Dimming of the Day

I've been watching and listening to a lot of David Gilmour lately—the driving force of the 'Eighties version of Pink Floyd. I've been watching two concerts: David Gilmour in Concert which has songs from two different concerts (Meltdown Concert - 2001, and the Royal Festival Hall Concert - 2002) and Remember that Night—Live at the Royal Albert Hall - 2006. I missed Gilmour in the 'Seventies and 'Eighties, but am enjoying this exposure to him in his senior years. He seems to be a total gearhead (musical perfectionist), obsessed with experimenting with sound and instruments. Many of the songs he wrote or co-wrote and all of them are beautifully produced on the concert stage.

For years I've maintained a short list of the most creative musician/writers/performers in the "rock" genre. Admittedly, my knowledge and experience are relatively shallow (and everyone has their own favorites) but I'm adding Gilmour to the list: Michael Omartian, Sting, Paul Simon, Dave Matthews, and now—David Gilmour. (James Taylor is a possibility, but not yet.) This isn't a list of "my favorite bands," but a list of people who seem to stand head and shoulders above the crowd when it comes to musical genius and creativity.

The following song is from the David Gilmour in Concert DVD and is one of the few he didn't write. It must be one of the most beautiful love songs ever written, and Gilmour's production with the chorus of singers is gorgeous. (Rock trivia fans will recognize ageless English rocker Sam Brown, daughter of Beatles'-era Joe Brown, among the female backup singers -- fourth from the left. She and her father were both featured on the iconic Concert for George DVD, Sam bringing down the Royal Albert Hall with George Harrison's "Horse to the Water.") "Dimming of the Day" was written by Richard Thompson and has been covered by numerous artists, but I think David Gilmour's version is as good as any: