Delicate Sound of Thunder

The album was released in 1988 as a double LP, double cassette, and a double CD, each format containing a slightly different track listing. The album includes many works from A Momentary Lapse of Reason as well as tracks from older Pink Floyd albums. The double LP release did not have "Us and Them" on the track listing. Both the double LP and the double cassette had "Wish You Were Here" between "Another Brick in the Wall (Part 2)" and "Comfortably Numb".

Although David Gilmour stated around the time of its release and on a radio interview in 1992 that the album contained no studio overdubbing whatsoever, he embellished the tracks during mixing with some extra acoustic guitar on "Comfortably Numb", according to engineer Buford Jones. In addition, some harmonies were replaced by studio re-takes: Richard Wright re-did his vocal on "Time" and Sam Brown replaced Rachel Fury's part in "Comfortably Numb"{{Cite web|url=https://archive.today/20061021030659/http://www.pinkfloyd-co.com/band/interviews/art-rev/art-sos4.html|title=Pink Floyd and Company - Pink Floyd Articles and Reviews|date=21 October 2006|website=Archive.ph|access-date=22 November 2024}} but the rest of the album is as performed at the shows.

Along with A Collection of Great Dance Songs, Delicate Sound of Thunder was reissued on 180g heavyweight vinyl LP in November 2017.{{cite web|url=http://teamrock.com/news/2017-10-10/pink-floyds-delicate-sound-of-thunder-set-for-vinyl-reissue|title=Pink Floyd's Delicate Sound Of Thunder set for vinyl reissue|date=10 October 2017|access-date=12 October 2017}} Its artwork replicates that of the original 1988 LP release.

An expanded version of the live album was included in The Later Years 1987–2019 box set in 2019. Previously unreleased tracks include "Signs of Life," "A New Machine (Part 1)", "Terminal Frost", "A New Machine (Part 2)", "Welcome to the Machine", and "One Slip". All tracks were remixed for the 2019 reissue.

Delicate Sound of Thunder reached #11 on the Billboard 200. It was certified gold and platinum on 23 January 1989 and triple platinum in April 1997. In Canada, it was #57 in the 1989 year-end chart.[http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/obj/028020/f2/nlc008388.6625.pdf]

In December 2020, the album reentered the Billboard album chart at #76, thanks to sales of the deluxe reissue.

Musician reviewer J. D. Considine wrote simply: "Further proof that you can't listen to a light show."{{cite magazine|first=J.D.|last=Considine|title=Delicate Sound of Thunder|magazine=Musician|date=February 1989}}

Delicate Sound of Thunder became the first album to be played in space, when Soviet cosmonauts took it aboard Soyuz TM-7. David Gilmour and Nick Mason attended the mission's launch.{{Cite book| publisher = Omnibus| isbn = 978-1-84938-370-7| last = Mabbett| first = Andy| title = Pink Floyd: The Music and the Mystery | location = London| date = 2010}}

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{{Track listing

| headline = Disc one

| title1 = Shine On You Crazy Diamond

| writer1 = {{hlist|Roger Waters|David Gilmour|Richard Wright}}

| length1 = 11:53

| title2 = Learning to Fly

| writer2 = {{hlist|Gilmour|Bob Ezrin|Jon Carin|Anthony Moore}}

| length2 = 5:27

| title3 = Yet Another Movie

| writer3 = {{hlist|Gilmour|Patrick Leonard}}

| length3 = 6:21

| title4 = Round and Around

| writer4 = Gilmour

| length4 = 0:33

| title5 = Sorrow

| writer5 = Gilmour

| length5 = 9:28

| title6 = The Dogs of War

| writer6 = {{hlist|Gilmour|Moore}}

| length6 = 7:18

| title7 = On the Turning Away

| writer7 = {{hlist|Gilmour|Moore}}

| length7 = 7:58

}}

{{Track listing

| headline = Disc two

| title1 = One of These Days

| writer1 = {{hlist|Waters|Gilmour|Wright|Nick Mason}}

| length1 = 6:15

| title2 = Time

| writer2 = {{hlist|Gilmour|Mason|Wright|Waters}}

| length2 = 5:16

| title3 = Wish You Were Here

| writer3 = {{hlist|Gilmour|Waters}}

| length3 = 4:49

| title4 = Us and Them

| writer4 = {{hlist|Waters|Wright}}

| length4 = 7:22

| title5 = Money

| writer5 = Waters

| length5 = 9:52

| title6 = Another Brick in the Wall (Part 2)

| writer6 = Waters

| length6 = 5:28

| title7 = Comfortably Numb

| writer7 = {{hlist|Gilmour|Waters}}

| length7 = 8:56

| title8 = Run Like Hell

| writer8 = {{hlist|Gilmour|Waters}}

| length8 = 7:12

}}

{{Main|The Later Years 1987–2019}}

Delicate Sound of Thunder was reissued on CD on 13 December 2019 as part of the box set The Later Years 1987–2019 along with the film of the same name. The album has been remixed and remastered and includes tracks omitted from the original 1988 release. A standalone release was released on 20 November 2020 on 2 CD, triple LP, and CD/DVD/BD box set which includes the 2019 cut of the film.

In the 2019 remix, the songs "Sorrow", "On the Turning Away" and "Comfortably Numb" have longer guitar solos by Gilmour than in the 1988 original; "The Dogs of War" has a longer intro; "Money" has been condensed, removing Guy Pratt's bass solo and the female a cappella section; "Another Brick in the Wall (Part 2)" has extra elements (lifted from 1989 tour recordings) added in - most notably an extra "hey teacher!" between Gilmour's and Renwick's guitar solos; "Us and Them" has a piano added to the intro; much of the echo has been removed from Wallis' electronic drums during "Learning to Fly"; "Run Like Hell" has an extended intro and now includes Gilmour thanking the audience; and "Time" guitar's intro starts sooner within the "tic-tac" (as performed on Pulse) than the 1988 original.

"Learning to Fly", "Us and Them", and "Run Like Hell" from the 2019 remix are also included in the 2019 compilation album The Later Years 1987–2019 Highlights, released on 29 November 2019.

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Disc 1

1. "Shine On You Crazy Diamond" (21 August 1988)
2. "Signs of Life" {{small|(previously unreleased)}}
3. "Learning to Fly" (21 August 1988)
4. "Yet Another Movie" (21 August 1988)
5. "Round and Around" (21 August 1988)
6. "A New Machine (Part 1)" {{small|(previously unreleased)}}
7. "Terminal Frost" {{small|(previously unreleased)}} (20 August 1988)
8. "A New Machine (Part 2)" {{small|(previously unreleased)}}
9. "Sorrow" (23 August 1988)
10. "The Dogs of War" (20 August 1988)
11. "On The Turning Away" (21 August 1988)

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Disc 2

1. "One of These Days" (22 August 1988)
2. "Time" (19/21 August 1988)
3. "On the Run" {{small|(previously unreleased)}}
4. "The Great Gig in the Sky" {{small|(previously unreleased)}} (21 August 1988)
5. "Wish You Were Here" (23 August 1988)
6. "Welcome to the Machine" {{small|(previously unreleased)}} (21 August 1988)
7. "Us and Them" (21 August 1988)
8. "Money" (21 August 1988)
9. "Another Brick in the Wall (Part 2)" (21 August 1988)
10. "Comfortably Numb" (23 August 1988)
11. "One Slip" {{small|(previously unreleased)}} (19 August 1988)
12. "Run Like Hell" (19 August 1988)

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Pink Floyd

• David Gilmour – guitars, console steel guitar, lead vocals, production and 2019/2020 remixing
• Nick Mason – drums, percussion
• Richard Wright – keyboards, backing vocals, co-lead vocals on "Time" and "Comfortably Numb"

Additional musicians

• Jon Carin – keyboards, programming, backing vocals, co-lead vocals on "Sorrow" and "Comfortably Numb".
• Guy Pratt – bass guitar, backing vocals, co-lead vocals on "Another Brick in the Wall (Part 2)" and "Run Like Hell"
• Tim Renwick – guitars, backing vocals, co lead vocals on "Yet Another Movie"
• Scott Page – saxophones, guitar
• Gary Wallis – percussion, additional keyboards on "Comfortably Numb"
• Rachel Fury – backing vocals
• Durga McBroom – backing vocals
• Machan Taylor (as Margret Taylor) – backing vocals

Production

• Doug Sax – mastering (on original 1988 release)
• David Gleeson – assistant engineering
• Buford Jones – engineering, mixing on original 1988 release
• Dimo Safari – band photography
• Storm Thorgerson and Nick Marchant – cover design and graphics (on original 1988 release)
• David Hewitt – remote recording{{cite web |title=David Hewitt Road Diaries |url=https://blog.audio-technica.com/david-hewitt-road-diaries-entry-6/ |website=Audio-Technica |access-date=18 May 2020 |date=15 May 2018}}
• Andy Jackson  - Remastering and remixing on 2019/2020 re-release
• Damon Iddins  - assistant remixing on 2019/2020 re-release
• Steve Knee  - Cover photography on 2020 remixed/expanded reissue
• Aubrey Powell of Hipgnosis  - supervising artwork on 2019/2020 re-release

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class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |+ Weekly chart performance for Delicate Sound of Thunder
scope="col"| Chart (1988–2020) ! scope="col"| Peak position
{{album chart|Australia|4|artist=Pink Floyd|album=Delicate Sound of Thunder|rowheader=true|access-date=9 June 2016}}
{{album chart|Austria|15|artist=Pink Floyd|album=Delicate Sound of Thunder|rowheader=true|access-date=9 June 2016}}
{{album chart|Flanders|36|artist=Pink Floyd|album=Delicate Sound of Thunder|rowheader=true|access-date=27 November 2020}}
{{album chart|Wallonia|17|artist=Pink Floyd|album=Delicate Sound of Thunder|rowheader=true|access-date=27 November 2020}}
{{album chart|Czech|23|date=202048|rowheader=true|access-date=30 November 2020}}
{{album chart|Netherlands|20|artist=Pink Floyd|album=Delicate Sound of Thunder|rowheader=true|access-date=9 June 2016}}
{{album chart|Finland|16|artist=Pink Floyd|album=Delicate Sound of Thunder|rowheader=true|access-date=29 November 2020}}
{{album chart|Germany4|5|id=809|artist=Pink Floyd|album=Delicate Sound of Thunder|rowheader=true|access-date=27 November 2020}}
{{album chart|Hungary|7|year=2020|week=49|artist=Pink Floyd|album=Delicate Sound of Thunder|rowheader=true|access-date=11 December 2020}}
scope="row"|Italian Albums (Musica e Dischi){{cite web|url=http://www.musicaedischi.it/classifiche_archivio.php|title=Classifiche|work=Musica e Dischi|language=it|access-date=30 May 2022}} Set "Tipo" on "Album". Then, in the "Titolo" field, search "Delicate sound of thunder". |2
{{album chart|New Zealand|4|artist=Pink Floyd|album=Delicate Sound of Thunder|rowheader=true|access-date=9 June 2016}}
{{album chart|Norway|2|artist=Pink Floyd|album=Delicate Sound of Thunder|rowheader=true|access-date=9 June 2016}}
{{album chart|Poland|12|id=1334|rowheader=true|access-date=3 December 2020}}
{{album chart|Scotland|9|date=20201127|rowheader=true|access-date=27 November 2020}}
scope="row"|Slovak Albums (ČNS IFPI){{cite web|url=https://ifpicr.cz/hitparada/36?weekId=2677|title=Slovak Albums – Top 100|work=ČNS IFPI|access-date=September 3, 2024}} | 65
scope="row"| Spanish Albums (AFYVE){{cite book|last=Salaverri|first=Fernando|title=Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959-2002|edition=1st|date=September 2005|publisher=Fundación Autor-SGAE|location=Spain|isbn=84-8048-639-2}} | 15
{{album chart|Sweden|14|artist=Pink Floyd|album=Delicate Sound of Thunder|rowheader=true|access-date=9 June 2016}}
{{album chart|Switzerland|4|artist=Pink Floyd|album=Delicate Sound of Thunder|rowheader=true|access-date=9 June 2016}}
{{album chart|UK2|11|date=19881127|rowheader=true|access-date=23 November 2020}}
{{album chart|Billboard200|11|artist=Pink Floyd|rowheader=true|access-date=9 June 2016}}

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class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |+ Year-end chart performance for Delicate Sound of Thunder
scope="col"| Chart (1989) ! scope="col"| Position
scope="row"| Dutch Albums (Album Top 100){{cite web|url=https://dutchcharts.nl/jaaroverzichten.asp?year=1989&cat=a|title=Jaaroverzichten – Album 1989|website=dutchcharts.nl|access-date=16 February 2022}} | 49
scope="row"| German Albums (Offizielle Top 100){{cite web|url=https://www.offiziellecharts.de/charts/album-jahr/for-date-1989|title=Top 100 Album-Jahrescharts|language=de|work=GfK Entertainment|publisher=offiziellecharts.de|access-date=16 February 2022}} | 51
scope="row"| New Zealand Albums (RMNZ){{cite web|url=https://aotearoamusiccharts.co.nz/archive/annual-albums/1989-12-31|title=Top Selling Albums of 1989|publisher=Recorded Music NZ|access-date=16 February 2022}} | 42
scope="row"| Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade){{cite web|url=https://hitparade.ch/charts/jahreshitparade/1989/alben|title=Schweizer Jahreshitparade 1989|website=hitparade.ch|access-date=16 February 2022}} | 25

{{col-end}}

{{Certification Table Top}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Argentina|type=album|title=Delicado Sond Of Thunder|artist=Pink Floyd|award=Gold|relyear=1988|certyear=1989|certref=|access-date=10 August 2020}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Argentina|type=album|title=Delicado Sonido Del True|artist=Pink Floyd|award=Gold|relyear=1988|certyear=1989|note=Delicado Sonido Del True|certref={{cite web|url=http://www.capif.org.ar/Default.asp?PerDesde_MM=0&PerDesde_AA=0&PerHasta_MM=0&PerHasta_AA=0&interprete=&album=&LanDesde_MM=1&LanDesde_AA=1980&LanHasta_MM=12&LanHasta_AA=2010&Galardon=O&Tipo=1&ACCION2=+Buscar+&ACCION=Buscar&CO=5&CODOP=ESOP |archive-url=https://archive.today/20110706084844/http://www.capif.org.ar/Default.asp?PerDesde_MM=0&PerDesde_AA=0&PerHasta_MM=0&PerHasta_AA=0&interprete=&album=&LanDesde_MM=1&LanDesde_AA=1980&LanHasta_MM=12&LanHasta_AA=2010&Galardon=O&Tipo=1&ACCION2=+Buscar+&ACCION=Buscar&CO=5&CODOP=ESOP |archive-date= 6 July 2011 |title=Discos de oro y platino |access-date=8 July 2020 |publisher=Cámara Argentina de Productores de Fonogramas y Videogramas |language=es |url-status=dead}}}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Australia|type=album|award=Platinum|number=3|relyear=1988|certyear=2020|certref={{cite web|url=https://www.aria.com.au/charts/singles-chart|title=ARIA Australian Top 50 Albums|publisher=Australian Recording Industry Association|date=December 7, 2020|access-date=December 5, 2020}}}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Austria|award=Gold|relyear=1988|certyear=1994|artist=Pink Floyd|title=Delicate Sound of Thunder|type=album|access-date=9 June 2016}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Canada|award=Platinum|number=2|relyear=1988|certyear=1988|artist=Pink Floyd|title=Delicate Sound of Thunder|type=album|access-date=9 June 2016}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=France|artist=Pink Floyd|title=Delicate Sounds of Thunder|type=album|award=Gold|number=2|relyear=1987|certyear=1989|certref={{cite web |title=Les Certifications depuis 1973: Albums|url=http://www.infodisc.fr/Album_Certifications.php|publisher=Infodisc.fr|access-date=26 July 2020}} (select "Pink Floyd" from drop-down list)}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Germany|award=Gold|relyear=1988|certyear=1989|artist=Pink Floyd|title=Delicate Sound of Thunder|type=album|access-date=9 June 2016}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Italy|artist=Pink Floyd|title=Delicate Sounds of Thunder|type=album|nocert=true|salesamount=300,000|relyear=1988|note=sales in 1989|salesref={{cite journal|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-Billboard/80s/1989/BB-1989-12-09.pdf|title=Italy > Talent Challenges|journal=Billboard Magazine|publisher=Nielsen Business Media, Inc.|first=Daniele|last=Caroli|volume=101|number=49|page=I-8|date=9 December 1989|issn=0006-2510|via=World Radio History|access-date=25 July 2020}}}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Italy|award=Gold|relyear=1988|certyear=2018|artist=Pink Floyd|title=Delicate Sound of Thunder|type=album|access-date=31 May 2018|note=sales since 2009}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Netherlands|award=Gold|relyear=1988|certyear=1989|artist=Pink Floyd|title=Delicate Sound of Thunder|type=album|access-date=13 September 2018}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=New Zealand|award=Platinum|relyear=1988|artist=Pink Floyd|title=Delicate Sound of Thunder|id=1989-03-10|source=newchart|access-date=2024-11-20|type=album}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Poland|artist=Pink Floyd|title=Delicate Sound of Thunder|award=Gold|type=album|relyear=1988|certyear=2023|access-date=8 February 2023}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Portugal|award=Platinum|number=3|relyear=1988|artist=Pink Floyd|title=Delicate Sound of Thunder|type=album|certref={{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-Billboard/90s/1990/BB-1990-04-14.pdf|title=INTERNATIONAL: Floyd, Kaoma Top Sellers In Portugal Certs|magazine=Billboard|page=69|volume=102|issue=15|date=14 April 1990|via= World Radio History|first=Fernando|last=Tenente|access-date=28 November 2020}}}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Spain|type=album|title=Delicate Sound of Thunder|artist=Pink Floyd|award=Gold|relyear=1989|certref={{cite book |last=Salaverri |first=Fernando |date=September 2005 |url=http://www.mediafire.com/view/x263f6daopkswo8/Spanish+certifications+for+1979-1990.pdf |title=Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 |language=es |edition=1st |location=Madrid |publisher=Fundación Autor/SGAE |page=925 |isbn=84-8048-639-2 |access-date=27 June 2019}}}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Switzerland|award=Platinum|relyear=1988|certyear=1989|artist=Pink Floyd|title=Delicate Sound of Thunder|type=album|access-date=9 June 2016}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|award=Gold|relyear=1988|certyear=1988|artist=Pink Floyd|title=Delicate Sound of Thunder|type=album|access-date=9 June 2016|id=1755-1497-2}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|award=Platinum|number=3|multidisc=2|relyear=1988|certyear=1997|artist=Pink Floyd|title=Delicate Sound of Thunder|type=album|access-date=9 June 2016}}

{{Certification Table Bottom|streaming=true}}

{{Reflist}}

{{Pink Floyd}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:Albums produced by David Gilmour

Category:Albums with cover art by Storm Thorgerson

Category:Pink Floyd live albums

Category:1988 live albums

Category:Columbia Records live albums

Category:EMI Records live albums