Our Top 10 David Gilmour Pink Floyd Songs list presents the most popular and much-loved Pink Floyd songs written and performed by David Gilmour. Since 1965, Pink Floyd has been wowing the audience with its brand of progressive rock music that often drifted into the psychedelic realm. Perhaps speaking as a biased fan, I don’t know of any other band in history that’s been able to deliver a musical performance that comes close to what the men from England specialized in. Speaking as a fan, I honestly didn’t care who held the lead vocalist role between David Gilmour and Roger Waters. I also liked Syd Barrett but his time with Pink Floyd was a short-lived one. Of the top ten songs from Pink Floyd’s discography, the majority of the charted hits came from either Gilmour as the lead vocalist or as a tag team combo with Waters. However, of all the hits Pink Floyd charted with, none of them came close to the unforgettable experience “Another Brick in the Wall (Part II)” delivered. That became more than just a hit song. It became a legend.
School Buddies
Before joining Pink Floyd as their guitarist, David Gilmour was born and raised in a household that encouraged him to pursue his interest in music. Born on March 6, 1946, in Cambridge, England, he attended the same school as fellow band members Syd Barrett, Nick Mason, Roger Waters, and Richard Wright. Shortly after Pink Floyd was founded as a group in 1967, Gilmour joined the lineup as a guitarist. This came at a time when Syd Barrett’s mental health issues resulted in a breakdown that forced him to leave the band. Because of this, the four remaining members stepped up their roles. This included Gilmour becoming more involved which would include singing lead vocals. From 1968 until 1985, he shared this role with Roger Waters.
Prior to joining Pink Floyd, David Gilmour was attending Cambridgeshire College of Arts and Technology. This is where he met Syd Barrett as the two were students attending the same college. In 1965, he and Barrett went to France and Spain to perform in gigs, covering songs previously recorded by The Beatles. It was a time in Gilmour’s life that met with a series of financial struggles before he united with Barrett again by joining Pink Floyd in October 1967. Together, they recorded and released the debut album, The Piper at the Gates of Dawn. At the time, he wasn’t a regular member of Pink Floyd’s lineup. However, the increase in Syd Barrett’s erratic behavior changed that. Once Barrett was no longer with Pink Floyd, Gilmour officially took his place full-time. This wasn’t easy to do given how closely knit each band member was with Barrett, including Gilmour. From this point forward, Pink Floyd continued on but not without carrying Syd Barrett’s legacy with them.
First New Era
1973 marked the beginning of a new era with The Dark Side of the Moon. Although it was technically Pink Floyd’s eighth studio album, it was the first that catapulted the British-based progressive rock group from stardom to superstardom. This became the “it” album with enough selling power to stay on the US Billboard Albums chart for approximately eighteen consecutive years. This was followed by 1975’s Wishing You Were Here, then Animals in 1977, and The Wall in 1979. Up until this point, the lineup of Pink Floyd remained close until Richard Wright was fired before The Wall had yet to be released. This loss marked the beginning of a strain that would surface in the filming of The Wall. It became even more dramatic in 1983 when The Final Cut was released. The rift between Gilmour and Waters maximized after Waters refused to wait for Gilmour to come up with his own original material for The Final Cut. Even before the release of this album, the writing was already on the wall that the days of Pink Floyd’s original lineup were numbered. Already, Wright was gone. It was only a matter of time before someone else was going to leave. With the creative differences brewing between Gilmour and Waters at the time, it was Waters who took it upon himself to bid his bandmates farewell.
Second New Era
When Roger Waters went solo in 1985, he publicly suggested the days of Pink Floyd were over. However, David Gilmour and Nick Mason publicly announced this wasn’t the case. In 1987, A Momentary Lapse of Reason was released as an album that had Richard Wright back in the lineup. For Wright, the departure of Waters meant Pink Floyd could finally relax as a better-balanced band. However, before Pink Floyd could continue as a recording artist, there was a battle over the band’s name as Waters filed a lawsuit against them. This was a move he later admitted he regretted but did agree it was a valuable learning experience for him as a person.
Losing such a strong personality as Roger Waters from Pink Floyd’s lineup wasn’t easy but David Gilmour as lead vocalist for the group was already established. However, instead of sharing this role with Waters, he technically became the main frontman from 1985 onward. This was made evident in 1987, as well as in 1994’s The Division Bell. Like all the albums since The Dark Side of the Moon up to this point, it was a multi-platinum seller worldwide. While the Dark Side of the Moon and The Wall remains as the two juggernauts belonging to Pink Floyd’s music portfolio, this group was able to prove that its run as a highly favored rock band was not about to fade into obscurity anytime soon. 2014’s The Endless River was another multi-platinum album that kept Pink Floyd going as a world-class act that still knew how to rock.
During the summer season of 2005, whatever differences between David Gilmour, Roger Waters, and the rest of the Pink Floyd lineup at the time seemed no longer evident as the men performed together at the protest concert, Live 8. The goal behind the concerts held in the summer was to use big-name stars like Pink Floyd to heighten awareness of concerning issues as the G8 world leaders met in Scotland. After this, the group was offered to do a reunion tour in the United States but it was turned down. Part of the reason was the men involved were already reaching the ages where most working people retire from their respective careers. In fact, 2006 marked the year Syd Barrett passed away in his home at sixty years old. Not long after his passing was Richard Wright as his battle against cancer claimed his life in 2008.
Legacies
Even though they’ve reached the age of retirement, David Gilmour and Nick Mason have continued sporadically as Pink Floyd. In fact 2022’s single “Hey, Hey Rise Up!” was the latest musical contribution the band made as a protest against the war raging on between Russia and Ukraine. To this day, Roger Waters keeps himself at a distance as the 2005 reunion concert wasn’t enough to fully reconcile their differences. Personally speaking as a fan, at least the global audience was blessed with the legacy Pink Floyd left behind as one of the most iconic musical groups in history. Collectively, this band sold several millions of records worldwide. Their history of one sold-out concert after another also speaks volumes. Consistently, Pink Floyd has been mentioned as one of the all-time favorite rock bands by fans of all ages.
In 1996, Pink Floyd was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In 2005, the same happened again with the UK Music Hall of Fame. As part of Pink Floyd’s legacy, artists such as David Bowie and Queen credited the group, including Syd Barrett, for inspiring them to get into the music business themselves. So many fans and so many musical artists benefited from Pink Floyd’s presence. Whether it was David Gilmour, Roger Waters, or Richard Wright uttering the vocals, the listening experience was truly out of this world. It still is.
Top 10 David Gilmour Pink Floyd Songs
#10 – What Do You Want from Me
In 1994, ‘What Do You Want from Me” became a number sixteen hit on the US Billboard Mainstream Rock chart. This slow-beat ballad featured David Gilmour trying to find out what exactly the people closest to him want. With Pink Floyd’s history of using music as a theme to suggest alienation from the audience, it was pointed out that the song itself was designed to be more personal than that. As a whole, The Division Bell was an album that brought forth one of the leading causes behind split relationships, which is a lack of communication and understanding of what people want from each other.
#9 – Breathe
From Dark Side of the Moon, “Breathe” was a song performed by Pink Floyd’s David Gilmour as lead vocalist. It was he and his bandmate Richard Wright who composed the music while Roger Waters prepared the lyrics. This was a slow bluesy song that once again focused heavily on the euphoric instrumentation played out by the band’s roster. This was Gilmour seeming to step out more as a vocalist with his own identity as it was evident at this time the man was becoming more involved when it came to the musical direction of Pink Floyd. As a song sold on its own, “Breathe” became certified silver with the British Phonographic Industry, as well as gold with Italy’s Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana.
#8 – The Dogs of War
Throughout Pink Floyd’s career, the band wasn’t shy to express their political and social views in the form of musical compositions. “The Dogs of War” was no exception as a song featured on the 1987 album, A Momentary Lapse of Reason. As far as David Gilmour and his bandmates were concerned, “The Dogs of War” were corrupt businessmen and politicians who raked in profits each time they sent their military muscle to get a specific job done. As far as the fans were concerned, this was a cool tune to listen to. From the ominous opening to its dramatic finish, “The Dogs of War” painted an image that demonstrated there is no such thing as glory when it comes to war. In the end, nobody wins.
#7 – Money
“Money” was a song written by Roger Waters that was performed lyrically and musically by David Gilmour. As the most successful single from The Dark Side of the Moon, this 1973 hit peaked at number thirteen on the US Billboard Hot 100. It was also a top ten hit on the US Cash Box chart, as well as in Austria and Spain. “Money” was also a hit in Canada, Germany, and Italy. It became certified gold in Italy, as well as silver in the UK. Speaking as a fan who attended a Pink Floyd concert, I can still recall the excitement of fans drowning out the opening sound of cash registers going off to start the song. It was deafening. “Money” is one of Pink Floyd’s signature songs that continue to earn considerable airplay on radio stations worldwide. This was a song that laid out the unfortunate truth that the world’s reliance on currencies in order to stay functional was a necessity. As a lyricist, Waters knew this. As performers, so did Gilmour and the rest of the Pink Floyd roster.
#6 – Take It Back
From The Division Bell, 1994’s “Take It Back” was a single Pink Floyd released with David Gilmour as the lead vocalist. When listening to the lyrics, Gilmour seems to be singing about a love interest whom he’s testing to see how far he can go before she decides she no longer wants anything more to do with him. This became one of Pink Floyd’s most popular hits as it peaked as high as number four on the US Billboard Mainstream Rock chart. On the US Billboard Hot 100, it was a number seventy-three hit. Among the nations of Canada and New Zealand, it was a top ten hit as it peaked at number nine and seven, respectively. On the UK Singles Chart, it climbed as high as number twenty-three.
#5 – On the Turning Away
On the UK Singles Chart, “On the Turning Away” became a number fifty-five hit as a Pink Floyd single in 1987. It was the second song released from the album, A Momentary Lapse of Reason. It was also the second time in a row David Gilmour and his bandmates would experience a number-one hit on the US Billboard Mainstream Rock chart. This was a protest song, designed as a power ballad, sung by Gilmour as the group’s lead vocalist. The theme behind “On the Turning Away’ painted a grim picture of an apocalyptic future.
#4 – Learning to Fly
A Momentary Lapse of Reason was the first album Pink Floyd released without Roger Waters as the man left the group in 1985. Released in 1987, “Learning to Fly” was the first of three songs to be released as singles. Sung by David Gilmour, it became Pink Floyd’s first number-one hit on the US Billboard Mainstream Rock chart. It also became a number-one hit in Spain. On the US Billboard Hot 100, it charted as high as number seventy. This was a song that held special meaning for the group as this was their message that Pink Floyd was “Learning to Fly” again as a group. They also proved Roger Waters wrong that they were able to carry on as a top-notch progressive rock band without him. As part of the inspiration behind “Learning to Fly,” David Gilmour was also taking lessons on how to fly an airplane. This was a song that also found its place on the official music charts belonging to Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, and the Netherlands. In 1988, it won an MTV Video Music Award for Best Concept Video.
#3 – Time
Again speaking as a fan, each time I hear ‘Time,” I go berzerk. It’s also safe to say I’m not the only one. I also recall in concert the second “Time” began with the chime of all those clocks, the fans drowned all that out with cheers of approval. The sheer power that went into the instrumental opening of this song shot this song from extraordinary to super extraordinary. When David Gilmour begins with his vocal delivery as “Time” progressed as a song, a wave overtakes the senses as this spiritual experience continues to be amazing. Fans who love Pink Floyd’s brand of progressive rock music will understand. This was actually a song that had Alan Parsons Project collaborate with Pink Floyd. The British Phonographic Industry certified “Time” silver after it surpassed the 200,000 sales mark. In Italy, it was certified gold after selling 25,000 copies as a single.
#2 – Wish You Were Here
1975’s album, Wish You Were Here, released the title track as a single that featured David Gilmour taking on the role of lead vocalist in a song that was written by him and Roger Waters. This became one of Pink Floyd’s signature songs, as well as Gilmour’s. The star power of “Wish You Were Here” has kept this cult classic on top as one of the best songs ever recorded in the genre of rock and roll music. This was a song performed exactly as the title stated. The desire for a specific person to be near instead of afar was powerfully expressed as Gilmour seemed to pour his heart out. Some fans look at “Wish You Were Here” as a tribute to former bandmate Syd Barrett. Due to health issues, he had no choice but to leave the band in 1967. According to Gilmour, the song was aimed at himself as a person needing to learn how to live life to the fullest. In order to do that, the spirit within needs to be alive and ready to go with the flow.
When listening to the song and Gilmour’s lyrics, that’s exactly what this mesmerizing song sets out to do. On the UK Singles Chart, it became a number sixty-eight hit in 2012, almost four decades after this song was released. It also appeared on the music charts belonging to Austria, France, Germany, and Norway. It was certified platinum by the UK’s British Phonographic Industry. In Italy, it became double platinum while in Denmark, gold. “Wish You Were Here” became a staple song performed in concert by Pink Floyd. It also became one of the most popular songs played on the radio worldwide. While Wyclef Jean covered a chart-hitting version of this song that became a popular hit throughout Europe and the UK, it still doesn’t quite hold a candle to the cultural impact Pink Floyd’s original did.
#1 – Comfortably Numb
When The Wall was released as an album, this was a Pink Floyd masterpiece that deservedly earned its place in history as one of the best rock albums of all time. True to nature, Pink Floyd brought forth a progressive album that told a whole story, one song at a time. “Comfortably Numb” was a song installment to a tracklist that featured the experience of Roger Waters as a young lad growing up in a social environment that seemed too unjust for comfort. In a world that tends to believe medication is the way to solve problems. From start to finish, David Gilmour’s composition and lyrics to “Comfortably Numb” was one of those songs that literally fit the mood as a “relax and listen” tune.
This was a song that had David Gilmour at his best and remains his ultimate signature song. Whether performed with Pink Floyd or as a solo act, “Comfortably Numb” joins the ranks of “Another Brick in the Wall” as an important piece of pop culture legacy. It also became one of Pink Floyd’s most successful singles as it became certified platinum in Italy and the UK. It also became certified gold in Denmark. In concert, “Comfortably Numb” became a staple. Each time this song was performed live, the fans often seemed to embark on some kind of wave as if they were on a relaxing boat ride.
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![Rob De Luca of Spread Eagle, Sebastian Bach & UFO: 10 Albums That Changed My Life From humble East Coast origins to grandest stages worldwide, veteran bassist Rob De Luca has seen and done it all. De Luca first hit the local Boston rock and metal scene in the late 80s after meeting guitarist Paul DiBartolo, bonding over Van Halen before forming Bang. Regional success came quickly, but eventually, the members of Bang went their separate ways, with De Luca and drummer Tommi Gallo heading to NYC and hooking up with Ray West and, later, DiBartolo to form Spread Eagle. By 1990, Spread Eagle was on the fast track, with a contract through MCA Records and a self-titled debut album poised to crush skulls. But poor timing and MCA's sad indifference left Spead Eagle out in the cold despite being a hard-boiled answer to Guns N' Roses's West Coast sleaze. Spread Eagle's first chapter came to an end in '95. As for Rob De Luca, his nimble fingers and gift for melody and songwriting kept him moving forward. Soon, he found a gig with former Skid Row frontman Sebastian Bach and the legendary outfit UFO. And in 2010, after coupling up with Ray West and his cousin Rik De Luca, Spread Eagle retook flight. During a break from Spread Eagle's increasingly busy touring schedule, Rob De Luca dialed in with ClassicRockHistory.com to run through the ten albums that changed his life. But only after adding, "I made a playlist of these songs, including some I've written or co-written. Do you hear any of these albums' influence on me?" Listen here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3LWJuhDrE8JmzhsmTeIDUq 10) Gentlemen by Afghan Whigs (1993) Here's an entry that was so important to me. This may be the darkest break-up album of all time. Greg Dulli has been in many projects, but I feel Gentlemen is his zenith. Somewhat undefinable at times but always profound and honest. Listen to "Gentlemen," "Fountain and Fairfax," and "What Jail Is Like." 9) In on the Kill Taker by Fugazi (1993) By this time, I had been sucked in and spit out by the major-label record industry. Glam came and went; grunge was history, too. I was searching for new sounds. When I heard Fugazi's twin guitar approach, I knew this was what was missing. Fugazi may be considered a less polished sound than the albums above; however, once you "get it," it hits you like a ton of bricks, and there's no going back. From the moment I heard Fugazi, I went to every NYC show after. It's easily some of the best concerts of my life, and possibly my favorite bassist in Joe Lally. And their DIY ethics refused to charge us more than $5 a show! In on the Kill Taker is a powerful album demonstrated in songs such as "Smallpox Champion," "Great Cop," and "Public Witness Program." 8) Appetite for Destruction by Guns N' Roses (1987) I discovered many of these albums (sometimes long) after they were released. However, I was at the right place at the right time for this one. Steve Ostromogilsky had a Berklee College of Music lunch card and used to sneak out sandwiches for me. One day, he invited me to hang out at his place and listen to music. As we got off the train, he put Sony Walkman headphones on my ears and said, "Hey, check out this brand-new group." A song like "It's So Easy" was so different from the popular Sunset Strip sound at that time. Me and about 499 other informed rockers were lucky enough to see them on their first East Coast tour at the sold-out Paradise on Commonwealth Avenue, Boston (the same street Aerosmith started on). I saw Gn'R every tour after until I took a break when Buckethead joined. Gn'R is the band I've been lucky enough to see the most times live, almost 100! Everyone on this album is just stellar. Axl [Rose] had the tones, power, melodic sensibilities, and foresight to do what no other singer did then. Slash's playing was beyond memorable. Duff [McKagan] is one of the most underrated bassists in rock history, and learning his Appetite basslines is a masterclass. Steven [Adler] had the natural swing, and Izzy [Stradlin] was the secret weapon songwriter. Everything that's been heralded about this gem is deserved and true. Check out "It's So Easy," "Out Ta Get Me," and "Mr. Brownstone.' 7) Wish You Were Here by Pink Floyd (1975) Another contender for my favorite album and band of all time. Using The Beatles machine (same recording studio, engineer, record label), Pink Floyd made what I feel is their strongest, most cohesive album (my second favorite of theirs would be Animals). This list mainly consists of bands with an instantly recognizable sound. Floyd is certainly no exception to that! This album included a solid handful of undeniable rock radio classics, bookended by two halves of the mind-blowing song "Shine on You Crazy Diamond.' That song was written about former band member and founder Syd Barrett. It would be hard to live in a world without this album. Check out "Welcome to The Machine," "Shine on You Crazy Diamond (parts 6-9),' or even better yet, listen to the whole thing in one sitting! 6) Decade by Neil Young (1977) About this time, I started playing guitar. As a beginner, it was comfortable jamming to this album because the chord changes were simple—a great "first ten years" retrospective of Neil's stunning, unique songwriting. Neil is a treasure who always writes from the heart and stands up for what's right. Check out "Southern Man," "A Man Needs a Maid," "Down by The River," and "After the Goldrush." 5) Highway to Hell by AC/DC (1979) When I heard this album, I was firmly "me." My life would be 100% focused on hard rock music forever. AC/DC are like air; they're ubiquitous. Everyone knows them and their incredible songs. However, as a young teen in Wilmington, Delaware, I only had WMMR 93.3 FM Philadelphia and a few friends to inform me about the world of Rock outside my bedroom. AC/DC had not gone mainstream, and their albums were available primarily in the USA as imports. To put things more in perspective, I only knew two people in the world who had heard of AC/DC. A friend had an import that we played in Steve Buckley's basement, which sounded ripping. When Highway to Hell was released, WMMR started spinning the title track, and I immediately bought the album, listening to it every single day after school. Then WMMR announced AC/DC was coming to the Spectrum in Philly, supporting Ted Nugent! I liked Ted but loved AC/DC, so my good friend Mick Cummins and I bought tickets, and he drove us up to the Spectrum (where we saw most of our concerts). Bon Scott was in fine form, and the band went over great. Although the crowd knew Ted better, Angus [Young] wouldn't let anyone upstage him. I'll never forget it! Unfortunately, Bon would be gone in 6 months. Check out "Walk All Over You," "Touch Too Much," "Shot Down in Flames," and "If You Want Blood (You Got It)." 4) Toys in the Attic by Aerosmith (1975) By the time I heard this, I was now in my teens. I had a childhood friend up the street, Jim Linberg (we're still good buddies). His older sister had a great album collection, including Toys in The Attic. Once I heard that groove, my taste changed. I lost interest in rock music that didn't have some sort of "swing" feel to it. I think Rocks is a slightly better Aerosmith album (and possibly my favorite album of all time), but both are perfect or very close. Check out "Uncle Salty," "Adam's Apple," "No More No More," "Round and Round," and "You See Me Crying." 3) Alive! by Kiss (1975) When I was still a little kid, I asked for Cheech and Chong's Up in Smoke album for Christmas. The entire family came over for an enormous feast, and I dropped the needle. When my mother heard the content, she turned off the album and said I had to exchange it. My mom was cool, but I was young and knew much more about life than she suspected. Anyway, the next day, she drove me back to the store. In the music section, promoted on an "endcap" was a Kiss Alive! display. I had never heard of Kiss, but that cover picture told me I had to have it! My first foray into hard rock. Check out “Strutter.” I went through my Kiss phase very quickly, I believe in a matter of months because I discovered the previous entry, Aerosmith's Toys in the Attic. 2) Honky Chateau by Elton John (1972) When I was a wee lad, my parents bought a used Volkswagen camper van from my uncle Ozzie. My favorite Elton John album is Yellow Brick Road, but Honky Chateau is great and easily one of his best. It sent me down a lifelong rabbit hole of loving everything about the 1970s partnership between Elton and lyricist Bernie Taupin. The simple beauty of voice, the master songwriting, the perfect backing band, the clear, unobtrusive recordings, and always Bernie's incredible lyrics. The day this album was released, Elton became an unstoppable force that conquered the music industry. Check out "Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters" and "Rocket Man." 1) Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band by The Beatles (1967) Another tape that was included in the VW Camper. The van had a bunch of music tapes, and one was Sgt Pepper. I was too young to understand the sophistication of the music, but that was one of the many skills of The Beatles. They attracted listeners at every level, even little kids. I still feel that immediate connection to Sgt Pepper; now, I hear so much more. It's an album that changed the world and the world of music. Check out "Lucy in The Sky with Diamonds," "A Day In The Life," and "Fixing a Hole."](http://www.classicrockhistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Shutterstock_1815495569-1-300x200.jpg)
