47 Best Pink Floyd Songs Ever

“Any Colour You Like” by Pink Floyd

Song Year: 1973

“Any Colour You Like” is an instrumental from Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon. It features the talents of Richard Wright on the Hammond organ and various synthesizers.

Roger Waters explained that the title is a reference to the traveling salespeople who would go from town to town selling items cheap from the back of a van. They would claim “any colour you like” even when you had no actual choice.

“The Trial” by Pink Floyd

Song Year: 1979

Both the album and the film for The Wall come to a climax with the final track, “The Trial.” The rockstar Pink gets accused of showing human emotion and must face all the antagonists he has encountered.

The track is one more commentary on the struggle to keep one’s sanity. Ultimately the sentence is to tear down the wall that has separated Pink from his demons his entire life. 

“Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun” by Pink Floyd

Song Year: 1968

From 1968’s A Saucerful of Secrets, Pink Floyd’s song “Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun” is an early sample of what would become known as space rock. Roger Waters wrote the song influenced by a Chinese poetry book.

The track is a rare example of all five members contributing to the same track. Syd Barrett would leave the band in 1968 before the release of the second album, leaving David Gilmour to replace his guitar and vocals.

“Chapter 24” by Pink Floyd

Song Year: 1967

“Chapter 24” was the second song to be recorded for Pink Floyd’s debut album. It is a psychedelic track that illustrates the band draws inspiration from all sorts of material.

Written by Syd Barrett, the song was inspired by the ancient Chinese volume, I Ching, which translates to the Book of Changes. Barrett works through the translation explaining through verse the significance of the hexagram.

“Nobody Home” by Pink Floyd

Song Year: 1979

“Nobody Home” was the last track that Roger Waters wrote for The Wall. There are references to former bandmate Syd Barrett, as well as a line directed to Richard Wright’s love affair with cocaine.

The character Pink is singing about what few material possessions he has, for that’s all he’s got. He has built his mental wall and is now completely cut off from the world. There is an overwhelming sadness about the loneliness that he has created for himself.

“Goodbye Cruel World” by Pink Floyd

Song Year: 1979

“Goodbye Cruel World” is a short track from the rock opera The Wall that leads up to the next song, “Hey You.” In it, the singer is saying goodbye to the cruel world, and he is not about to change his mind.

During performances of The Wall, the song marked the halfway point of the concert as the final brick gets placed into the wall, closing off our protagonist from society completely. He then reconsiders his decision and tries to reach out for human contact with “Hey You.”

“Careful with That Axe, Eugene” by Pink Floyd

Song Year: 1968

“Careful with That Axe, Eugene” is a Pink Floyd instrumental apart from the eerie whispering from Roger Waters followed by his shrieking screams. Like many of the band’s songs throughout their extensive catalog, the track is a depiction of insanity.

Pink Floyd has always had the knack for transporting the listener to a dark place while mesmerizing instrumentation helps make you feel less afraid. This track was released as a single in 1968 and did not appear on an album until Relics in 1971. 

“Cymbaline” by Pink Floyd

Song Year: 1969

Another song from the soundtrack, “Cymbaline” is a cautionary tale about a woman wrought with anxiety. The film’s theme is drug addiction, so the “high time” throughout the lyrics is self-explanatory.

There is even a Doctor Strange reference in the song. If ever there was a track to feature the Supreme Sorcerer, this would be it.

“Flaming” by Pink Floyd

Song Year: 1967

“Flaming” is a Syd Barrett composition from Pink Floyd’s debut album, The Piper at the Gates of Dawn. Barrett was a master of fantasy, creating imagery that fit seamlessly with the trippy psychedelic music the band was creating at the time.

From lazing on an eiderdown to riding a unicorn, Barrett’s lyrics have an almost childlike innocence. When he left the band in 1968 to look after his mental exhaustion, David Gilmour and Roger Waters took Pink Floyd into an entirely different dimension.

Top Pink Floyd Songs Of All Time, Final Thoughts

Pink Floyd’s impact on rock music history is truly remarkable. From experimental psychedelic instrumentation to popular mainstream chart-toppers, their 30-plus-year career has produced some of the greatest songs and albums of all time. 

If you have enjoyed your deep dive into some of the best Pink Floyd songs – keep it going! The band has well over 100 more songs to explore. Shine On!