Comfortably Numb

Song Meaning of Comfortably Numb by Pink Floyd, and what it is about

Roger Waters was suffering from stomach cramps before a gig in Philadelphia when a doctor injected him with tranquilizers. “He gave me a shot, and to this day I don’t know what it was,” the bassist recalled in 2010.

“But it’s not something I would ever recommend giving to a human being. It came out of a dart that felt like it was used to tranquilize an elephant.”

From that experience came The Wall epic “Comfortably Numb,” one of the saddest drug songs ever, featuring not just one, but two mind-melting solos from David Gilmour. “I’m perfectly happy to puzzle the hell out of people who try to work out how it was done,” he said.

"Comfortably Numb" is a song by English rock band Pink Floyd from their eleventh album, The Wall from 1979).

The song was released as a single in 1980, with "Hey You" as the B-side. The music was composed by guitarist David Gilmour. The lyrics were written by bassist Roger Waters.

"Comfortably Numb" is one of Pink Floyd's most well-known songs, notable for its two guitar solos.

The Wall is a concept album about an embittered and alienated rock star named Pink. In "Comfortably Numb", Pink is medicated by a doctor so he can perform for a show. The song was inspired by Waters' injection with a muscle relaxant to combat the effects of hepatitis during the In the Flesh Tour, while in Philadelphia.

Guitarist David Gilmour recorded a wordless demo while working on his debut solo album in 1978. Bassist Roger Waters listened to the demo during sessions for The Wall but was reluctant to use it as he wanted to take sole responsibility for writing the album.

Producer Bob Ezrin suggested that Waters should reconsider and Water then wrote lyrics inspired from an experience of being injected with tranquilizers for stomach cramps before a 1977 performance in Philadelphia on the In the Flesh Tour.

The band disagreed about how to record the song. Waters preferred a mix containing numerous orchestral overdubs, while Gilmour preferred a stripped-down mix, Gilmour later said: "We argued over 'Comfortably Numb' like mad. Really had a big fight, went on for ages."

In the end, a compromise was reached where the main portion of the song would include the orchestral elements, while the final guitar solo would contain the stripped-down mix preferred by Gilmour.

Gilmour later said the song represented "the last embers of mine and Roger's ability to work collaboratively together".

Lyrics of the song Comfortably Numb by Pink Floyd

Hello

Is there anybody in there?

Just nod if you can hear me

Is there anyone at home?

Come on now

I hear you're feeling down

Well, I can ease your pain

Get you on your feet again

Relax

I'll need some information first

Just the basic facts

Can you show me where it hurts?

There is no pain, you are receding

A distant ship smoke on the horizon

You are only coming through in waves

Your lips move but I can't hear what you're saying

When I was a child I had a fever

My hands felt just like two balloons

Now I've got that feeling once again

I can't explain, you would not understand

This is not how I am

I have become comfortably numb

I have become comfortably numb

O.K.

Just a little pin prick

There'll be no more ah!

But you may feel a little sick

Can you stand up?

I do believe it's working, good

That'll keep you going through the show

Come on, it's time to go

There is no pain you are receding

A distant ship smoke on the horizon

You are only coming through in waves

Your lips move but I can't hear what you're saying

When I was a child

I caught a fleeting glimpse

Out of the corner of my eye

I turned to look but it was gone

I cannot put my finger on it now

The child is grown

The dream is gone

I have become comfortably numb