A Pillow of Winds
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2022}}
{{Use British English|date=September 2012}}
{{Infobox song
| name = A Pillow of Winds
| cover =
| alt =
| type =
| artist = Pink Floyd
| album = Meddle
| EP =
| written =
| published = Pink Floyd Music Publ
| released = 5 November 1971 (UK)
| format =
| recorded = 21 March – 27 August 1971{{cite book |last=Guesdon |first=Jean-Michel |title=Pink Floyd All The Songs |publisher=Running Press |date=2017 |isbn=9780316439237 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rF0RDgAAQBAJ}}
| studio = Morgan Studios, AIR Studios
| genre = Psychedelic folk
| length = 5:13
| label = Harvest
| writer = *David Gilmour
| composer =
| lyricist =
| producer = Pink Floyd
| prev_title =
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}}
"A Pillow of Winds" is the second track from Pink Floyd's 1971 album Meddle.{{Cite book
| last = Strong
| first = Martin C.
| title = The Great Rock Discography
| publisher = Canongate Books
| location = Edinburgh
| isbn = 1-84195-551-5
| page = 1177
| year = 2004
| edition = 7th
| last = Mabbett
| first = Andy
| title = The Complete Guide to the Music of Pink Floyd
| publisher = Omnibus Press
| location = London
| isbn = 0-7119-4301-X
| year = 1995
}}
Music and lyrics
This soft acoustic love song{{cite book |last=Manning |first=Toby |title=The Rough Guide to Pink Floyd |year=2006 |publisher=Rough Guides |location=London |isbn=1-84353-575-0 |page=163 |edition=1st |chapter=The Albums}} may be quite uncharacteristic of the Pink Floyd's previous and future material. Guitarist David Gilmour composed the chord sequence using an open E tuning (EBEG#BE), played in a series of arpeggios, composed the melody and maybe part of the lyrics (along with Roger Waters). This song also features slide guitar work by Gilmour, as well as a fretless bass played by Waters. The song begins and ends in the key of E major, with a darker middle section (following the lyric "and the candle dies") in the parallel minor, E minor. Both the E major and E minor chords feature the ninth, making this song one of many Pink Floyd songs to feature a prominent E minor added ninth chord, "Em(add9)". Throughout most of the song, the bass line remains on E as a pedal point, creating a drone. In the instrumental interlude, however, the chords change completely to A minor and B minor chords, leaving the E bass drone for a time before returning to E major.Pink Floyd: Anthology (1980 Warner Bros. Publications, Inc., Secaucus N.J.).
According to Nick Mason, the song's title originates from a possible hand in the game of mahjong, with which the band had become enamoured while touring.Nick Mason, Inside out – A Personal History of Pink Floyd, Ed. Weidenfeld & Nicolson Illustrated, London, 2005.
Reception
In a review for the Meddle album, Jean-Charles Costa of Rolling Stone described "A Pillow of Winds", along with "San Tropez", as an "ozone ballad". He further described the two as "pleasant little acoustic numbers hovering over a bizarre back-drop of weird sounds".{{Cite magazine |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/meddle-19720106 |title=Meddle |last=Costa |first=Jean-Charles |date=6 January 1972 |magazine=Rolling Stone |access-date=25 July 2017}} Classic Rock Review described "A Pillow of Winds" as "a soft acoustic love song" that's reminiscent of previous albums Ummagumma and Atom Heart Mother. They went on further, saying: "this second song could not be in more contrast to the first one ['One of These Days']".{{Cite web |url=http://www.classicrockreview.com/2011/01/1971-pink-floyd-meddle/ |title=Meddle by Pink Floyd |website=Classic Rock Review |date=27 January 2011 |access-date=25 July 2017}}
Personnel
- David Gilmour – double-tracked lead vocals, acoustic and electric guitars, electric and acoustic slide guitars, pedal steel guitar
- Richard Wright – Hammond organ
- Nick Mason – hi-hats
- Roger Waters – fretless bass
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{Wikiquote|Meddle (album)}}
{{Meddle}}
{{Pink Floyd}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Pillow of Winds, A}}
Category:Songs written by David Gilmour
Category:Songs written by Roger Waters
Category:Song recordings produced by David Gilmour
Category:Song recordings produced by Roger Waters
Category:Song recordings produced by Richard Wright (musician)
Category:Song recordings produced by Nick Mason
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