May 31, 2026 at 7:49 am
In my younger day's learning to play various instruments. I didn't care much of pink Floyd. There to slow. Now that I mastered the guitar, getting board. Willing to do more experimenting. I'm likeing there work.
@zabaleta66
May 31, 2026 at 7:49 am
Overrated song.
@HereKing-x9m
May 31, 2026 at 7:49 am
King of Tone..
@zach1860
May 31, 2026 at 7:49 am
why is the video so blurry for 4k
@JohnGauge790
May 31, 2026 at 7:49 am
The best songs are discovered, not built. The Beatles wrote many of their songs through this process. A spark/sparks, and a journey of discovery and revisions.
@TheFJ61
May 31, 2026 at 7:49 am
Ahh Comfortably Numb 🏆🎸 Still considered one of the greatest rock songs ever 💯
@FuzzyWuzzySnuzzy
May 31, 2026 at 7:49 am
I seriously dislike Roger Water's singing in the verses, totally ruins a great song.
@jelleepit
May 31, 2026 at 7:49 am
The perfectionist mind of Roger is the reason the Wall didn't end up being Tommy (The Who) But instead, the masterpiece it is today.
@josa3502
May 31, 2026 at 7:49 am
Without the guitarsolo it would have been forgotten.Well not forgotten but not this megahit.
@Su_Ho_338
May 31, 2026 at 7:49 am
23:30 Just as Gilmour has performed Comfortably Numb in his preferred style, so has Waters. His latest, darker, version of the song, without the solos, is also stunning. Hard to believe that he opened each show on his last tour with Numb. It's just a great song all up, however it is played.
@michellevdheever7619
May 31, 2026 at 7:49 am
PSA: 1979 is the year The Wall was released. Our David forgot to mention that here. 😜
Like many, I wasn't alive back then but am a PF fan thanks to my dad. 🤓
@johndoh5182
May 31, 2026 at 7:49 am
I think you'll find a rift on which was the better of the two guitar solos. To me that first solo has a more emotional feel and hits me pretty hard.
@Docholliday13
May 31, 2026 at 7:49 am
19:28 The sound of a thin plectrum sweeping right over the pickup is the most heavenly, most satisfying sound. ❤
@CCave-wj6xy
May 31, 2026 at 7:49 am
So you're saying david is a better musician than roger. Got it.
@johndoh5182
May 31, 2026 at 7:49 am
To me there's the GREAT stuff David Gilmore had on this album, and then the whiny Roger stuff that I can't stand listening to. If this were a single LP instead of a double and they dropped 50% of the music the Wall would have been a great album. Instead it's one I never bothered getting. I wore out DSOTM, Wish You Were Here and Animals.
@sebastijan1969
May 31, 2026 at 7:49 am
Realy well done content. I’m always wondering how or where you get from all this demos.
@70snostalgia
May 31, 2026 at 7:49 am
Mate of mine did a Bachelor of Music and covered CN for his honours thesis.
@DarkSideOfTheMeehan
May 31, 2026 at 7:49 am
Fortunately, the finished product turned out to be a true timeless masterpiece.
@anthonyclarke5579
May 31, 2026 at 7:49 am
It is often the case that "friction" between songwriters and musicians leads to a better and more memorable song.
@ZiggyPoet
May 31, 2026 at 7:49 am
I use the comment sections of videos to kayfabe unhinged things.
Butttttt, after singing through the final cut and no one answering the call , this popped up.
Im still alive, but I'm not comfortably numb,
@Lizzard-t
May 31, 2026 at 7:49 am
That was the most wonderful video I've seen about that song . and the demo's .
Thank you for stripping the song down it makes things much easier to understand .
Thank you once again.
@Gurezaemon
May 31, 2026 at 7:49 am
We listened to this so much in the car that my son could sing the two guitar solos before he could speak properly.
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