The 20 Best David Gilmour Songs, from Comfortably Numb to Luck and Strange

What is David Gilmour's most famous song?

"Comfortably Numb", with its two legendary guitar solos, is David Gilmour's most famous song, along with "Wish You Were Here" and "Time". From Pink Floyd's later years, "Learning to Fly" and "High Hopes" are favorites, and the instrumental "Marooned" won the band a Grammy.

David Gilmour's greatest Pink Floyd songs

1. "Comfortably Numb", 1979: Gilmour wrote the music and plays two of rock's greatest solos.
2. "Wish You Were Here", 1975: an acoustic ballad he co-wrote and sings.
3. "Time", 1973: alarm clocks, a searing solo and his lead vocal.
4. "Money", 1973: a seven-four groove, his vocal and a famous solo.
5. "Shine On You Crazy Diamond", 1975: a tribute to Syd Barrett built on Gilmour's four-note guitar phrase.
6. "Echoes", 1971: a 23-minute epic from Meddle.
7. "Breathe", 1973: the gentle opening song of The Dark Side of the Moon.
8. "Run Like Hell", 1979: a driving, echoing rocker from The Wall.
9. "Fat Old Sun", 1970: a gentle, pastoral early Gilmour song.
10. "Dogs", 1977: a long, fierce song from Animals.

Gilmour-era Pink Floyd

11. "Learning to Fly", 1987: the hit single from A Momentary Lapse of Reason.
12. "Sorrow", 1987: a heavy, brooding song with a huge guitar sound.
13. "On the Turning Away", 1987: a soaring ballad of compassion.
14. "High Hopes", 1994: a reflective song about youth, written with Polly Samson.
15. "Coming Back to Life", 1994: a hopeful love song from The Division Bell.
16. "Marooned", 1994: a Grammy-winning instrumental.

David Gilmour's solo songs

17. "There's No Way Out of Here", 1978: from his first solo album.
18. "On an Island", 2006: the dreamy title track of his chart-topping album.
19. "Rattle That Lock", 2015: an upbeat single built on a railway station jingle.
20. "The Piper's Call", 2024: a single from Luck and Strange.

Who is David Gilmour?

David Gilmour was born on 6 March 1946 in Cambridge, England. He joined Pink Floyd in 1967, shortly before the departure of his old friend Syd Barrett, and his melodic guitar playing and warm voice became central to the albums that made them one of the biggest bands in the world: The Dark Side of the Moon, Wish You Were Here, Animals and The Wall. After Roger Waters left in 1985, Gilmour led the band on A Momentary Lapse of Reason and The Division Bell. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with Pink Floyd in 1996 and appointed CBE in 2003.

The guitar sound

Gilmour is famous for playing fewer notes with more feeling than almost any other rock guitarist. His solos bend and sustain each note, using a Fender Stratocaster, delay and a smooth, singing tone, and they often feel like a second vocal melody. In 2019 he auctioned his famous Black Strat and many other guitars for climate charity, and the Black Strat alone sold for about 3.9 million dollars.

Polly Samson and the later songs

From The Division Bell onward, Gilmour's wife, the novelist Polly Samson, has written lyrics for many of his songs, including "High Hopes" and much of his solo work. In 2022 Gilmour and drummer Nick Mason reunited as Pink Floyd for "Hey, Hey, Rise Up!", a song raising money for humanitarian relief in Ukraine.

Live at Pompeii and the concerts

Gilmour is also a celebrated live performer. In 2016 he returned to the ancient amphitheater at Pompeii, where Pink Floyd had filmed a famous concert film in 1971, and the resulting album and film, Live at Pompeii, reached number three in the UK. His shows mix solo songs with Pink Floyd classics, and the long solo at the end of "Comfortably Numb" remains the moment every audience waits for.

David Gilmour songs for a road trip or a quiet night

For a long drive, play "Learning to Fly", "Run Like Hell", "Money" and "Time", and for a quiet night, "Wish You Were Here", "Coming Back to Life", "On an Island" and "Fat Old Sun". For more, see our road trip songs and 70s rock songs.

David Gilmour songs for a memorial

"Wish You Were Here" is one of the most chosen songs for remembering a rock fan, and "High Hopes", "Coming Back to Life" and "Shine On You Crazy Diamond" are moving farewells. For more, see our memorial service songs.

More guitar heroes

If you love David Gilmour, explore our Mark Knopfler songs, Rush songs and easy guitar songs.

A song with a soaring solo, about them

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