Comfortably Numb

For the 1995 film, see Comfortably Numb (film).

"Comfortably Numb"
Japanese single cover
Single by Pink Floyd
from the album The Wall
B-side"Hey You"
Released23 June 1980 (1980-06-23)[1][2]
RecordedApril–November 1979
Genre
Length
  • 6:21 (album version)
  • 3:59 (single edit)
  • 6:53 (Echoes version)
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Pink Floyd singles chronology
"Run Like Hell"
(1980) 		"Comfortably Numb"
(1980) 		"When the Tigers Broke Free"
(1982)
Audio
"Comfortably Numb" on YouTube

"Comfortably Numb" is a song by the English rock band Pink Floyd, released on their eleventh studio album, The Wall (1979). It was released as a single in 1980, with "Hey You" as the B-side.

The music was composed by the band's guitarist, David Gilmour; the lyrics were written by the bassist, Roger Waters, who recalled his experience of being injected with tranquilisers before a performance in 1977. Waters and Gilmour argued during the recording, with Waters seeking an orchestral arrangement and Gilmour preferring a more stripped-down arrangement. They compromised by combining both versions, and Gilmour said the song was the last time he and Waters were able to work together constructively.

"Comfortably Numb" is one of Pink Floyd's most popular songs and is notable for its two guitar solos.[4] In 2021, it was ranked number 179 on Rolling Stone's list of "the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time".[5] In 2005, it became the last song ever performed by Waters, Gilmour, keyboardist Richard Wright and drummer Nick Mason together. An early version was included on the 2012 Wall "Immersion Box Set". A cover by Scissor Sisters in a radically different arrangement was a UK top ten hit in 2004. Gilmour contributed guitar to a cover by Body Count released in 2024.

  1. ^ "Pink Floyd – "Comfortably Numb"". Pink Floyd Discography. Discogs. 1980. Archived from the original on 2 June 2015. Retrieved 9 May 2013.
  2. ^ "Pink Floyd The Wall – single releases". Pink Floyd's Timeline. EMI; Facebook. Archived from the original on 24 September 2019. Retrieved 18 December 2012.
  3. ^ "7 Psychedelic Songs From Pink Floyd". Rock Pasta. Retrieved 18 August 2023.
  4. ^ "The 50 greatest guitar solos of all time". Guitar World. 25 February 2021. Archived from the original on 14 March 2021. Retrieved 31 March 2021.
  5. ^ "Comfortably Numb ranked number 179 on Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Songs List". Rolling Stone. 15 September 2021. Archived from the original on 4 October 2021. Retrieved 4 October 2021.