The Best Live version of Comfortably Numb

Pink Floyd’s Comfortably Numb is undoubtedly one of the greatest pieces of music ever composed on the electric guitar. And if you’ve heard the studio version, it’s literally impossible to not get blown away by the myriads of live versions of the solo that Gilmour has played through the years (or decades). And the great thing about the live renditions is that each of them brings a distinctly characteristic feel to the solo--making all of them memorable and stand on their own, it’s almost like different takes on the original studio version.

For example, the Delicate Sound of Thunder version has a darker and more tormented feel overall, there are parts of the solo where it’s unlike anything ever heard from Gilmour. This version is also the most ‘badass’ and raw version of the Comfortably Numb solo, which was how Gilmour played it during the Momentary Lapse tour in the late 80’s. And until Live in Gdansk came out, this was my favorite version of the solo.

Also, Gilmour’s guitarwork had undergone a bit of a shift during the Division Bell album--it’s hard to explain but if you listen to the solos in TDB, you’ll know. Where earlier he played with a minimal-yet-impactful style of soloing with a great balance between the pace and the spaces, later on from TDB, Gilmour’s playing was a bit more expansive and more ‘prosaic’. So in that sense, the DSOT version of Comfortably Numb has a lot more ‘vintage-Gilmour’ vibe than the later live versions. Not that it matters musically, of course.

Next is the Pulse version, which is probably the most fan-favorite version of the Comfortably Numb solo. Personally, I’ve always felt this solo to be a bit bloated, with it’s slower pace coupled with the long duration of the ‘repetitive’ sections of the solo. Of course, musical taste is subjective and one person’s opinion means nothing. Overall, I preferred the DSOT version over this one, by an hair’s breadth. Also, I liked the sharp tone of the DSOT version more than the ‘fat’ tone used in Pulse.

Of course, the ‘uncut’ version of the Pulse solo is much better, even with the little mistakes. If you haven’t heard it yet, I strongly recommend that you do.

Then came the Gdansk version which I thought was the most definitive version of this solo--grizzled, soaring, and has the power to cut deeper than all the other live versions that I’ve heard. The massive distortion also adds to the emotional weight of the solo and makes it feel more ‘lively’ and nuanced than the Pulse version which was just a little too smooth, if you know what I mean.

But after listening to tons of bootlegs and audience recorded versions of the Comfortably Numb solo on Youtube, it’s been clear to me that there are several live versions that easily surpass all of these above mentioned, put-on-record versions, by a country mile. It’s a real shame to see that these versions never got to see the proper treatment they deserved--they should’ve been the ones to end up on the record.

Take the New Orleans version that Gilmour played back in the Division Bell tour--it’s so much better than the Pulse version that it made absolutely no sense why they didn’t put it on the record. It would’ve been truly amazing if we got that version in full audio-recording glory.

But last month, after spending some time looking for more live versions of Comfortably Numb, I came across the Parken Copenhagen live bootleg and after listening to the live solo, I thought--“damn, this is easily THE greatest version of Comfortably Numb in existence”. And after a lot of repeated listening, I am 100% convinced that this IS the best and the most beautiful live rendition of this solo that Gilmour has ever played. It not only is better than ALL the previous live versions we’ve heard but also ranks among Gilmour’s finest playing moments, live or studio-wise.

The solo played here is just divine--there’s no other way I can put this. It’s almost unbelievable that it came entirely from live improvisation--any Pink Floyd fan knows that Gilmour is an absolute master on when it comes to live improvisation but this solo is just on another level. You’ll know when you hear it.

So without any further ado--here’s the whole gig and the solo starts from the 2:09:35 mark. Enjoy the aural bliss and let me know what you think of it in the comments section.