10 Top Songs by Pink Floyd

My first close encounter with Pink FLoyd is a long sad story with one small highlight. It was Pink Floyd's first American concert and it was at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium and even though I never got inside but I can say I was one of the very few reasons that David Gilmore, Pink Floyd's lead singer/guitar player, ever said anything on stage in the early days and that was to tell my then boyfriend that he was wanted at one of the doors. I heard later his face turned pale. Not easy to do when you are a Jamaican.

I did however manage to go to every other U.S. Pink Floyd concert. Needless to say my future Pink Floyd concerts were much more fun. There were times when we would go to the same concert twice, once in San Diego and then again in Los Angeles or visa versa. All concerts were a caliopy of color and sounds. Whether they had a wall on the stage, an airplane crashing overhead or a pig flying through air over your head they were all exciting and energy filled. It was at a Pink Floyd concert where we first quadraphonic sound effects when they opend one concert with what sounded like footsteps walking across the cieling. All were memorable but one stands out for not only being the last but I still think, the best concert.

It was the first concert that my niece and I ever went to together and when we got there we were a little disappointed that we were up in the 'nose-bleed' seats and far to the side and were not going to be able to see the screen behind the band, but, again, we were just thrilled to be there.

Just as we were settling in to enjoy the show a guy came walking through offering to 'upgrade' our seating to within the first 10 rows on the main floor. Saying that we were leary would be an understatement. Saying that we really wanted it to be for real would have been a massive gross understatement. We had the cash, $40 each, and we had enough faith and were enough of risk takers to go for it. We paid our money and took our chances and off we went to make a run through the usher 'gauntlet'.

Every time our tickets were deemed authentic we would look at each other and there would be a silent sigh of relief exchanged. We finally got through the last usher and made our way to our seats about 10 rows back and, by far, superior to the ones we had left behind.

But our adventure was not over. Just as we once again got comfortable there was yet another usher with ticket stubs in hand and two people in toe and he is telling us we are in the wrong seats. All of those sighs of relief were now feelings of 'did we get screwed?'. We got up, gave our seats to the rightful owners, and followed the usher expecting to be, at the very least, ejected from the floor to either get thrown out completely or to climb back up to the not so nice seats.

Much to our collective our delight our fearless leader made a left towards the stage and led us to our correct seats, 5 rows back, on the isle, dead center. We felt like David was singing right to us. It was wonderful.

Now on to my picks for the top 10 songs. This was not easy, but here I go.

10. Have a Cigar
9. Young Lust
8. See Emily Play
7. Welcome to the Machine
6. Shine on You Crazy Diamond (a tribute to the late Sid Barrett)
5. Breathe
4. Echos
3. Comfortably Numb
2. Money
1. Another Brick in the Wall