I've been binging on reaction videos to young people listening to Pink Floyd for the first time.

[catbyte]

Some reactions are stunned silence, some tears. It's so much fun to see people's lives change before your eyes. They will never look at music in quite the same way again. It's awesome.

Here are some of my favorites:

[hlthe2b]

1. Oh, wow! At the risk of sounding like the stereotype...

I do truly feel sorry for the generations growing up with much of what passes for "music" compared to decades past.

One wonders if this will make them explore more...

[catbyte]

3. To a person, they started binging, too; especially King KTF & Hip Hop King--

along with several others I didn't include. It really is so much fun to see their entire musical world rocked. I'm older than dirt now, but what a helluva soundtrack I've had to my life.

[mitch96]

13. "much of what passes for "music""

I heard a perfect analogy to this point..
Hip Hop is to music is like an etch-a-sketch is to fine art... Cracked me up..
m

[lagomorph777]

22. "Time" has haunted me for 46 years.

It still makes me cry like PinkMetal. I'm glad she decided to listen to the whole album.

[LisaM]

26. I love that song.

It reminds me of when my sister and I used to walk down to the town softball games after dinner one summer - there's a particular stretch of road that I always think of in connection with the line, "kicking around on a piece of ground in my home town".

We were in Dublin last summer, and were quite surprised (in a good way) to learn that "Wish You Were Here" is a pub standard.

[happybird]

2. I have, too! It's amazing to watch!

Found a channel of multiple people reacting at once. The editing to synch them all up is done really well, and the overlapping chatter of the reactions at the end is strangely compelling. There are several of the compilations on that channel.

Jacob Cal kills me in this one, lol!

Watched this one yesterday, a nice reaction to the album.

My fav is watching people listen to all of DSotM and WYWH. And Dogs. Joey, Tre Narcisse, and Weaboo are some of my fav reactors—all 3 are now total Gilmour-heads, lol! It's awesome.

Weaboo is so funny. This is a good one of his, I think the talk box breaks him.
(warning: he cusses a lot)

Uncle Framp!

I like Soul Train Bro's thoughtful reviews, too. Watched him listen to Ohio and then go over the history of what happened at Kent State yesterday. It made me cry.

[catbyte]

4. Thanks for the suggestions! This Dutch gentleman was rendered essentially speechless, too.

[happybird]

8. That's what I love to see

I was born in '75, and my parents were into music, so these songs and albums have always been in my life. I can't remember the first time I heard most of it (with a few exceptions). I wish I could hear it for the first time.

Many songs I was sick to death of due to decades of classic rock radio. Us and Them and Comfortably Numb, for example (and everything off Frampton Comes Alive, lol) Watching these reactions is like having my mind and ears reopened to amazing songs I've taken for granted.

It's wonderful watching the reactors be rendered speechless, or try to make coherent comments but just can't because their minds have been blown.

[Nitram]

17. Happybird, I found that the over-saturation of the radio waves with classic rock kind of spoiled

some of my favorite songs for a while. Over-exposure to anything gives it a bad taste after a while. Like you said, it is nice to come back after a long pause and listen again to an old favorite and re-discover why it is an old favorite.

[BlancheSplanchnik]

5. Great OP!

I enjoyed seeing their reactions!

Brought me back to when the album first came out and my friends and I listened to it. WOW was what we said, while jumping on the one friend’s waterbed! 😆

[ariadne0614]

6. Two videos in and I was carried away.

It’s kind of beyond words to watch these reactions and feel the emotional memory floodgates open. Thanks for posting. I needed a break from the horrors.

[Squinch]

7. That was so much fun! Thank you for this OP.

[SaveOurDemocracy]

9. Love this!! Pink Floyd STILL blows my mind!

The first time I saw them was 1970 in Philadelphia at the Electric Factory.

Love the reactions, fun OP! Thanks for sharing. 😎

[hlthe2b]

12. It wasn't until my mid 20s and 30s that I really became obsessed with Pink Floyd...

which I think is just fine. A little maturity helps in the appreciation. Their work has so much complexity-- it is really experiential and immersive.

[catbyte]

32. One of the things I love most about their music is that it teaches you--and requires--patience.

In order to fully experience and appreciate them, you need to just sit back, relax, and let the music take you to wherever you need to go. Like the song "Time." The vocals don't begin until 2.5 minutes into the song, which is unheard of these days. And "Shine On Crazy Diamond." Wow. It's jazzy, bluesy, trippy at the same time. Utterly mesmerizing.

[hlthe2b]

34. You know one of the saddest things is that most of their concerts were never professionally recorded

so that some of Gilmour's best performances are captured only on bootlegs. Most consider his solo guitar work on Comfortably Numb, Time and Shine On to be his best and fortunately those are well captured on video and audio. But Dogs is likewise considered one of his best and the only video out there is the grainy 1977 performance on bootleg--the entire In the Flesh/Animal tour was never filmed and after the Wall, they no longer performed together (with few exceptions like the Live 8 performance, which I have on DVD).

I guess that is likely true for a lot of our favorite older bands.

Thank heavens for youtube, though. What a wonderful resource for us aging baby boomers and "good music" lovers of all ages.

[world wide wally]

10. Awesome plus!

Great songs to pick!

[hlthe2b]

11. I have to admit I really liked watching the last guy listen to DOGS for the first time...

It is a powerhouse piece, full of surprises and I could tell he was caught off guard a lot. It has always been a favorite of mine.

Then all the reactions to The Great Gig in the Sky--- everyone is just blown away.

Well, I hope these viewers take experience and explore what else is out there.

[BigmanPigman]

35. I always played Animals in my car and I swear that both my dogs

noticed the dogs barking. They each grew up on that CD. When I was a senior in High School The Wall came out and we played it in art class every day. "We don't need no education..." were the perfect lyrics for that time in my life.

When I was a teacher I played Floyd for my students but they were NOT into it. They liked those "boy bands"...

[Ohiogal]

14. As with most great music of that time

I was in college ... so much good, good, stuff coming out then.

The first cut I ever heard from DSOTM was “Us and Them”. I stood in my room just mesmerized! And as soon as I had enough money, I went out and bought it. And practically wore the grooves off it!

My 20-something son, several years ago, was totally blown away when he learned that I have the original album on vinyl ... he is a fan, as well.

[catbyte]

33. My most vivid memory of the first time I listened to DSOTM was "Time."

The jarring alarm clocks going off, then the ticking clock/metronome, then the music starts ping-ponging from one ear to the other (headphones required, of course.) That's mighty heady stuff at 17, and, actually, still is at 63, lol. I swear you could actually fail a drug test just listening to it.

[Iggo]

15. I love that kinda stuff.

I was watching King KTF listen to either Dogs by Pink Floyd or one of the two Judas Priest ones for the first time.

About ten seconds in, he stops the video, looks at the camera, and says, "Y'all were spoiled!"

[catbyte]

16. LOL. We certainly were. I was watching a reaction video to Bruce Hornsby & the Range

The Way It Is and the guy suddenly shouts, "Tupac! That's Tupac's!" Then he thinks for a second and goes, "Wait a minute, this came out long before Tupac..."

What do today's "musicians" call it? "Sampling?"

[LiberalLovinLug]

21. Yup At the risk of sounding like an old geezer

I do like some hip hop. I definitely respect the creative effort. But I always thought it was telling that in order to inject a bit of interest, or melody, these artists always fall back to the brilliant beautiful classic gems from 50 years ago to sample.

I remember one of these videos where the guy even mentions that he's heard a particular riff before.... Only it was a sample in some hip hop tune. That is all some of these young people have heard of these songs!

[TrogL]

18. Pink Floyd was the first rock music I ever heard

My life was ruined forever.

[woofless]

19. Somewhat off topic,

I'm currently reading Nick Mason's book "Inside Out, A Personal History of Pink Floyd". Extremely well written and informative. Check it out.

[hlthe2b]

36. Those who know the history, know why Waters wrote all those songs for Syd Barrett...

(Brain Damage, Wish You Were Here, Shine on Crazy Diamond, Comfortably Numb). Clearly, all the band members were very shaken by what happened with Syd, but I think Waters most of all. I came across this video of Roger Waters talking about it with accompanying article, others might be interested in viewing.

https://www.axs.com/shine-on-you-crazy-diamonds-how-roger-waters-carried-on-the-legacy-of--108613

[LiberalLovinLug]

20. Me too!!!

For the last couple of months. I love watching these young people experience what I did many years ago.
What does it say about much of today's music when our youth are so amazed by music of that era?
Or rather what the giant multinational music industry pushes on us. There is a lot of great music, written every day... this moment, that we just never hear

[lillypaddle]

23. Wow, Catbyte

what an amazing post! Thanks so much.

[samnsara]

24. my FAV group of all time..so cool seeing them in concert!!!

...how can anyone not know of Dark Side of the Moon?

..and you needed to be really high...

[forgotmylogin]

25. "Great Gig in the Sky" is my favorite.

[flying rabbit]

30. +1

[hlthe2b]

39. Clare Torry--British vocalist on "The Great Gig in the Sky"

I remember being very surprised that she was not a black jazz vocalist, given those "pipes" that are so reminiscent of several incomparable African American vocalists in this country. Very talented....

Clare H. Torry
Clare H. Torry (born 29 November 1947) is a British singer, best known for performing the wordless vocals on the song "The Great Gig in the Sky" by the group Pink Floyd on their 1973 album The Dark Side of the Moon.


Interesting piece on how she improvised the vocals with little direction beyond "no lyrics" and David Gilmour offering some guidance, along with a can of Heineken.

http://www.openculture.com/2017/04/hear-how-clare-torrys-vocals-on-pink-floyds-the-great-gig-in-the-sky-made-the-song-go-from-pretty-good-to-stunning.html

[kysrsoze]

27. I still feel the same way after decades, no matter how many times I listen.

I keep hoping I'll find something else that even comes near Pink Floyd in its impact. Still looking.

[patphil]

28. Been listening to them since 1968

This is one of my all time favorite bands. In 1968 they were incredibly strange and different, and they never stopped amazing me with their creativity; their musical genius; their drama; their vision.
Most people have heard "Brick in the Wall", but that is only one of hundreds of incredible songs they have given the world.
Look them up, listen.
I recommend "The Dark Side of the Moon", "Atom Heart Mother", "Meddle", "The Division Bell", among so many other albums.
Listen and enjoy.

Pat Phillips

[flying rabbit]

29. Best thread on the internet tonight!

Didn't know this was a thing. Loved it! Thanks.
Floyd FTW

[Marie Marie]

31. Comfortably Numb - Best. Song. Ever.

[Gumboot]

37. This is such a wonderful thread!

Thank you so much for posting, CatByte!

Here's my all-time favourite Pink Floyd track, and it's a less well-known one, 'Summer 68', from Atom Heart Mother.

Written, arranged and sung by their late keyboard player, Richard Wright. Always reminds me of those gathering storm clouds at the end of Britain's 'swinging' 1960s.

[Glorfindel]

38. Thanks, catbyte. This really made my day...hell, it made my WEEK!

It makes me happy to see those young people hear good music for the first time. I realize more and more how fortunate I was to be just the right age at just the right time.

[Joe Nation]

40. I think this is the experience you're talking about...

https://www.adultswim.com/videos/joe-pera-talks-with-you/joe-pera-reads-you-the-church-announcements

[randr]

41. Music is timeless

The first time it is heard it is new again. I have been actively been involved with music for my whole long long life, yet I am in wonder of all the music from the past that I have not yet heard as well as all the music evolving as we live each day.
Thank you so very much for turning me on to this phenomenon. It is good to know that I am not the only one brought to tears when I hear this magic.

[FuzzyRabbit]

42. Thanks for the wonderful thread, catbyte!

I thoroughly enjoyed the videos you posted, and some others that I looked up on YouTube. Forty+ years ago, upon first hearing Pink Floyd, I had the same reactions that these younger people had.

[Uncle Joe]

43. I love this!

Thanks for the thread catbyte.