Fender 'Duo 1000' double-neck steel guitar (1962), purchased in Seattle in October 1970 by David Gilmour, and used on 'Great Gig in the Sky'; displayed at the exhibition The song began life as a chord progression, known variously as 'The Mortality Sequence' or 'The Religion Song'. During 1972 it was performed live as a simple organ instrumental, accompanied by spoken-word samples from the Bible and snippets of speeches by, a British writer known for his conservative religious views. When the band came to record in 1973, the lead instrument had been switched to a piano.
View credits, reviews, tracks and shop for the 2009 CD release of The Great Gig In The Sky on Discogs.
Various sound effects were tried over the track, including recordings of astronauts communicating on space missions, but none were satisfactory. Finally, a couple of weeks before the album was due to be finished, the band thought of having a female singer 'wail' over the music.
Clare Torry's vocals As the band began casting around for a singer, album engineer suggested, a 25-year-old songwriter and session vocalist. Parsons had previously worked with Torry, and had liked her voice on a Top of The Pops covers album. An accountant from contacted Torry and tried to arrange a session for the same evening, but she had other commitments, including tickets to see that evening, so a session was scheduled for Sunday evening between 7 and 10pm. The band played the instrumental track for Torry and asked her to improvise a vocal. At first, Torry struggled to divine what the band wanted, but then she was inspired to pretend that she herself was an instrument. She performed two complete takes, the second one more emotional than the first.
Asked for a third take, but halfway through Torry stopped, feeling she was getting repetitive and had already done the best she could. The final album track was assembled from all three takes. The members of the band were deeply impressed by Torry's performance, but were so reserved in their outward response that she left under the impression that her vocals would never make the final cut. She only became aware they were used when she saw the album at a local record store, spotted her name in the credits and purchased it. Quotes from those involved : Great Gig in the Sky? It was just me playing in the studio, playing some chords, and probably Dave or Roger saying 'Hmm that sounds nice.
Maybe we could use that for this part of the album.' And then, me going away and trying to develop it. So then I wrote the music for that, and then there was a middle bit, with Clare Torry singing, that fantastic voice. We wanted something for that bit, and she came in and sang on it.: It was something that Rick had already written.
It's a great chord sequence. 'The Great Gig in the Sky' and the piano part on 'Us and Them,' in my view, are the best things that Rick did – they're both really beautiful. And Alan Parsons suggested Clare Torry. I've no idea whose idea it was to have someone wailing on it. Clare came into the studio one day, and we said, 'There's no lyrics. It's about dying – have a bit of a sing on that, girl.'
I think she only did one take. And we all said, 'Wow, that's that done. Here's your sixty quid.' : She Torry had done a covers album; I can remember that she did a version of 'Light My Fire.' I just thought she had a great voice. When the situation came up, they started head-scratching, saying, 'Who are we going to get to sing on this?'
I said, 'I've got an idea – I know this girl.' She came, and in a couple of hours it was all done. She had to be told not to sing any words: when she first started, she was doing 'Oh yeah baby' and all that kind of stuff, so she had to be restrained on that.
But there was no real direction – she just had to feel it.: Clare Torry didn't really look the part. She was Alan Parsons' idea. We wanted to put a girl on there, screaming orgasmically. Alan had worked with her previously, so we gave her try. And she was fantastic. We had to encourage her a little bit. We gave her some dynamic hints: 'Maybe you'd like to do this piece quietly, and this piece louder.'
She did maybe half a dozen takes, and then afterwards we compiled the final performance out of all the bits. It wasn't done in one single take.: I went in, put the headphones on, and started going 'Ooh-aah, baby, baby – yeah, yeah, yeah.' They said, 'No, no — we don't want that. If we wanted that we'd have got.' They said, 'Try some longer notes', so I started doing that a bit.
And all this time, I was getting more familiar with the backing track. That was when I thought, 'Maybe I should just pretend I'm an instrument.' So I said, 'Start the track again.' One of my most enduring memories is that there was a lovely can i.e headphone balance. Alan Parsons got a lovely sound on my voice: echoey, but not too echoey.
When I closed my eyes — which I always did — it was just all-enveloping; a lovely vocal sound, which for a singer, is always inspirational., who was brought in to assist Alan Parsons in mixing the album mentions that they were actually in mixdown at the time. On the DVD Classic Albums: Pink Floyd – The Making of The Dark Side of the Moon, various members mention that they had this song and weren't quite sure what to do with it. Wright further mentions that when she finished, she was apologetic about her performance even though those present were amazed at her improvisation.
Lawsuit In 2004, Torry sued Pink Floyd and for songwriting royalties, on the basis that her contribution to 'Great Gig in the Sky' constituted co-authorship with. Originally, she had been paid the standard Sunday flat studio rate of £30 (equivalent to £400 in 2018 ). In 2005, prior to a hearing in the, an out-of-court settlement was reached. Although the terms of the settlement were not disclosed, all pressings after 2005 list the composition to Richard Wright and Clare Torry. Spoken parts On Classic Albums: Pink Floyd – The Making of The Dark Side of the Moon, it is pointed out that during the recording of the album, in which death and life had been a consistent theme, the members of the band went around asking questions and recording responses by the folks working inside Abbey Road. Among the questions, they were asked 'Are you afraid of dying?' The responses of doorman Gerry O'Driscoll and the wife of their road Manager Peter Watts were used, as well as other spoken parts throughout the album ('I've always been mad' 'That geezer was cruisin' for a bruisin') (At 0:38) And I am not frightened of dying.
Any time will do, I don't mind. Why should I be frightened of dying? There's no reason for it – you've got to go sometime. — Patricia 'Puddie' Watts, wife of road manager Peter Watts Reception In a contemporary review for The Dark Side of the Moon, Lloyd Grossman of described 'The Great Gig in the Sky' as a track Pink Floyd could have 'shortened or dispensed'. However, in a readers poll from the same magazine, the track was selected as the second greatest vocal performance of all time behind. Live performances An early incarnation of the song, titled 'The Mortality Sequence' and lacking the vocals later contributed by Clare Torry, was performed by Pink Floyd throughout 1972.
In its final version, 'The Great Gig in the Sky' was performed live from 1973–1975, and from 1987–1994. During the band's 1974–1975 tour, David Gilmour played both pedal steel guitar and the, allowing Richard Wright to concentrate solely on piano (his keyboards were arranged where he couldn't play both).
Gilmour's pedal steel for 'Great Gig' was located accordingly beside Wright's Hammond. Starting in 1987, additional touring keyboardist took over the Hammond parts. Up to three singers performed the vocals, each taking different parts of the song.
On the 1974–75 tour, vocal duties were handled by and Carlena Williams, both former members of The Blackberries. On the video, the vocals are shared by, and Margret Taylor. Returned for the Knebworth '90 concert. The 1994 live album features a version sung by,.
When the Floyd's manager, died in 2003, Gilmour, Wright, and Mason played ' and 'The Great Gig in the Sky' at O'Rourke's funeral. Commercial re-use A short clip of the song was used in a 1974 TV advertisement for bananas.
A re-recorded version was used as the backing music in a UK television advertisement for the in 1990. The band was not involved in this version, but again did the vocal with on drums and Lati Kronlund on bass. ' wrote that music. He remade it for them. It's down to the writer.
If my name had been on that track too it wouldn't have happened. I wouldn't do it. But that's Rick's business.
I didn't approve of it, but I have no control over it.' . ^, Discography: The Dark Side of the Moon: 'all pressings after 2005 bear the credit Richard Wright/Clare Torry.'
., p. 142;;, pp. 198. See also Nerpil, Hannah (19 September 2008). Retrieved 26 May 2010. ^ John Harris (October 2005). Mark Blake (2007). Kendall, Charlie (1984). The Source Radio Show.
Archived from on 11 September 2012. Retrieved 26 July 2011. Rolling Stone. March 12, 2003.
Archived from on 14 October 2009. Retrieved 18 February 2009. Rolling Stone. March 12, 2003. Archived from on 14 June 2009. Retrieved 18 February 2009.
Rolling Stone. March 12, 2003. Archived from on 14 October 2009. Retrieved 18 February 2009.
(October 2005). Brain Damage.
Retrieved 18 February 2009. Nick Wright interview, Classic Albums: Pink Floyd – The Making of The Dark Side of the Moon. UK inflation figures are based on data from Clark, Gregory (2017). Retrieved January 27, 2019. Retrieved 23 January 2009.
A female vocalist may have become the first British artist to win an out-of-court settlement for a piece of music recorded over 30 years ago. Clare Torry was paid £30 to perform on Pink Floyd's 1973 album 'Dark Side of the Moon' and was given a written credit at the time. Yet the session singer, who contributed to the track The Great Gig in the Sky, has taken her claim to the High Court where she has won a half-share on copyright ownership on the song performed. Although most details of the case are secret, the Daily Telegraph has reported the singer secured a cash payment with Pink Floyd and their label, EMI., pp. 135.
^ Sutcliffe, Phil; Henderson, Peter (March 1998). 'The True Story of Dark Side of the Moon'. Retrieved from. Archived from on 11 June 2011. Retrieved 17 August 2011.
CS1 maint: Archived copy as title on 23 December 2010. There is confusion in this article over who 'Puddie' or 'Puddy' Watts is. For clarification see or David Gilmour's response to the Mojo article, retrieved from. Grossman, Lloyd (24 May 1973). Rolling Stone.
Retrieved 30 September 2017. Manning, Toby (2006). 'Which One's Pink?' The Rough Guide to Pink Floyd (1st ed.). London: Rough Guides. Retrieved 26 January 2012. Retrieved 29 August 2006.
Phil Sutcliffe (July 1995). Mojo Magazine. Archived from on 11 July 2011. Retrieved 23 July 2011.
We don't need no education We don't need no thought control No dark sarcasm in the classroom Teachers, leave them kids alone Hey! Leave them kids alone!
All in all, it's just another brick in the wall All in all, you're just another brick in the wall We don't need no education We don't need no thought control No dark sarcasm in the classroom Teachers, leave them kids alone Hey! Leave us kids alone! All in all, you're just another brick in the wall All in all, you're just another brick in the wall Wrong, do it again!
Wrong, do it again! If you don't eat yer meat, you can't have any pudding How can you have any pudding if you don't eat yer meat? Yes, you behind the bikesheds, stand still, laddie!