1) Remember a Day

Written and sung by Richard Wright, the song was recorded in October 1967 at De Lane Lea studios with Syd Barrett playing the slide guitar. It recalls an idyllic and innocent childhood and appeared on Pink Floyd’s second album, A Saucerful of Secrets in 1968.

2) Paintbox

First released in 1967 as the B-side to the song Apples and Oranges, the song was written and sung by Richard Wright and features long drum rolls by Nick Mason and takes a cynical stance in lyrics like ‘Last night I had too much to drink/Sitting in a club with so many fools’. It was later included in the compilation album Relics.

3) Careful With That Axe, Eugene

First released in December 1968, the studio recording of this song can be found on the album Relics, while a live recording is included in the album Ummagumma. It was re-recorded for Michelangelo Antonioni’s film Zabriskie Point where the song is retitled, Come in Number 51, Your Time Is Up on the film’s soundtrack album. It features a light organ-based jam, typical of Richard Wright’s ‘Egyptian’ style organ, a trademark of his writing at the time. The song’s only lyrics are the whispered title of the song followed by a scream from Roger Waters. Pink Floyd performed the song at almost every concert from 1968-1973 and once in 1977.

4) Atom Heart Mother

A six-part suite appearing on the Atom Heart Mother album in 1970. Composed by all the members of the band, Roger Waters, David Gilmour, Nick Mason and Richard Wright, along with Ron Geesin. It is Pink Floyd’s longest song. When he heard the guitar parts for the song, Roger Waters said that he thought it sounded like the theme song from the Western film, The Magnificent Seven.

5) Echoes

Written in 1971 by all four members of the group, Roger Waters, David Gilmour, Nick Mason and Richard Wright. 23 minutes and 31 seconds long, it provides the long final track to the album Meddle and uses instrumental passages and sound effects. It is the band’s third-longest song after Atom Heart Mother and Shine on you Crazy Diamond.

6) One Of These Days

The opening track to Pink Floyd’s album Meddle from 1971. The song is entirely instrumental apart from the line ‘One of these days I’m going to cut you into little pieces’. The threat is recorded through a ring modulator and slowed down to create an eerie effect and is aimed at Sir Jimmy Young, then a BBC Radio One and Radio Two DJ whom the group disliked as he tended to babble. In some of their concerts in the 1970s they played fragments from his show and edited them to sounded nonsensical, effectively ‘cutting him into little pieces’. It also features an eerie sound much like that from the opening title sequence from the Doctor Who series.

7) Time

Fourth Track from The Dark Side of the Moon and the only song on the album by all four members of the group. Its introduction is composed of a long passage of clocks chiming and alarms ringing. Each clock was recorded in a separate antique store. The focus of the song is the way in which time seems to pass more quickly with increasing age, leading to despair in old age over missed opportunities in younger days. Gilmour’s guitar solo after the first verse is considered to be one of his best.

8) The Great Gig in the Sky

The fifth track from The Dark Side of the Moon. It was referred to The Religion Song or The Mortality Sequence during recording. It features vocals by Clare Torry who said that she was trying to imitate the sound of an instrument. Wright remembered that when Torry had finished recording she was apologetic about her performance even though those present were amazed at her improvisation. In addition the song includes two spoken parts, an introduction by Gerry O’ Driscoll and Puddie Watts. The song is mostly a slightly altered version of the beat and bassline from the song Breathe.

9) Us and Them

The longest track from the 1973 album, The Dark Side of the Moon written by Richard Wright and Roger Waters. It was sung by David Gilmour with harmonies sung by Richard Wright. Quiet in tone and dynamics, with two saxophone solos, the tune was originally written by Wright on the piano for the film Zabriskie Point in 1969. Director Michelangelo Antonioni rejected it, saying ‘it’s beautiful but too sad, you know? It makes me think of church.’ So the song did not come out until The Dark Side of the Moon.

10) Shine On You Crazy Diamond

A nine-part composition first performed on Pink Floyd’s 1974 French Tour. The words were written by Roger Waters in tribute to former member Syd Barrett and the music was by Waters, Richard Wright and David Gilmour. It was recorded for the 1975 concept album, Wish You Were Here.

Explore Music

• CD Reviews

• Live Reviews

• Classical

Editor's choice

• The 100 Best Films of 2009
• The 100 Worst Movies of 2009
• The 100 Best Films of the Decade