A To Z Challenge, Music Blog

That’s Entertainment – Letter P

Nancy's Notes 🖊️🎶

Welcome back to “That’s Entertainment!” –
The A To Z Challenge.
I hope you enjoy my musical selections.
Let’s see what’s up today!

© NAR
Artwork by Ernest Federspiel

PINK FLOYD – As the architects of two major music movements – psychedelic space-rock and blues-based progressive rock – Pink Floyd became known for their biting political, social and emotional commentary. With 1973’s Dark Side Of The Moon and 1979’s The Wall, the band created two of the most ambitious (and best-selling) albums of all time – and underscored that personal torment could resonate on a massive level. Formed in 1965, the band consisted of Syd Barrett as lead guitarist and singer, Roger Waters on bass, Nick Mason on drums and Rick Wright on keyboard; they went through several name changes before combining the first names of a pair of Carolina bluesmen …. Pink Anderson and Floyd Council. Their initial direction came from Syd Barrett, whose songwriting mix of blues, music hall styles, Lewis Carroll references, and dissonant psychedelia established the band as a cornerstone of the British underground scene. Their sound was becoming increasingly adventurous, incorporating sound effects, spacey guitar and keyboards, and extended improvisation. By 1968 Barrett, who had overused LSD and was struggling with schizophrenia, was replaced by guitarist David Gilmour. Without Barrett’s striking lyrics, the band moved away from the singles market to concentrate on live work, continuing its innovations in sound and lighting. Pink Floyd did much to popularize the concept album by making records that were song-based but thematic in approach and included long instrumental passages. They hit the commercial jackpot with The Dark Side of the Moon; a bleak treatise on death and emotional breakdown underlined by Roger Waters’ dark songwriting, it sent Floyd soaring into the megastar bracket and remained in the American pop charts for more than a decade. By 1977, there was increasing internal conflict within Pink Floyd. Their sense of alienation (from both one another and society) was profoundly illustrated by the tour for 1979’s best-selling album, The Wall, as the tour featured a 50-foot wall built on stage during the first half of the show, symbolically representing Floyd’s feelings of isolation. The wall was then demolished during the finale. After the appropriately named The Final Cut in 1983, Floyd became inactive and legal wrangles ensued over ownership of the band’s name. Roger Waters took over most of the songwriting and was firmly in control. As a result the band split, but, much to Waters’ chagrin, Gilmour, Mason and Wright reunited, continuing as Pink Floyd. Waters reunited with his former bandmates for a single performance at the Live 8 benefit concert in 2005. In 1974, “Us and Them” was released as the second single from The Dark Side of the Moon. The lyrics of the song were written by Roger Waters and describe the senseless nature of war and the ignorance of people who have been taken over by consumerism and materialism. It has been called one of their greatest songs of all time. Pink Floyd was inducted into the R&R Hall of Fame in 1996.

This is “Us And Them” by Pink Floyd

Please join me again tomorrow for more of “That’s Entertainment” and the A To Z Challenge!

I’m Nancy and I’ll see you on the flip side. 😎

NAR©2025

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46 thoughts on “That’s Entertainment – Letter P”

  1. My brothers and I were into Pink Floyd back in the day and even went to a concert. The only one I ever went to. Pink Floyd is an excellent choice!

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  3. I know this band is legendary and have lots of fans, but I just never much liked their songs. The only one I kind of liked is Money. I hear they put on a great light show though. Sorry, guess I’m in the minority on this one. 🙂

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  4. It just had to be Pink Floyd for P. I remember buying the Pulse CD set which was originally released in a box that had a continuing flashing little red light…..It did keep going for some time until the battery eventually ran out!

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  5. I was 17 and a runaway in another state. My boyfriend at the time (met him there) gave me enough money to drive my dad’s stolen car back to Michigan. His parting gifts were 2 albums: “Dark Side of the Moon” and “Heart Like a Wheel.” I’ve been a Pink Floyd fan ever since.

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    1. What a great idea you’ve just given me, Dawn! My two oldest grandkids are into our old LPs; we’ve handed down a few but also bought new copies of other great albums for their birthdays. I think our 16 yr old granddaughter will be getting Dark Side for her birthday in May. Thanks!

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  10. A friend of mine had The Dark Side of the Moon album and we went over to his apartment to listen to it. When the song ‘Money’ came on he said that he had to turn the sound all the way up because there were so many amazing sounds on this song. He blasted it at full volume, and it overheated his amplifier, so he grabbed a tray of ice to cool it off and we finished listening to the rest of this wonderful album. Pink Floyd made some really great music, nice choice, Nancy. BTW my comments are working again.

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    1. Most of us of a certain age have at least one Pink Floyd story to tell. I can remember many a Friday or Saturday night in our apartment with friends, Floyd in the background … or the foreground … depending on what we were doing. They were a huge part of our lives, a time when we were newly married and making exciting plans for our future. That was a very long time ago but the wonderment of this music has not faded one bit. I still close my eyes and listen …. and it’s simply amazing.

      Thanks for sharing your story; I hope WP has figured itself out now!

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    1. We are repeatedly blessed, dear Keith! Not only did we get to experience this incredible music first hand, it is still with us, bigger and better than ever. I truly believe ours is the best generation. Keep the music alive, my friend, and many thanks for following my challenge this month. It is a true labor of love. ♡🎶

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  12. Pink Flord are definitely one of the greatest of all time, Nancy … meanwhile down here in Aussieland we had one of own greatest of all time (in Aussieland) … “Powderfinger”

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    1. Ah, the great early stuff! Just fantastic, isn’t it?
      Bill and I have also been with Floyd since the beginning; they are woven into the fabric of our lives. While ‘talking’ with another reader this AM, I made the decision to gift our grand Mckenna with her own copy of Dark Side for her 16th birthday in May. It’s up to us to keep the music of our generation alive.
      I’ve said a few times that choosing the music for my challenge wasn’t easy but the Letter P was one of the first slots I filled in. There was never a question of not including Pink Floyd.
      Thanks so much for your comments and for following my challenge this month, Clive. It means a lot. ♡🎶

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      1. It sure is! I’m sure Mckenna will love that gift, and tell her to play it loud so she can hear everything that is going on. This would have been my P choice too, if I’d been doing the challenge: Pickettywitch would have stood no chance 🤣

        I’m enjoying these – keep them coming 👍

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          1. Pentangle would have stood a chance. I loved them, and finally got to see them when the original members got together for what turned out to be a farewell tour. I was at the final gig, shortly before Bert Jansch died.

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            1. Interesting. Pentangle was one of the first groups we saw at Fillmore East; it was Feb 1969 and also on the bill that night were Canned Heat and Rhinoceros. Bill’s brother kept a list of all the groups we saw in concert …. a lot of memories on that list.

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