The link between two of David Gilmour’s favourite Pink Floyd songs
Pink Floyd are known as the masters of the abstract, the premier pioneers of the concept album. While they weren’t the first band to explore the idea of an album as a cohesive, unified body of work, they are its most well-known proponent. The Beach Boys paved the way with Pet Sounds in 1966, followed by The Beatles with Revolver and Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. Additionally, The Who’s Tommy from 1969 is often regarded as one of the earliest true examples of the concept album. However, it was Pink Floyd who truly mastered and popularised the form.
However, as we move from the vibrant haze of the 1960s into the murkier 1970s, after the flower-power dream had faded, we find that this was the decade in which Pink Floyd truly flourished. Founder and frontman Syd Barrett, known for his unmistakable presence, left the band in April 1968 due to severe mental health struggles. Curiously, as Barrett’s behaviour became increasingly erratic, his friend and fellow guitarist David Gilmour was invited to join the fold in December 1967 as a “standby” replacement. This invitation came after Barrett’s on-stage performances had deteriorated dramatically, largely due to his heavy LSD use, which is also credited with exacerbating his mental health issues. At the time, both the dangers of LSD and mental illness were rarely discussed, leaving Barrett’s struggles tragically misunderstood in the late ’60s.
As Barrett faded into the shadows, Gilmour stepped into the spotlight, becoming the band’s defacto frontman for years to come. His rise solidified what would become Pink Floyd’s “classic” lineup. Gilmour took on Barrett’s role as lead guitarist, while bassist Roger Waters assumed the position of the band’s chief conceptual architect. Together, Gilmour and Waters created a cerebral hybrid of an ultra-frontman. Following a string of releases like More, Atom Heart Mother, and Meddle, the duo would catapult Pink Floyd into the 1970s and secure their place in prog-rock history.
By 1973, Pink Floyd had perfected the “complete album approach” with The Dark Side of the Moon, a record that set the benchmark for all future concept albums. Throughout the ’70s and beyond, Pink Floyd continued to craft unified bodies of work, intricately woven with overarching themes, as seen in Wish You Were Here, Animals, and The Wall. The latter is often regarded as the pinnacle of the concept album, even though it’s largely considered a Roger Waters creation. Ongoing differences between band members led to Waters’ departure, leaving Gilmour to take over as the band’s principal songwriter for the remainder of their career, culminating in their final release, The Endless River, in 2014.
For a band that became known for weaving its songs together, it should come as no surprise that two of Gilmour’s favourite Floyd efforts are linked. Embodying meta musicality before meta was even a thing, this duo is brilliantly self-referential. Who’d have thought that the pastoral psychedelia of ‘Fat Old Sun’ from 1970’s Atom Heart Mother and ‘High Hopes’ from 1994’s pompous The Division Bell would share a common thread?
Gilmour consistently played the two songs as part of his live act, and in 2008, he revealed the lesser-known ‘Fat Old Sun’ as a career highlight: “I’ve always liked the song, one of the first I ever wrote,” he said. “I tried to persuade the rest of the Pink Floyd guys that it should go on Echoes: The Best Of Pink Floyd, but they weren’t having it. I played the drums on the original recording, but the drums are so bad.” The track opens with the sound of church bells, a subtle yet powerful cue that sets the tone for what’s to come. This grounding moment serves as a reminder of the earthly constraints the band had faced in their early days on the quieter streets of Britain, anchoring the listener before the music takes them on a journey far beyond the ordinary.
The sound of bells also features in ‘High Hopes’, a track that Gilmour has often cited as one of his personal favorites. Coincidence? Not a chance. The bells heard at the beginning of ‘Fat Old Sun’ are actually the same ones used in ‘High Hopes’, as Gilmour revealed they were borrowed from Abbey Road Studios’ sound effects library. While this may seem like a circumstantial moment, it reflects a deeper aspect of how Pink Floyd approached music. Gilmour would have been fully aware of the connection, likely savouring the idea of embedding subtle, secret moments for fans to discover, even decades into their discography. This detail highlights the band’s fondness for creating layered experiences that reward careful listeners.
‘High Hopes’ shares yet another connection with a Pink Floyd creation. The Endless River takes its title from the closing line of ‘High Hopes’, tying the two records together. This connection is unsurprising, given that both tracks emerged from the same recording sessions, further emphasising the thematic and emotional continuity between them.
The final couplet of ‘High Hopes’ carries even deeper significance, with the line “the endless river/Forever and ever” being a direct reference to Pink Floyd’s 1967 Syd Barrett-era classic ‘See Emily Play’. The original line, “Float on a river/Forever and ever,” immortalises Barrett’s influence, which permeates much of the band’s work. Even as Barrett left the spotlight, his presence remained with Pink Floyd until the very end. It’s no wonder ‘High Hopes’ is one of Gilmour’s favourite tracks—its connection to his old friend Syd makes it a poignant tribute, bridging the band’s past and present.
Although Pink Floyd have always championed the evolution of their music, this has not hampered their willingness to be nostalgic and sentimental when the opportunity arises.
