The Greatest Guitar Solo ever Played

The greatest guitar solo ever played is considered by many, including me, to be the 2nd solo on Pink Floyd’s song Comfortably Numb–played live on the 20th of October 1994 at Earls Court, London, UK.

There were many great guitar solos played before this one and after, but none come close to the magic created by David Gilmour on that night.

Polly Samson, David’s wife, has said in an interview, “The way that David communicates is through his guitar.”

That night his guitar was an extension of his soul as he pulled us along with him on an unparalleled journey that we will never forget.

Like any great artist that can bring tears of joy or sadness to our eyes with their words or painting, David Gilmour on that night, while playing that song, gave us a master-class in how to be a great guitarist.

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A little history on the song, Comfortably Numb;

From their eleventh album, The Wall, (1979), Comfortably Numb was released as a single in 1980.

The music was composed by guitarist David Gilmour and the lyrics were written by bassist Roger Waters.

"Comfortably Numb" is one of Pink Floyd's most well-known songs, notable for its two guitar solos. In 2021, it was ranked number 179 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.

In my opinion it should be ranked much higher than that!

In 2005, it became the last song ever performed by Waters, Gilmour, keyboardist Richard Wright, and drummer Nick Mason together.

The song has been, mistakenly, thought to have been inspired by different things, such as mind-altering drug use or dealing with the death of a loved one, but was actually inspired by Waters' injection with a muscle relaxant to combat the effects of hepatitis during the In the Flesh Tour, while in Philadelphia.

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Below are some comments from the Video above.

- This can't get any better than this. I have cried so much. This is pinnacle of guitar solos. You don't get anything better than this ever.

-Gilmour's second solo is one of mankind's greatest achievements.

-One of the best guitar solos ever, followed by THE greatest guitar solo ever

-That last solo...how could you describe it? It sounds angry, nostalgic, trippy, joyful, every emotion of the song is in full power with that perfect solo in the end. David Gilmour is really one of a kind. He could make the guitar weep in a way nobody could ever recreate.

-This is not “A” guitar solo, this is “THE” guitar solo.

-This could easily have gone on for another ten or fifteen minutes. It's just one of those moments that one never wants to end. The entire band is great, but David Gilmour left it all on the stage that night. I don't know if that solo can ever be reproduced as good as this was.

-I saw Pink Floyd at one of these concerts on the Division Bell tour. Although it wasn't this specific one, I remember Comfortably Numb and it was like time stood still. At the end of the song, I thought that if I was to die now I'd die at the most perfect moment imaginable, in total ecstasy and wonder at what I just heard and witnessed. . And when you think Gilmour can't squeeze more emotion and ecstasy from his guitar, he continues to do so even more. Out of this world.

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I saw Pink Floyd’s Division Bell tour in Toronto in July 1994 and that night still lives in my soul.

It’s said that Pink Floyd is not just a concert but an experience and that night, so many years ago, has been one of the greatest experiences of my life.