47 Best Pink Floyd Songs Ever

“Young Lust” by Pink Floyd

Song Year: 1979

Not all of Pink Floyd’s music is psychedelic. “Young Lust” shows the band can lay down bluesy-rock with the best of them. The track is one of the few compositions that David Gilmour co-wrote for The Wall.

The song captures the essence of sex, drugs, and rock-and-roll. After having casual sex with groupies to break up the boredom of touring, the ‘rock-and-roll refugee’ calls his wife back home, only to find out that she is cheating on him.

“Dogs” by Pink Floyd

Song Year: 1977

Pink Floyd flexes their progressive rock muscles with the release of 1977’s Animals. Structured loosely on Orwell’s satire Animal Farm, songs like “Dogs” explore the similarities between animals and man.

The 17-minute track captures the predatory similarities between dogs and man, especially in the dog-eat-dog world of commercial materialism. There is also a comparison to the inevitable taming of man to obey his masters. All while you trip out to Floyd’s innovative instrumentation.

“Mother” by Pink Floyd

Song Year: 1979

In “Mother,” another song from The Wall, Roger Waters sings the perspective of Pink, the rockstar alone in his own world. He speaks with his mother, whose vocals are provided by David Gilmour.

As much as she loves her boy, there is a smothering darkness that comes from an overprotective mother who checks out his girlfriends and watches his every move. The psychological impact of having a mother who puts a wall up around her child trying to protect him from the world comes through.

“Bike” by Pink Floyd

Song Year: 1967

Some of the early Syd Barrett Pink Floyd is reminiscent of bands like The Hollies– poppy, innocent lyrics with a catchy melody. “Bike” is such a song from their debut album, The Piper at the Gates of Dawn.

Barrett sings to a girl he likes, courting her with promises of things that might make her happy. His borrowed bike, his pet mouse, and a gingerbread cookie are all offered to the girl who fits in perfectly with his world.    

“Another Brick in the Wall (Part 1)” by Pink Floyd

Song Year: 1979

“Another Brick in the Wall (Part 1)” is from the perspective of Pink, whose father went off to war when he was a child, never to return. The trauma caused the rockstar to build a wall around himself.

Pink Floyd’s rock opera The Wall was almost entirely created by Roger Waters based on his own life experiences. His father was lost at war, so some of that emotion can be felt in Waters’  lyrics. Juxtaposed with Gilmour’s haunting guitar riffs and Waters’ bass lines, the effect is beautiful and terrifying.

 “Matilda Mother” by Pink Floyd 

Song Year: 1967

Syd Barrett wrote “Matilda Mother” from the perspective of a child being read fairy tales by his mother. The boy is taken to faraway lands of kings and castles and cannot wait for his mother to tell him more.

Barrett seemed to be nostalgic about his childhood and the lost innocence that can never be regained. The song was inspired by the satirical children’s collection “Cautionary Tales” by Hillaire Belloc. 

“Sheep” by Pink Floyd

Song Year: 1977

From the bleating of sheep in the opening of Pink Floyd’s “Sheep”, you know that things are not what they seem. The song is on the band’s album Animals, reminiscent of Orwell’s Animal Farm.

“Sheep” was originally titled “Raving and Drooling,” a jam-based song that took different twists and turns, like the mind of someone going insane. Like sheep, mankind is meek and obedient and had better do as it’s told if it wants to survive.

“One of These Days” by Pink Floyd 

Song Year: 1971

“One of These Days” is an instrumental from Pink Floyd’s 1971 release. Meddle. Roger Waters and David Gilmour both play bass guitar on the track, creating a unique sound effect.

The lone lyric in the song is a promise of violence spoken by drummer Nick Mason. Despite the ominous threat, the song has many different segments that flow together seamlessly. 

“Goodbye Blue Sky” by Pink Floyd

Song Year: 1979

It is hard to listen to Pink Floyd’s “Goodbye Blue Sky” without envisioning the scene from the film accompaniment to The Wall. Live action turns into animation as an ominous black eagle representing Nazi aggression morphs into a factory churning out warplanes.

The song captures the fear the British felt during The Blitz of World War II. The frightened ones in their gas masks hide for safety while the Union Jack gets torn apart, turning into blood-covered crosses.

“Pigs (Three Different Ones)” by Pink Floyd

Song Year: 1977

Joining “Dogs” and “Sheep” from the band’s album Animals, Pink Floyd casts “Pigs” at the top of the social order, manipulating society to gain wealth and power for themselves. 

“Pigs (Three Different Ones)” features Roger Waters’ scathing vocals calling out different pigs of excess, like businessmen and politicians. David Gilmour’s guitar solo on the track is considered one of his best of all time.