Lyrics came from Roger Waters' experience when he was injected with tranquillizers for hepatitis by a doctor prior to playing a Pink Floyd show in Philadelphia on the band's 1977 tour for the "Animals" album.
This song features two guitar solos by David Gilmour, and is a particular favorite with Pink Floyd fans. The final solo is widely revered by fans worldwide as one of Gilmour's best, and is the archetypal rock guitar solo and it is frequently within the top of all guitar solo polls, such as a poll by listeners of digital radio station Planet Rock, in which it was named the best solo of all time. The guitar solo was chosen 4# on Guitar World's "100 Greatest Guitar Solos".
According to the Comfortably Numb Songfacts, this was the last song Waters and Gilmour wrote together.
Comfortably Numb
Pink Floyd Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Is there anybody in there?
Just nod if you can hear me
Is there anyone home?
Come on now
I hear you're feeling down
Well I can ease your pain
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
Okay (okay, okay, okay)
Just a little pinprick
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
The song "Comfortably Numb" by Pink Floyd seems to be a conversation between a doctor and a patient. The doctor is trying to help the patient, who is feeling down, and achieve a seemingly desirable state of numbness. The doctor is asking the patient questions, trying to understand where it hurts, while assuring the patient that there is no pain, and the person is in fact, receding from it.
The second stanza seems to reflect the patient's experience of numbness as they describe a memory from when they were a child and had a fever. This memory is likely a metaphor for a difficult experience that the person had in their past which left them feeling numb. The person has now become comfortably numb, suggesting that they found a way to cope with that difficult experience. However, the phrase "I cannot put my finger on it now" in the last part of the song implies that there is still something that the person can't quite articulate or understand about their experience.
Overall, the song explores themes of detachment, dissociation, and a yearning for relief from pain. The lyrics are complemented by the band's trademark soundscapes, which enhance the eerie and otherworldly feel of the song. This song has become one of Pink Floyd's most famous and enduring hits; it has been covered by many artists across various genres, further cementing its place in music history.
Line by Line Meaning
Hello? (Hello? Hello? Hello?)
The singer is attempting to establish communication with the person they are addressing.
Is there anybody in there? Just nod if you can hear me Is there anyone 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?
The singer is addressing someone who they think is dealing with some sort of emotional or physical pain. They are offering to help but need information from the person in order to do so.
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
The singer is describing a feeling of detachment from reality or emotional numbness. They are referencing a time in their childhood when they were ill and had a similar feeling. They feel as though the person they are addressing wouldn't understand this feeling.
Okay (okay, okay, okay) Just a little pinprick 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
The artist is seemingly administering some sort of medication or treatment to the person they are addressing, encouraging them to continue with the show or move on with their life.
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
Here, the artist repeats the first verse, seemingly emphasizing their feeling of detachment or 'comfortable numbness' from reality or emotional pain.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Written by: David Jon Gilmour, Roger Waters
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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