Go Your Own Way/Comfortably Numb
 

Anyone ever wonder if David Gilmour was listening to GYOW when he wrote Comfortably Numb, considering CN came out like a year or two after GYOW? Same song structure, CN is just long and drawn out to a different melody. Both great songs tho.

Steer me in the direction to hear this tune called Comfortably Numb.

Is it on Youtube? (I rarely go there. I am too old.)

I personally don't hear any similarity in the songs. It would be a real stretch for me to notice any, but that's just me. It's an entirely different style of music than GYOW.

Yep, it is on YouTube. I've always loved Pink Floyd. They have very rich cinematic music, which could be described as ambient rock.

I love Comfortably Numb. I don't see any similarities w GYOW either.

You're joking, right?

If you aren't, let me grab a chair & get comfortable before you explain in detail these similarities in song structure you hear.

I'm very jealous. If you hear similarity in those two songs, you must be in a state of very comfortable numbness.

Pink Floyd....Fleetwood Mac....my favourite two bands.....Gilmour & Buckingham....my favourite two guitarists......

But I see absolutely no connection between these two songs..?? They both have a middle solo and a big solo at the end...that's about it...:shrug:

(wow..I think it's been about 30 years since I posted on The Ledge..:thumbsup:)

AAAAAAAAARRRRGGGHHH!!! And I missed you every F*CKING day of those three decades!

pop in again!

:thumbsup:

I hear more of a connection between the slower, live versions of "I'm So Afraid" & "Comfortably Numb", though. But, "Go Your Own Way"?? Not so much.

With "Go Your Own Way", I hear more of a connection with Dire Straits' "Sultans Of Swing".

or between Bad Company's "Can't Get Enough" & "Don't Stop".

gyow - verse-verse-chorus-short guitar solo-verse-verse-chorus-long guitar solo

Melodies are obviously different and Comfortably Numb is more drawn out and the chorus is longer but the structure is essentially the same with the exception of the extra verse at the begining. Just imagine listening to GYOW at like 70% speed.

verse-verse-verse-chorus-short guitar solo-verse-verse-chorus-long guitar solo

I can't think of any songs that came before GYOW with this structure and CN came out shortly after GYOW so I've always thought it might be more than a coincidence. Also, Lindsey used the same structure on later songs, one that comes to mind is Isn't it Midnight.

Who knows, maybe I've put too much thought into it :D

For Comfortably Numb lovers (like me), I've always favored this cover by Dar Williams. Her version is really well-done and I love the different interpretation with female vocals. Check it out:

Me thinks it's just a coincidence, and a bit too much analysis on your part. ;) I've been an admirer of both songs for years, and the thought never even crossed my mind. But I think it's great that you brought it up. It gives us a chance to talk about 2 great songs. :thumbsup:

i can hear the similarity...

the were both written by a guy... duh?!!

Well, there's your problem. You've misidentified the structure of GYOW.

with Ani Difranco. That is a good version. :wavey:

Me too dude and I ended up here yesterday (as I'm sure you've seen on the chit chat forum!)

Funnily enough, while we are talking about coincidences, I was listening to Comfortably Numb from Earls Court 1981 when I stumbled on this thread! :shocked:

I can't see any connection either here. Not in tempo, chord structure, dynamics.. Nothing at all. I'd actually argue the point that GYOW contains a solo at all. The first one being more of a solo, a guitar "break" maybe. The second solo is Lindsey ripping off his own Frozen Love solo with more distortion and then repeating the same note over and over in "Chain" fashion which hardly qualifies as a solo in my opinion. Comfortably Numb contains a nicely written middle solo followed by one of the greatest solos of all time.

Thats not a slight on Buckingham or praise for Gilmour, just what my ears tell me from those two tunes..

Fleetwood Mac.....Free......Pink Floyd.......my favorite three bands......Green & Kossoff & Gilmour....my favorite three guitarists besides Snowy White.

(wow...I think this is the first time I posted on Post Rumours threads. :laugh::xoxo:

:eek::eek: the nerve!!! don't let this happen again!

:laugh: :p

Neither do I.. and yes, both are GREAT songs.


Ditto! And the best concert I've seen ever was last year, ROGER WATERS. He played several songs plus the whole Dark side of the moon album. It really was a religous experience..

I've always found similarities between these two as well, though, if you asked me to explain it, I would have a hard time doing so.

GYOW and CN? Hm, not so much....other than them both being incredible tunes, and on most tours, occupying a similar location in each band's setlist, I don't hear much resemblance.