The Great Gig In The Sky

THE GREAT GIG IN THE SKY
FACTS/COMMENTS

 

Concept: About the fear of dying, it was originally written about Rogers Waters fear of dying in a plane crash. Early on, the theme of the song was religion as a cause of insanity.
Info Source: The Pink Floyd Encyclopedia by Vernon Fitch

Comment: Background Lyrics: 0:38 - "and I'm not frightened of dying. Anytime will do. I don't mind. Why should I be frightened of dying! There's no reason for it. You gotta go sometime" 3:33 - "I never said I was frightened of dying".
Info Source: The Pink Floyd Encyclopedia by Vernon Fitch

Richard Wright: I think the 'Mortality Section', or 'Great Gig In The Sky' as it's called now, is a really nice piece of music. One of the pressures for me and I'm sure all the others, is this constant fear of dying, because of all the travelling we're doing on the motorways of America and Europe, and the planes. That for me is a very real fear. Trouble is, it doesn't come across like that on the record, so that's a weakness of it.
Info Source: Pink Floyd - Through the eyes of... by Bruno Macdonald

Alan Parsons: They simply said, 'Who shall we get to sing this?' And I said, 'Well, I know a great singer...' There was a bit of direction given - they said,'Sorry, we've got no words, no melody line, just a chord sequence, just see what you can do with it.' She was only there for a couple of hours.
Info Source: Pink Floyd - Through the eyes of... by Bruno Macdonald

Clare Torry: They didn't know what they wanted, just said it was a birth and death concept. I looked suitably baffled and just sang something off the top of my head. I got a shock when the album came out and became a massive hit.
Info Source: Pink Floyd - Through the eyes of... by Bruno Macdonald

Alan Parsons: As I remember she did two or three tracks, from which we assembled the best bits for a master version. But somewhere in the archives there are bits we didn't use, and I'm sure it would make for an interesting remix version one day.
Info Source: Pink Floyd - Through the eyes of... by Bruno Macdonald

Clare Torry: I thought myself very daring to invoice EMI for twice the going rate of 15 Pounds.
Info Source: Pink Floyd - Through the eyes of... by Bruno Macdonald

Comment: A 1990 poll of Australian radio listeners awarded this the title 'Best Song To Make Love To', ahead of a list that boasted the more overtly romantic sounds of Prince, Madonna and The Cure.
Info Source: Pink Floyd - Through the eyes of... by Buno Macdonald

Comment: A working title for this song was called 'Ecclesiastics' and 'Religion'.
Info Source: The Pink Floyd Encyclopedia by Vernon Fitch

 

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