Gilmour was born in Cambridge, England. His father, Douglas Gilmour, was a senior lecturer in zoology at the University of Cambridge and his mother, Sylvia (née Wilson), was a teacher and film editor who raised her family at Grantchester Meadows, later immortalised by a Roger Waters song on Pink Floyd's Ummagumma. Gilmour and his siblings were encouraged by their parents in their musical abilities. Gilmour has a younger brother, Peter, who has been a guitarist for a slightly longer time than Gilmour. Gilmour attended The Perse School on Hills Road, Cambridge, which he "didn't enjoy" but where he met future Pink Floyd guitarist and vocalist Syd Barrett, along with bassist and vocalist Roger Waters who attended Cambridgeshire High School for Boys, also situated on Hills Road. In 1954, Gilmour bought his first single, Bill Haley's "Rock Around the Clock". At age 13, Gilmour was given his first guitar, a Tatay, by his neighbour, Gilmour started learning how to play using a book and record set by Pete Seeger.
In September 1962, he studied modern languages to A-Level and, along with Syd Barrett, went to Cambridge Technical College. Despite not finishing the languages course, Gilmour would eventually become a fluent French speaker. Gilmour and Barrett spent their lunchtime practising guitar together, Barrett would often refer to Gilmour as "Fred". They were not yet bandmates, however, and Gilmour started playing in the band Jokers Wild in 1962, which Gilmour left in 1967.
Gilmour joined Pink Floyd in 1968, when he was asked to replace former front man and guitarist Syd Barrett. Barrett was becoming increasingly difficult to work with (due to his deteriorating mental state), so Gilmour stepped in to fill the void. Gilmour's contributions helped to define what would become known as the "Pink Floyd" sound. With Roger Waters, Gilmour co-wrote many of Pink Floyd's classic songs, including "Shine On You Crazy Diamond"(Itself about Syd), "Wish You Were Here" (about Roger's father) , "Time", "Dogs", "Echoes", "Comfortably Numb", and "Run Like Hell". When Waters left the band in 1984 to pursue a solo career, Gilmour took over Pink Floyd as leader, and they released two more albums, A Momentary Lapse of Reason (1987), and The Division Bell (1994). Both albums performed very well, proving that the Pink Floyd name was stronger than any individual member. On July 2, 2005, David Gilmour and Roger Waters briefly set aside their differences and performed as Pink Floyd for one final performance at Live 8. The reunion was the most talked about event of the day, and sales of Pink Floyd's back catalogue shot through the roof. Rumours of a full scale tour began to surface shortly after the show, with both Gilmour and Waters being offered millions of dollars, but it wasn't meant to be. Neither Waters nor Gilmour showed much enthusiasm to work together again, with Gilmour being quoted as saying that he would rather spend his time pursuing his solo career.
Much to everyone's surprise, Gilmour and Waters reunited once again on July 11, 2010 for a charity performance for "The Hoping Foundation," an organization that supports Palestinian refugee kids. At Ronnie Scott's club in London, the duo performed four songs together: "To Know Him is to Love Him" (a cover of the old Teddy Bear's song), "Wish You Were Here," "Comfortably Numb," and finally (after a special request) "Another Brick in the Wall Part 2." Once again, just like after the Live 8 Reunion, speculation began regarding future reunions. No official Pink Floyd reunion has yet been set, but Gilmour did promise that he would join Roger Waters for one show on his 2010-11 "The Wall" tour, performing "Comfortably Numb." The show that Gilmour is set to play is being kept a secret to surprise fans and (most likely) to prevent scalpers from selling tickets at outrageous prices.
The door now seems slightly ajar that David Gilmour and Roger Waters may possibly work with each other again, either as a duo, or as Pink Floyd once again. On Roger Waters's facebook page, he wrote: "We (played together), and it was fucking great! End of story. Or possibly beginning."
As a solo artist, David Gilmour has released 3 studio albums; David Gilmour (1978), About Face (1984), and On an Island (2006). In September 2008, he released his first live album Live In Gdansk , a recording of a concert he and his band performed in Gdansk Shipyard during his 2006 On An Island tour. In addition, he has two live DVDs - 2002's mostly acoustic "In Concert" and 2007's Remember That Night.
In 2015 he released his forth studio album: Rattle That Lock followed by a live album Live at Pompeii in 2017 which was recored on 7th and 8th July 2016 at his two gigs in Pompeii.
Smile
David Gilmour Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
To make it all right
While sleep has taken you
Where I'm out of sight
I'll make my getaway
Time on my own
Search for a better way
To your smile
Wasting days and days
On this fire
Always down and up
Half the night
Hopeless to reminisce
Through the dark hours
We'll only sacrifice
What time will allow us
You're sighing, sighing
All alone
Though you're right here
Now it's time to go
From your sad stare
Make my getaway
Time on my own
Leaving's a better way
To find my way home
To your smile
Your smile
The lyrics to David Gilmour’s song “Smile” suggest the singer is in a relationship that’s gone sour. The singer is looking for a way to make things right but realizes that it may be futile. The opening line “Would this do to make it all right” is a plea to their partner to see the effort they’re putting in, despite the fact that “sleep has taken you” – meaning their partner is no longer emotionally invested in the relationship.
The singer decides to “make [their] getaway” and search for a better way to find their way home to their partner’s “smile”. They’ve wasted too many days on an unfulfilling relationship that only brings them down during the night. They realize that “leaving's a better way” to find their way back to their partner’s smile.
The closing line “your smile” is a subtle reminder of what’s at stake – the singer doesn’t want to lose the joy and happiness that their partner’s smile brings them.
Overall, the song is a reflection on the difficulties of maintaining a relationship and the tough decisions that come with it. The lyrics are poignant and the melody adds a layer of melancholy that perfectly captures the conflicted emotions of the singer.
Line by Line Meaning
Would this do
Is this enough to solve our problems?
To make it all right
To fix everything that is wrong.
While sleep has taken you
While you are unconscious and unaware.
Where I'm out of sight
I am not in your view or presence.
I'll make my getaway
I will leave where I am now.
Time on my own
Alone time.
Search for a better way
Look for an improved solution.
To find my way home
To return to where I belong.
To your smile
To the happy expression on your face.
Wasting days and days
Spending time unproductively.
On this fire
On a passion that could burn out.
Always down and up
Constantly experiencing highs and lows.
Half the night
For a significant amount of time.
Hopeless to reminisce
Feeling sad about the past with no hope for change.
Through the dark hours
During the difficult times.
We'll only sacrifice
We'll give up something important.
What time will allow us
Only what we have time for.
You're sighing, sighing
You're expressing disappointment or sadness.
All alone
Completely by yourself.
Though you're right here
Even though you're physically present.
Now it's time to go
It's time to leave this situation behind.
From your sad stare
From the sad look on your face.
Make my getaway
We'll leave and start anew.
Time on my own
We'll take some time for ourselves.
Leaving's a better way
Departing is the best option.
To find my way home
To return to where we belong.
To your smile
To the happy expression on your face.
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Written by: David Gilmour, Polly Samson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@sydsixteensee
Would this do
To make it all right
While sleep has taken you
Where I'm out of sight
I'll make my getaway
Time on my own
Search for a better way
To find my way home
To your smile
Wasting days and days
On this night
Always down and up
Half the night
Hopeless to reminisee
Through the dark hours
We'll only sacrifice
What time will allow us
You're sighing... sighing
All alone
Though you're right here
Now it's time to go
From your sad stare
Make my getaway
Time on my own
Needing a better way
To find my way home
To your smile
@scottorwick8816
I lost my best friend of 36 years..my beautiful wife..12/24/22..she loved this piece of music..I'm so lost, but loving! Thank you David Gilmore
@DRIPMOSCATTO
Remember, you’re never alone even though you feel so. Nothing makes sense and sometimes the only solace to be had is to know you were granted as much time as you got with that person you loved so. We’re all sitting alone at the bus stop… waiting for the bus to come and bring us home.
@PlymouthTagb
I hope you are starting to find yourself again. You will never lose your wife because she is etched into your heart x
@adityakashyap2697
I really wish that today’s artists can play live music like him. No autotunes, no electronic beats. This is why Pink Floys and their generation will be remebered, etched in time. Beiber, miley, one direction etc are just transient. This is pure confidence. The vocals are clean. No mumbling.
@robertsteffes5487
You realize what you are asking for is impossible do you not aditya. 🙂 Just sit back, turn it up, and enjoy David Gilmour for as long as we can! David is like a fine glass of Portuguese Late Bottle Vintage Port aged to perfection.
@jabibgalt5551
Pick up a guitar yourself and become the artist you wish there were in the world. Then you can judge other people's musical performances with a certain degree of righteousness. Until then...
@odin3433
finally found an indian
@rahularora301
@@odin3433are you on an Indian treasure hunt?
@Pribb00
Thank you David. You are the best.
@marcodimaio6106
This song is of endless swetness and full of melting melancholy. Thank you Mr. David Gilmour!