5 Best Songs Written by David Gilmour

While his stratospheric fame arose through introducing Pink Floyd’s psychedelic vision to the masses as lead guitarist, David Gilmour also left an indelible songwriting mark cementing their icon status. When not shaping the band’s hallucinatory progressive epics into chart-topping cohesion, Gilmour himself authored outright classics laden with stories and emotional resonance. As the predominant voice carrying Pink Floyd’s conceptual vision forward, his standout compositions fused equal parts accessibility and experimentation defining their legendary essence. We spotlight the 5 songs crystallizing David Gilmour’s talents for at once elevating avant-garde aesthetics through profound lyrical storytelling into the cultural pantheon.

1. “Comfortably Numb”

Though credited to both Roger Waters and David Gilmour as a rare moment of creative unity, “Comfortably Numb” stands as the ultimate synthesis of the latter’s intimate songcraft. As Pink Floyd’s celebrated concept album The Wall illustrates its protagonist’s painful isolation, Gilmour penned the music and lyrics evoking his desperate pleas for connection. From the yearning vocals to twin guitar solos pouring raw emotion, “Comfortably Numb” sees the musician channeling his fluid fretwork into a vehicle for desolate balladry unlike anywhere else in their catalog.

The song’s tragic insight into severed human bonds connected profoundly with listeners too. When played live, Gilmour’s soaring serenades sent arena crowds into rapturous sing-alongs belting his words en masse. Upon release in 1979, the stunning composition received considerable FM radio play unusual for Pink Floyd – hinting at its popular crossover. In the decades since, numerous publications and polls solidified “Comfortably Numb” not just as a Floyd essential, but also among history’s greatest-ever rock compositions.

Few could imagine that the man bearing guitar god status crafted equally compelling musical prose behind stunning solos too. But David Gilmour fused distorting lyricism with six-string sorcery to help cement “Comfortably Numb” into Pink Floyd lore forevermore.

2. “Shine On You Crazy Diamond”

As Pink Floyd began piecing together conceptual threads for the Wish You Were Here album, David Gilmour emerged as the driving creative force focused on honoring their former leader gone reclusive – Syd Barrett. Having witnessed Barrett’s mental decline and unceremonious departure, Gilmour channeled the complex grief into a sprawling multi-movement tribute simply titled “Shine On You Crazy Diamond”.

Across all nine interconnected parts spanning 26 minutes, Gilmour’s vision actualized as resplendent guitar soundscapes interweaving loss and admiration, past and present. Opening with his trademark four lingering notes suspended ominously, the expansive instrumental demonstrates daring arrangement full of gradual dynamic builds across guitars both acoustic and electric. All the while, subtle synth layers courtesy of Richard Wright provide an atmospheric sheen so definitive of their signature sound.

When it came time for lyrics conveying heavier heartache, Gilmour took to the pen himself adopting Roger Waters’ sorrowful tone rather than just minor key guitars doing all the grieving work. The totality of music and words interplaying so seamlessly make “Shine On You Crazy Diamond” an immortal piece of living memoriam forever embedding Barrett’s spirit into Pink Floyd lore.

3. “Wish You Were Here”

Though lyrics remained Roger Waters’ creative domain for most Pink Floyd milestones, David Gilmour expanded his tune-smith capacities for the tender title track off 1975’s Wish You Were Here. Having watched helplessly as original Floyd visionary Syd Barrett slid out of sync with reality, Gilmour sympathized profoundly with Waters’ stream-of-consciousness verses lamenting his absence. The understated acoustics and gossamer guitar melodies present the perfect bed for raw revelations laid vulnerable.

That simplicity resonated universally – transforming a dear friend’s disappearance into an intimate elegy for any lost loved one. Lines like “How I wish you were here” poured the pain of attempting human connection over years eroded by uncrossable new distances since imposed. Meanwhile signature touches like Gilmour’s crystalline 12-string motifs and melancholy instrumental breaks spoke wordless longing all their own.

In the wake of their era-defining previous LP Dark Side of the Moon, Pink Floyd confronted immense pressure to deliver equal emotional impact. With unanimous praise in particular for its fragile folk centerpiece, Wish You Were Here proved every bit as poignant as Waters and Gilmour’s missing muse would have hoped.

4. “High Hopes”

By the early 90s, Pink Floyd comprised David Gilmour and Nick Mason mentoring newcomer Richard Wright on albums with Roger Waters estranged long term. Though his towering contemporary long dominated creative direction, Gilmour blossomed into an intuitive songsmith himself upon claiming the head role for swan song record The Division Bell. As a fitting farewell, the guitarist penned understated showstopper “High Hopes” musing upon the winding road traversed together since their psychedelic genesis.

Veiled by lush production sheen, Gilmour’s muted musings survey faded dreams once nurtured and roads left enticingly unexplored. Quiet revelations about watching seasons change before one’s eyes conceal profound perspectives earned over decades touring tumultuous waters. Meanwhile, fan-adored sax interludes courtesy of late great Scott Page afford cathartic instrumental venting to balance the world-wearied words.

As the last fully Floydian effort before Gilmour formally dissolved the brand, The Division Bell cycles back sonically to the elegant majesty distinguishing their peak eras. Closing eulogy “High Hopes” caps off that commemorative journey with class and closing reflections to satisfy even the most devoted Floyd connoisseurs – proving leader Gilmour saved some of his sagest songwriting ever for last.

5. “Time”

Though early Pink Floyd albums often interwove collaborativeideas into expansive jams, Dark Side Of The Moon saw RogerWaters cement himself as chief lyricist while Gilmour translatedaltitudes through articulate axe work. Yet the guitarist emerged just as skilled channelinghis musical mind into words when creating the poignant centerpiece“Time.”

As clocks ominously tick towards our collective demise, Gilmour gives voice tolife’s unstoppable inertia suddenly leaving past joys abandoned anddreams unrecognized. Haunted vocals warn “You are young and life islong, and there is time to kill today…10 years have got behindyou…” before Waters’ philosophical interludes temper themortal freeze with rational optimism. All the while, Gilmour’ssinuous guitar motifs wind above the mix – lamenting fleeting glorydays now buried in the fog behind them.

For an album focused on pressing universal issues, “Time”proves Gilmour equally adept addressing humanity’s shared plightas he is wielding wizardly solos. Together with Waters’ humanisttouch, the complete composition continues resonating profoundlyhalf a century later as Pink Floyd’s most poignant rallying cryagainst the mortal clock counting down against us all.

Though first celebrated globally for his otherworldly guitar exploits, David Gilmour also nurtured a nuanced songwriting voice distinguishing latter Pink Floyd masterworks like “Comfortably Numb” and “High Hopes”. As resonant lyrical interpretations dovetailed with his visionary playing and production panache, these five compositions cement Gilmour as the complete package – a versatile musician equally adept articulating words and wild six-string spectacles.