I do believe it’s working, good/
That’ll keep you going through the show/
Come on it’s time to go.

The narrator in Pink Floyd’s “Comfortably Numb” recalls an experience before a show when he was feeling sick- sick like he hadn’t felt since he was a child. He hears a knock at the door and it is either a doctor or perhaps a drug dealer. The narrator lists off his symptoms and the doctor says that there is no problem, we can fix this, but there may be a little prick and it may make you feel a little sick.

After administering the drugs, the doctor helps the narrator up and tells him it seems to be working, and that should help get him through the show. He seems to describe a sedative that perhaps takes away the anxiety and allows him to feel “comfortably numb”.

The sound of the song is very dream-like, and that works well for  “Comfortably Numb”: a song about getting drugged. It is also a sweet title. I think this has a strong lead guitar solo, and I am usually indifferent to them. I feel “Comfortably Numb” is Pink Floyd’s at their best.

Comfortably Numb Lyrics

Hello? Hello? Hello?
Is there anybody in there?
Just nod if you can hear me
Is there anyone at home?
Come on now
I hear you’re feeling down
Well I can ease your pain
Get you on your feet again
Relax
I’ll need some information first
Just the basic facts
Can you show me where it hurts?

There is no pain you are receding
A distant ship smoke on the horizon
You are only coming through in waves
Your lips move but I can’t hear what you’re saying
When I was a child I had a fever
My hands felt just like two balloons
Now I’ve got that feeling once again
I can’t explain you would not understand
This is not how I am
I have become comfortably numb

Okay
Just a little pinprick
There’ll be no more, ah
But you may feel a little sick
Can you stand up?
I do believe it’s working, good
That’ll keep you going through the show
Come on it’s time to go

There is no pain you are receding
A distant ship, smoke on the horizon
You are only coming through in waves
Your lips move but I can’t hear what you’re saying
When I was a child
I caught a fleeting glimpse
Out of the corner of my eye
I turned to look but it was gone
I cannot put my finger on it now
The child is grown
The dream is gone
I have become comfortably numb

Songwriters: David Jon Gilmour / Roger Waters

Twenty twenty twenty four hours to go/
I wanna be sedated.

The Ramones wrote “I Want To Be Sedated” about their touring schedule. It was twenty-four hours until their next show and they are stuck in a hotel room with nothing to do. What better to do than get high? Their job was notably more glamorous than most peoples but perhaps many people can relate to the everyday boredom of one’s job that The Ramones are talking about. (Though, as they describe in the song, they are jet-setting and performing massive concerts, but hey, our life is kinda similar).

Humor in music is very hit or miss. This song is genuinely funny and feel-good. I love the line “Just put me in a wheelchair, get me to the show”. “I Want to be Sedated” is classic, lite-punk rock at its finest. This line works.

I Wanna Be Sedated Lyrics

20, 20, 20, 4, hours to go
I wanna be sedated
Nothing to do, nowhere to go, oh
I wanna be sedated

Just, get me to the airport, put me on a plane
Hurry, hurry, hurry, before I go insane
I can’t control my fingers, I can’t control my brain
Oh no oh-oh oh-oh

20, 20, 20, 4, hours to go
I wanna be sedated
Nothing to do, nowhere to go, oh
I wanna be sedated

Just put me in a wheelchair, get me on a plane
Hurry, hurry, hurry, before I go insane
I can’t control my fingers, I can’t control my brain
Oh no oh-oh oh-oh

20, 20, 20, 4, hours to go
I wanna be sedated
Nothing to do, nowhere to go, oh
I wanna be sedated

Just put me in a wheelchair and get me to the show
Hurry, hurry, hurry, before I go loco
I can’t control my fingers, I can’t control my toes
Oh no oh-oh oh-oh

20, 20, 20, 4, hours to go
I wanna be sedated
Nothing to do, nowhere to go, oh
I wanna be sedated

Just put me in a wheelchair, get me to the show
Hurry, hurry, hurry, before I go loco
I can’t control my fingers, I can’t control my toes
Oh no oh-oh oh-oh
Bam-bam-bambam bambam-bam-bambam, I wanna be sedated
Bam-bam-bambam bambam-bam-bambam, I wanna be sedated
Bam-bam-bambam bambam-bam-bambam, I wanna be sedated
Bam-bam-bambam bambam-bam-bambam, I wanna be sedated

Songwriters: John Johnny Ramone Cummings / Douglas Dee Dee Ramone Colvin / Jeffrey Joey Ramone Hyman

I’m looking at myself reflections of my mind/
It’s just the kind of day to leave myself behind.

The Moody Blues’ “Tuesday Afternoon” is a drug song. The author is sitting in a field stoned and hears the trees calling to him, inviting him. It doesn’t disturb him (“he explains it away with a sigh”). The trees tell him if you come explore “the fairyland of love/ you’ll see the beauty of/ Tuesday afternoon.” He does find himself interested and wants to find out more.

The song structure reminds me a lot of A Day in the Life by The Beatles. It sounds like it is two very different songs thrown together to make a unique whole. I can’t think of many more songs like that. Maybe “Bohemian Rhapsody” by Queen– but that is like four songs. The Moody blues are famous for psychedelic rock and the versus and lyrics of this song are quintessential examples of the movement.

More Great Songs from Moody Blues.

Tuesday Afternoon Lyrics

Tuesday afternoon.
I’m just beginning to see,
Now I’m on my way.
It doesn’t matter to me,
Chasing the clouds away.

Something, calls to me.
The trees are drawing me near,
I’ve got to find out why.
Those gentle voices I hear,
Explain it all with a sigh.

I’m looking at myself reflections of my mind,
It’s just the kind of day to leave myself behind.
So gently swaying through the fairyland of love,
If you’ll just come with me you’ll see the beauty of
Tuesday afternoon.
Tuesday afternoon.

Tuesday afternoon.
I’m just beginning to see,
Now I’m on my way.
It doesn’t matter to me,
Chasing the clouds away.

Something calls to me.
The trees are drawing me near,
I’ve got to find out why.
Those gentle voices I hear
Explain it all with a sigh.

Songwriters: Justin Hayward