While the guitarist didn’t find a place for it on his own album, he recognized the track’s potential for the upcoming Floyd disc. Demos reveal a skeletal version of the track, little more than a chorus chord progression with Gilmour humming the vocal melody. David Gilmour originated the song during sessions for his 1978 self-titled solo debut. Today, we’re taking a dive into the making of “Comfortably Numb” where it came from, how it evolved, and the fraught, fracturing partnership that produced it.įor many, “Comfortably Numb” is synonymous with the concept album it first appeared on “The Wall.” Surprisingly though, the track wasn’t originally intended for that record. Floyd lead men Roger Waters and David Gilmour had completely opposite visions for the track, resulting in much friction between the already strained writing duo. But, it could have been a very different story.

The original version of “Comfortably Numb” – the one first heard on Floyd’s 1979 opus, “The Wall” – is so iconic that it’s hard to imagine the song any other way. To hear that, you’ve only got to listen to “Comfortably Numb.” Arguably the band’s definitive anthem (though there are plenty of other contenders for that title), it’s one of the enduring compositions of the 20 th century. High concept, yet highly accessible, they were a unique breed. They weren’t just a great rock band, but a band that managed to speak to a mass, international audience. Few groups have the transcendent appeal of Pink Floyd.

Roger waters comfortably numb