My absolute favorite Pink Floyd song! If they don't play this at my funeral, I'm not going!

In this case, Clare Torry's vocals played the role that David's guitar usually does.

Pink Floyd auditioned people for this song to do interpretive singing. First woman walks in, she nails it.

RR: "444...it's going to be spiritual." Clare Torry: "I'll see what I can do."

"Clare, we'd like to sing, but without any actual words...just, like, wail." The rest, as they say, is history.

This is one of my favorite Pink Floyd songs EVER. This is all about the 5 stages of grief (pain/guilt, anger/bargaining, depression, and finally acceptance. Claire Torre's voice is perfect at expressing all of it. The entire album of Dark Side of the Moon is a masterpiece and meant to be heard in one sitting. Other fabulous songs from PF: "Money", "Welcome to the Machine", and "Wish You Were Here". Enjoy!

In a couple million years, after the human race has long gone extinct, a space-faring civilization of intelligent silicon based beings will send some archaeologists to Earth to sift through the ruins of our civilizations. One of them will find a CD of Dark side of the Moon and pop it into their universal media player. And when this song comes on, that being will shed whatever passes for tears for them, lamenting the fact that the race that could produce such a universally haunting and affecting piece of art is no longer around.

An unintended masterpiece....impossible to replicate...

The stunning voice of Claire Torrey.....amazing the emotion she exudes. From the fear and anxiety of dying at the beginning moving into peace and acceptance. Then into bliss and finally release.

It’s known as wailing. When my Mom passed away 8 years ago, something happened to me that I’d never experienced before in my life. I wailed and wailed. It was neither crying nor yelling. And it was uncontrollable. Kept going on and on. So beyond weird. It seemed to spontaneously emanate from my very soul. But, of course I didn’t sound quite so beautiful. I almost felt like I was in some alternate reality. This might sound strange. A great analogy regarding the inability to control it is like those times when you cannot stop laughing.

This 'Gig' brings tears to my eyes EVERY time. . . and I've heard it hundreds of times in my 60+ years. Thank you, Rogue!

When you can say nothing at all, but still get deep into your soul and gently caress it with feathery fingertips. That's Floyd, 100%.

A wonderful track by Richard Wright. Apparently it is about life slowly going towards death.... And accepting it. Thanks for this one, absolutely wonderful.

Song is about 5 stages of grief. Denial, anger, bargaining, depression and then acceptance.

Nope, no David Gilmour solo. He's just gently playing the lap steel guitar in the background. You almost have to look for him, he's being so moving and discreet at the same time. Art.

There is a documentary about the album and when Clare walked into the room , she was told to go in a improvise while thinking about death and slowly dying. Her first take was with baby, baby..they told her no. The 2nd take is what everybody hears. She did this song in two takes.

Now you're talking, NOW YOU'RE TALKING! This is an absolute classic and everyone knows it. Thanks Leonard from buying this chic a gallon of coffee so I can hear this today. This is the greatest improvised song that I know!

Young lady, this is why Pink Floyd was/is so great. Gilmour's guitar is awesome & he deserves every bit of the praise he gets...yet Rick Wright's keyboard work was the overlooked core of the music of the band. His jazz/classical background infused beauty & "spaciness" into so many of their songs. RIP Rick Wright.

From wikipedia on Clare Torry's vocals: As the band began casting around for a singer, album engineer Alan Parsons suggested Clare Torry, a 25-year-old songwriter and session vocalist. [...] Abbey Road Studios contacted Torry and tried to arrange a session for the same evening, but she had other commitments, including tickets to see Chuck Berry that evening, so a session was scheduled for Sunday evening between 7 and 10pm. The band played the instrumental track for Torry and asked her to improvise a vocal. At first, Torry struggled to divine what the band wanted, but then she was inspired to pretend that she herself was an instrument. She performed two complete takes, the second one more emotional than the first. David Gilmour asked for a third take, but halfway through Torry stopped, feeling she was getting repetitive and had already done the best she could. The final album track was assembled from all three takes. The members of the band were deeply impressed by Torry's performance, yet she left the studio with a standard £30 flat fee under the impression that her vocals would never make the final cut given the general lack of response from the band. She only became aware they were used when she saw the album at a local record store, spotted her name in the credits and purchased it. A 2005 out-of-court undisclosed settlement in Torry's favour included giving her vocal composition credit.

Pink Floyd sounds the best in a dark room sitting in a bean bag chair with the black-light on with black-light posters on the wall and just chilling - well that is how I did it when I was a teenagers -lol

Clare Tory's performance singing in this song absolutely makes me cry. This is one of the only songs on the planet that elicit true emotions from me when I listen to it. Please enjoy. It's a masterclass.

I still remember the first time I heard this album way back in the seventies. To say I was blown away is a huge understatement. It still stands as one of the most extraordinary albums of all time. Dark room, headphones, volume way up. Brilliant.

This reminds me of my single days in the early 70’s and all the girls....well they all were and stayed satisfied!

No words necessary, but if you listen very carefully around the 3:33-3:36 mark you can hear her say 'If you hear this whisper you are dying". So Pink Floyd. Keep Rocking!!! ✌🏻🤘🏻👍🏻

Probably one of the best songs about dying...no lyrics required....you should listen to this back to back with Time like on the album...Gilmour hilight on Time!

What I loved about this is you had no idea what you were in for. Gilmour and Waters took a back seat and let Wright, Mason and guest vocalist Clare Tory shine. A beautiful stand-alone song, but priceless within the context of the greatest album ever recorded.

You go thru life and then you feel you missed something....and there's no turning back.....

"it's like if she's fighting sth and then she,s just giving in" that sums it up perfectly she's fighting with her fear of death ,and the fact that eventually all life perishes,and in the end she just accepts her mortality

ANYTHING Pink Floyd is purely PERFECTION !!!!! Whether it’s with Syd, Roger or David leading the pack it never disappoints. R.I.P Syd and Richard 😔 🙏

You ever get a song stuck in your head when you were a kid? And then 30 years later it's still there? That's how you can identify those songs that are timeless contributions to music lore.

It is about death. In verse one you sense anger and rage. In verse 2 you get a sense of sorrow. I verse 3 she accepts her death and slowly fades away. A beautiful artistic expression.

Who needs lyrics? This song is beautiful and shows even another side to Pink Floyd. Cheers!

I've always interpreted her vocals to be her expression of a lifespan

She literally did that song in one take. They somewhat told her what they were looking for and gave her free range, and she nailed it first try.

This song takes me back to pre-teen years and discovering how music could be so evocative. Sitting in my best friends attic bedroom and just listening over and over.

How to show emotions without word, sometimes it doesn't need anything more.

Great reaction to this haunting song! Your comments ring true. The singer seems to be singing a song of lament heading to the afterlife. Very powerful!

Fun fact: the singer of this song (Clare Torry) was paid 30 euros to record this song.. INSANE!!! She later won a lawsuit for an undisclosed amount. Moral of the story, know your worth especially when it involves sharing your heart.

'time' & 'the great gig in the sky' should always be played back to back!!!

Today was my first time seeing your videos im 60 years old and Pink Floyd is my favorite band I seen them when I wasa kid. I love your reactions to all the Pink Floyd songs. Keep rocking to the 60s and 70s

Ascension into heaven. Scared at first and then giving in to the peace of it. Beautiful

“And I am 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’ve got to go sometime.” “Never said I was frightened of dying...”

The band asked Clare to sing with no words on a Rick Wright (Keyboardist in Pink Floyd) tune just thinking of death.The band had no idea of the way she could help with the song. She listened to the tune a couple of times. She asked Alan Parsons (sound engineer for the album) to play the tape and record her voice to see what may happen. She did another take a then a third one that she stopped in the middle of the track thinking she couldn't do better. She left the studio not knowing if the band liked or not her work. She even thought they did not like it because they were just experimenting things for the album. She only knew when the album was released seeing the cover of the new Pink Floyd album and getting into the store and seeing her name in the sleeve notes. I think she bought it right away

Who needs words with this lady doing her thing???? EPIC !!!

Good Lord, her vocal range is amazing…….beautiful!!!!!!!!

Claire Torre's version is, of course, the definitive version, but I also love the Live version on YT where it takes 3 woman for that performance.... even if it's just being able to see it done. Listen to it in order on the album too, though.

There is one more line, I didn't hear it for years, it is in between the 2nd and 3rd part, "If you can hear this whisper you're dying"

She was brought in and asked to sing but no words... well done.

40 years later it still gets me. Unfettered vocals like no other

I have probably have listened to this song more than any other since the day it came out. I had to get to the store the next day. It's made me cry many times. I have to go, there is something in my eye.

"she was going through a lot..." is one of my favorite comments on this tune ever, LOL

Your life won't be complete till you listen to PF "Shine on you crazy diamond". Life changing!

Been waiting for this. It’s just mind blowing isn’t it?

Clare Torry was called in as a last minute decision to sing this. She did it one take. I think they paid her the "going union rate" for her work.

I love how in the middle of the song you said "she's not done yet." SHE IS THE SONG!

I AM NOT FRIGHTENED OF DYING.....THUS GREAT GIG IN THE SKY.

Gilmours talent wasn't needed fully in this one the bring the emotion, testament to this amazing band

The Great Gig In The Sky is definitely about dying. Claire Torre's vocals are supposed to represent the stages of dying, like fear, denial, anger, and finally acceptance and peace. She apologized after her two takes, but the guys told her it was exactly what they were looking for!

with no words being spoken..she was saying a whole lot.. best thing i heard all day

This is fantastic. We don't talk about music enough. I've heard this 100 times and this made me understand it better.

The second you said "She's feeling it" I was thinking the exact same thing about you

A great song choice!! In '68, Pink Floyd was one of my fave groups then it was Gilmour who made me a huge fan of the lead guitar. Thx for this Reaction!!

Oh when you said "just give in lady..." it hit me in s different way. I've heard that song for over 20 years. First time hearing a reaction like that 💯💫❣️

It was nice seeing your facial expressions that I felt 50 years ago.. thanks!

I like the way you rewind if you think you missed something, Never worry about us. We've heard it all before anyway and many also know the background and backstory as well, as you can see from the comments below.. That's why we enjoy good first-time reactions like this, so we can experience it anew.. Especially when it's someone as animated and articulate in emotional expression as you. Go, girl!

Never thought i would understand a person without them talking or me seeing them but yet here i am. But going out in pain is something no one wants. Time is life whether slow or fast just enjoy the ride

She got it, pink flyod are my all time fav. All their music makes you feel different emotions. Nothing better than a blunt , lay in a dark room and play it on your headphones. Guarantee you will feel every emotion under the sun

One of the few bands who’s albums I can listen to cover to cover

So much to be said and without a single utterance

Loved watching you enjoy this classic, especially as you realised 'The lady in the back' is the song. 'She's not done yet' not by a long shot :)

There is a Gilmour guitar bit throughout the song - the slide guitar is prominent along with Richard Wright's keyboards right the way through the track.

And she improvised it first take so the story goes. And yes, they cried in the studio.

Saw them several years ago when they were very young. Pink Floyd had to be one of the few bands that sounded as good, if not better, at their live concerts than their studio albums. This says a lot about their musicianship! Thanks Rogue for all you do - you are brilliant! Your 100k is just around the corner!

Great reaction! This is all Richard Wright (Piano) and Clare Torry. To really get the full impact of this beautiful song it should be heard together with Time (with the Breath Reprise). The theme about being frightened of death is emphasized more strongly coming off of the lyrics from Time/Breath Reprise. Time has an awesome Gilmour guitar solo in it. Even better, just put on the entire Dark Side of the Moon and listen from beginning to end without stopping. Anyway, so great to see you enjoying this!

Wow you got the essence of the song. Most people don't.

Completely shreds me every time.......I have to listen alone.

To me this song is like experiencing the stages of grief. Brings tears to my eyes every time. I am a 67 year old man. 😂

I always liked the Gilmour solo in The Final Cut from the Pink Floyd album of the same name.

How come all the years I’ve listened to this band, (since 1960s) ive neve r found the need to shake my head around like everyone in these reactions

Everyone is happy at the beginning... then Clare kicks in and the emotions start flowing

Such an iconic track and improvised vocals. RIP Richard Wright on piano, beautiful playing. So much emotion. 🙏

My take on Great Gig In The Sky has always been this. It's about dying and the act of dying. It conveys the act of dying and what I would perceive as entering an afterlife. Clare's vocals project a juxtaposition and mingling of terror and ecstasy. Dread and delight.

Clare did do it originally but at there concert I have seen them are 3 back up singers performing it. Check Pink Floyd live all ways because it is Pink Floyd

Epic. Timeless. Powerful. Unequaled. Unmatched.

You were so perceptive in this reaction. You were spot on with your observations right from the start. I like you're reaction videos. You listen very well!

Her voice gives me goosebumps

She was left in the studio with the music and the band left. She said she would use her voice to tell a story. Years later she was given royalties for her work in composing

Mourning, Anger and Acceptance.

great reaction Rogue, keep up the good work, love it. The story of Clare Torry is also what makes the track great

To teach their own with regard to interpretation… but I always envision end of life transcendence (not that I believe in that sort of thing) as opposed to pain and struggling. It is called “The Great Gig in the Sky” after all. Fun fact… the female vocalist on this track ( Clare Torry) was brought in and asked to improvise over a chord progression (no other directive). After the first take, David Gilmore asked if she’d like to go over the progression with him (because the first take didn’t go well). No… she said. Let’s do it again. Second take and it was done. Common misconception is that it was done on the first try, but the second attempt is pretty freaking amazing!

As you pretty much correctly guessed, the TREMENDOUS voice of Claire Torre is about the battle with coming to grips with dying. It'd be akin to getting news that a person had an incurable disease, and the shock and initial screaming was basically that person saying "Noooooo! I'm not ready to die!" and then as Torre's voice later tones down with a distinct sadness, the person is able to come to grips with the reality that death will come, sooner vs. later. Then the end was the person's melancholy and reflection of life, as Torre's once-powerful screams essentially become whimpers, as the person knows their life is nearing the end. All these years later, and I (and millions of Floyd fans) still get emotional when playing this GREAT (but haunting) Pink Floyd classic. It's just that powerful.

He says "I'm not affraid of dying. Why should I be affraid of dying? We all die. " Her voice represents the anguish of the 5 stages of dying finally ending in acceptance.

It has been rumored, that the Dark Side of the Moon album, was secretly sync'd to a movie. The band, and the Engineer of the album, Alan Parsons, steadfastly deny that this happened. I have watched the movie with this album playing instead of the movie sound several times and whether or not the rumor was true, it is quite shocking how much the album lines up with the action of the movie. That movie is the original Wizard of Oz. A few comparisons to tease you with, the main song in the movie is Somewhere Over the Rainbow; Look at the cover of the album. This songs title, The Great Gig in the Sky; Torey's voice rises and falls with the tornado in the movie, culminating with Dorothy's being knocked unconscious, coming to, and in a state of confusion, opening the door to the house. As she is opening the door, the outside world changes from black and white to color, and this is where the next song on the album begins, Money. There are 43 parallels, the last one being the heart beat at the end of the last song on the album, Eclipse. At this point, Dorothy has oiled the Tin Man and knocks on his chest, as she leans in to put her ear over his heart, all you hear on the album is the beating heart. Again, not that it actually was synchronized, but it is worth starting the album at the end of the third roar of the MGM lion... Just Sayin!!

I love that you're getting so much into Pink Floyd, and it's such a deep well of treasures to dive into. You're spot on when you said she sounded afraid. Others before me have already commented on what the song represents so I won't reiterate what you now already know. Suffice to say, that you felt the emotion exactly as intended. The look on your face was priceless. ☺ I see Pink Floyd as more than just the music. They're a band that is an expression of art, of sight in your mind's eye as much as the sound that dances through your ear. The images may be beautiful, disturbing, or frightening, but they're captivating and make your mind and heart see and feel the emotions of the moment. Like a colourfully painted canvas on the wall, there's a story to tell, and your mind interprets the story as you feel the emotion of the ride Pink Floyd is taking you on. I do highly recommend listening to this album, Dark Side Of The Moon, from beginning to end. The full album is a journey worth taking. Take care and stay safe, my friend. Thank you, again ☺♥

Gilmour slide guitar. A bit subtle but beautiful. Toward the end Linda McCartney (I believe) says “I never said I was afraid of dying” great song! Have you heard MONEY yet? One of those famous headphone songs!!!

Listening to 'Time' from the same album changes your outlook on life and living.

The songs on this album are sequential each song is part of the story. This follows the song Time, in the last lines of Time it says the tolling of the iron bell calls the faithful to their knees. The tolling of the iron bell means the call to death. Great Gig is the battle against and eventual acceptance of death.

She was fighting against death. And then gave herself over to it.

The Death path: anticipation, doubt, anxiety, confusion, fear, realization, pain, acceptance, recovery, mourning.

Just the influence these guys had on children’s tv for the next decade is a massive and welcome:e talking point.