The Wall is niet meteen mijn favoriete album van Pink Floyd – bombastisch, opgeblazen en qua thematiek zelfs ietwat ridicuul – maar het bevat met Comfortably Numb tenminste één absolute klassieker. Het is een sterke song met een memorabele melodie, maar wat Comfortably Numb klassiek maakt is in de eerste plaats de gitaarsolo van David Gilmour. Er lopen ongetwijfeld technisch betere gitaristen rond, maar niemand weet aan de electrische gitaar zo’n mooie, lyrische klank te ontlokken als Gilmour. [Bovendien, vergis u niet: zo’n mooie toon creëren – zeker live – vereist ook techniek, en mooie, uitgebalanceerde melodieën spelen ook. Je moet veel controle over je handen en vingers hebben, en kennis van je apparatuur, om dat allemaal te realiseren; Laurent]. Muziek van David, tekst van Roger Waters.
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 aaaaaaaah!
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
