Fearless (Pink Floyd song)

"Fearless"
"Fearless"
	Italian vinyl single
Single by Pink Floyd
from the album Meddle
A-side	"One of These Days"
Released	29 November 1971
Recorded	9 May – 11 September 1971
Studio	AIR, Abbey Road, Morgan studios in London
Genre	Folk rock; progressive rock;
Length	6:08
Label	Capitol; Harvest;
Songwriter(s)	David Gilmour; Roger Waters;
Producer(s)	Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd singles chronology

"Fearless" is the third track on the 1971 album Meddle by Pink Floyd.^[4]^[5] It is a slow acoustic guitar-driven song written by David Gilmour and Roger Waters, and includes audio of football fans singing "You'll Never Walk Alone".

Recording

The song's slow tempo and mellow acoustic sound bear similarities to some of the other tracks on the first side of the album. Roger Waters performed the acoustic guitar parts^[6] using an open tuning in G major, taught to Waters by former member Syd Barrett.^[7]

Near the beginning and at the end of the song, a field recording of fans in Liverpool's Kop singing "You'll Never Walk Alone" is superimposed over the music.^[8] This Rodgers and Hammerstein song became the anthem of Liverpool F.C. after Gerry & the Pacemakers had a number one hit with their recording.

Other releases

Although it was not released as a single in the UK and never played live, it was released as the "B-side" of the single "One of These Days" in 1971. Roger Waters briefly resurrected the song for a small number of shows in 2016, and the song was played by Nick Mason's Saucerful of Secrets on their tours in 2018, 2019, 2022, and 2024.^[9]^[10]^[11]

This song was one of several to be considered for the band's "best of" album, Echoes: The Best of Pink Floyd, but was ultimately rejected for inclusion.^[12]

Reception

In a review for the Meddle album, Jean-Charles Costa of Rolling Stone described "Fearless" as "a clever spoof" that "leads up to a classic crowd rendition of Rodgers & Hammerstein's "You'll Never Walk Alone"."^[13] Classic Rock Review described "Fearless" as "the best overall song on the album and talks about meeting challenges in the face of adversity."^[14] They went on saying "Fearless" is "highlighted by Gilmour’s calm yet strong guitar strumming and the odd beat from drummer Nick Mason."^[14]

Personnel

David Gilmour – double-tracked vocals, acoustic and electric guitars
Roger Waters – bass guitar, acoustic guitar ^[6]
Richard Wright – piano
Nick Mason – drums, tambourine

with:

Liverpool F.C. Fans Kop – chanting "You'll Never Walk Alone"

In popular culture

In Richard Linklater's film Everybody Wants Some!! (2016), stoner/philosopher Willoughby (Wyatt Russell) plays Pink Floyd's "Fearless" for his housemates while praising the arrangement.

References

^ Glenn Povey (2007). Echoes: The Complete History of Pink Floyd. Mind Head Publishing. p. 344. ISBN 978-0-9554624-0-5.
^ Guesdon, Jean-Michel (2017). Pink Floyd All The Songs. Running Press. ISBN 9780316439237.
^ Murphy, Sean (27 March 2017). "The 100 Best Classic Progressive Rock Songs: Part 1, 100-81". PopMatters. Retrieved 7 January 2022.
^ Strong, Martin C. (2004). The Great Rock Discography (7th ed.). Edinburgh: Canongate Books. p. 1177. ISBN 1-84195-551-5.
^ Mabbett, Andy (1995). The Complete Guide to the Music of Pink Floyd. London: Omnibus Press. ISBN 0-7119-4301-X.
^ ^a ^b Udo, Tommy (27 April 2012). "Interview: Pink Floyd's Nick Mason, Engineer John Leckie Discuss the Making of 'Meddle'". Guitar World. Retrieved 23 April 2021.
^ The Amazing Pudding archive, The Pink Floyd Fan Club.
^ "The Hillsborough Tragedy". BBC. 16 June 2000. Retrieved 12 August 2022.
^ "Roger Waters Setlist at Desert Trip". Setlist.fm. Retrieved 23 April 2021.
^ "Nick Mason's Saucerful of Secrets Setlist at The Half Moon, London". Setlist.fm. Retrieved 23 April 2021.
^ Bailie, Geoff (19 April 2022). "Concert Review: Nick Mason's Saucerful Of Secrets - Ulster Hall, Belfast - April 14th, 2022". The Prog Report. Retrieved 24 April 2022.
^ Guthrie, James. "James Guthrie: Audio: Building A Compilation Album". Pink Floyd. Archived from the original on 2 June 2010. Retrieved 17 June 2013.
^ Costa, Jean-Charles (6 January 1972). "Meddle". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 25 July 2017.
^ ^a ^b "Meddle by Pink Floyd". Classic Rock Review. 27 January 2011. Retrieved 25 July 2017.

[Povey2007-1] Glenn Povey (2007). Echoes: The Complete History of Pink Floyd. Mind Head Publishing. p. 344. ISBN 978-0-9554624-0-5.

[2] Guesdon, Jean-Michel (2017). Pink Floyd All The Songs. Running Press. ISBN 9780316439237.

[3] Murphy, Sean (27 March 2017). "The 100 Best Classic Progressive Rock Songs: Part 1, 100-81". PopMatters. Retrieved 7 January 2022.

[4] Strong, Martin C. (2004). The Great Rock Discography (7th ed.). Edinburgh: Canongate Books. p. 1177. ISBN 1-84195-551-5.

[mabbett-5] Mabbett, Andy (1995). The Complete Guide to the Music of Pink Floyd. London: Omnibus Press. ISBN 0-7119-4301-X.

[auto-6] Udo, Tommy (27 April 2012). "Interview: Pink Floyd's Nick Mason, Engineer John Leckie Discuss the Making of 'Meddle'". Guitar World. Retrieved 23 April 2021.

[7] The Amazing Pudding archive, The Pink Floyd Fan Club.

[8] "The Hillsborough Tragedy". BBC. 16 June 2000. Retrieved 12 August 2022.

[9] "Roger Waters Setlist at Desert Trip". Setlist.fm. Retrieved 23 April 2021.

[10] "Nick Mason's Saucerful of Secrets Setlist at The Half Moon, London". Setlist.fm. Retrieved 23 April 2021.

[Bailie-11] Bailie, Geoff (19 April 2022). "Concert Review: Nick Mason's Saucerful Of Secrets - Ulster Hall, Belfast - April 14th, 2022". The Prog Report. Retrieved 24 April 2022.

[GuthrieAudio-12] Guthrie, James. "James Guthrie: Audio: Building A Compilation Album". Pink Floyd. Archived from the original on 2 June 2010. Retrieved 17 June 2013.

[13] Costa, Jean-Charles (6 January 1972). "Meddle". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 25 July 2017.

[classic_rock-14] "Meddle by Pink Floyd". Classic Rock Review. 27 January 2011. Retrieved 25 July 2017.

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