Pink Floyd- Echoes (First Listen)

[@FLASHAHOLIC_TV]

Echoes is arguably the greatest song of all time.

[@snifflepup]

I would argue for it :)

[@ludwigvansolo1999]

It's a legit perfect song💯 In my top 10 favorite songs of all time

[@MinorCirrus]

It's the greatest work of art of all time if you ask me.

[@FLASHAHOLIC_TV]

@@MinorCirrus I'd probably say 'Once upon a time in the West' edges it but both epic in their field.

[@porflepopnecker4376]

Not as long as "The Gates of Delirium" exists.

[@wagnerribeirodesantana1651]

David Gilmour and Richard Wright are perfect singing together!🎶🎧❤️

[@Echoes_AJ]

Gilmour himself said the duo was kinda magical, and when Rick passed away, he said he would never perform this song again without him.

[@RushfanUK]

In the same vein as their guitar and keyboards working together, Wright was the weaker singer but when combined with Gilmour as said it was a magic blend, soo much is focused on Waters but these two really are the sound of Floyd, Echos is really where it all came together and led to the absolutely extraordinary music to follow from Floyd.

[@carlcauch2413]

Acid rock at its best. Have to say first time I heard this was on chemicals. The day was memorable, drove to Waikiki beach, dropped a hit and spent the day watching the ocean and the people. Come sun down it was awesome, the colors and the sound of the ocean and the reflection of the sunset in the water. Had several drinks at the beach and as me and my friends headed back home dropped us another hit. Had a great stereo system, put this album on, it was dark outside, had the lights off and the only light was from the stereo system and the first sound was the ping from the song. We sat back eyes closed and got taken on a trip trough the universe. This is what the 70s was for me, one music experience after another. Hawaii was a great place for the military to send me.

[@JustJP]

Now thats a memory Carl, thank you for sharing

[@Andrew-to6sc]

Echoes is a musical masterpiece

[@JustJP]

Yes it is!

[@cmbestkey8114]

No it’s not because mUh pReTEnTiOus PenTatOnIc ScAlE

[@Rickhorse1]

A personal memory of an old man. LOL... Echoes (& the Meddle album) was when I became a Floyd fan back around '70. I had a tiny 8" black & white portable tv on my kitchen table. One evening, I was eating & flipping channels when I landed on "Pink Floyd live from Pompei" on PBS!. I literally couldn't believe what I was seeing. They were playing Echoes & if anything it was even better live than in studio (if that is possible). Ofc, that is now available on youtube, dvd, etc & famous... but for me, that memory is etched in my old brain. :-) Glad you have now experienced it, Justin.

[@1nelsondj]

That whole video is spooky, as if they're playing to the long-dead spirits in that amphitheater.

[@JustJP]

Thats so funny; I'm hearing a lot of stories about the same video exposing PF to others. Ty Eric

[@porflepopnecker4376]

I think the studio version is way better than the Pompei version.

[@At0mHeart]

Pigs brought me into pink floyd when i was a kid and echoes sealed the deal never had i heard such music before or since.

[@briganfree3656]

Me too. I read somewhere that Gilmour accidentally wired up one of his effects pedals wrongly and it made a strange booming noise instead of whatever it was was supposed to do. He liked it so kept it that way. Absolutely blew everything else away. One of those world standing still moments. Nothing else matters till it is over. Another Gilmour “what on Earth am I hearing moment was the first time hearing Red Sky on his On an Island album/CD incredible.

[@ay_ay_ron2112]

Watch Pink Floyd live at Pompeii 1972( the directors cut). The greatest live performance ever recorded. Watching them play this song is something special !!

[@mhlevy]

IMHO, I really think that the performance of "Echoes" was better in the concert video, "David Gilmour - Live in Gdansk." It's also the last recorded performance. BTW, just a few years ago, David Gilmour played at Pompeii again, this time with a live audience. But because of Richard's passing, they did not perform "Echoes."

[@CthulhuWaitsDreaming]

Echoes is gorgeous, powerful, and haunting. Lyrically, it is about the spiritual connection between all living things, the ocean, and the sun. Echoes and Dogs are the two best Pink Floyd songs. I can never decide which is better.

[@Uhhquellesurprise]

Exactly!!! Both are superb- The sheer amount of brilliance is inexplicable.

[@richardpluck6658]

Echoes is brilliant - it's basically every musical idea that's on Dark Side of the Moon, but compressed into 20 mins.

[@JustJP]

You know...you're right

[@delllittle5692]

@@JustJP Where's the girl?

[@JustJP]

Before the comments start coming in, I just wanted to say thank you all for your patience in me getting this to you. I hope everyone enjoys the video, and I thank you all for watching. Have a great Friday! (Or whatever day it is when you're watching 🙃) And if you missed it, heres the playlist for the whole album listen! kzbin.info/aero/PLk5U1pT6RIR3eMur94Ekjp-9rXC13F4Wc

[@1nelsondj]

Totally worth the wait. It's so satisfying to listen to someone experience music for the first time who's actually into music. So many will just fake enthusiasm, try to force some meaning into it and move on to the next paid song. You're into the details, the structure, the meaning. No one else on You Tube compares so thank you for making this channel.

[@kuhnhan]

@@1nelsondj Agreed

[@shspurs1342]

This is a great choice. You must watch the Pompeii version. Even if you don’t watch it on this channel. You must watch it in your own time. You need to watch it at least once in your live.

[@shyshift]

Shspurs1 yeah but they split it in 2 parts good thing they’re on KZbin.

[@jtrem08]

Studio version first was the right choice. Live versions after..

[@ChrisEchoes]

“This is a song about connections”. You got that right and it is especially the connection between guitarist David Gilmour and keyboardplayer Richard Wright. Gilmour called Echoes an extended conversation between him and Wright and as such has also stopped performing it since Wright has passed away.

[@JustJP]

That's really interesting, but it definitely makes sense. Ty Chris

[@mhlevy]

The last recorded instance of "Echoes" can be found on the "David Gilmour - Live in Gdansk" concert video, and it's one of the very best. Richard toured and recorded with David's solo group up till his death due to cancer.

[@craigpage381]

I miss richard!!!

[@andreascala2663]

@@JustJP in my opinion as a PF big big big fan (my favourite band) Waters was the brain Gilmour the heart Wright the soul….

[@davidpeters44]

@@andreascala2663 Mason the body and Barrett the muse?

[@alantattersall3190]

I'd like to add a big thank you to Justin. He's facilitated a community of people who can share our experiences, memories, stories and thoughts. I can hear many voices here of my generation and whilst we understand that music like this was the soundtrack to our lives it's wonderful that a younger generation can now share in that experience. The technology has allowed it but Justin and other people like him have fostered it. Thank you.

[@JustJP]

Ty Alan, I'm just happy to have you all around tbh. Its refreshing and nice being in an active group like this.

[@hawkmoon419]

To me Echos means sitting stoned in my buddy Jim's house in the early 80s with a thunderstorm coming in.

[@damienparis5377]

bro...the most inspired, astute, articulate analysis of this song I have ever heard....Floyd is a spiritual experience...well done mate...peace

[@JustJP]

Thank you so much Damien :)

[@paulbrinkman5631]

Absolutely man! To both of you!

[@victorvictor8968]

Ok, but look at the Critical Reactions YT account...very nice analysis too.

[@rhwinner]

This is one of my favorite pieces of music, regardless of genre..

[@greenbluemonkey]

This music was also created at a time when the world was not moving so fast. People weren't in such a hurry. It seems like some younger people today may not have the patience to appreciate songs like this anymore. But you do. Its cool to see such new appreciation from someone who has listened to this for decades already. "Unsettling beauty" that describes a lot of their music

[@JustJP]

Thank you green!

[@neighborbruce]

I like this channel a lot better than JPMP. MP is a little too stuck in his preferences in my opinion, he isn't the best at reacting to music that is 'new' to him. Keep up the great work man, your quality is phenomenal and you're a super personable guy. Subbed.

[@justaguy2365]

Agreed... he absolutely couldn't wrap his mind around concept rock

[@Vince-lq3ve]

i politely disagree. i like what JP is doing here by himself but Manny was a great foil that would put a different take on the music played. They weren't on the same page all the time which made it fun to watch them converse through their differences.

[@-davidolivares]

Neighbor Bruce I miss Manny cuz I’m human. jk. I’m not human...

[@nickj5451]

@@Vince-lq3ve I agree with you. I like that JP is more adventurous, and so we get lots more videos and lots of variety and in-depth thoughts. But I do like the two of them reacting from time to time and getting a different take on things.

[@Echoes_AJ]

This song brought me to Pink Floyd in my early teens. It brought me into music in general, and especially prog. It brought me into sound engineering and into making music. It gave me part of my user name. I owe a lot to this piece. Listening to it in its entirety cannot not be an experience. It always is. Fun fact: in all of this soundscape, there's zero synthesizer (on the whole album). To be honest, I'm kinda new to this "reactions/first listen" videos and I like that, a lot. It's like having a buddy discover art you like, but is actually attentive to it. It's awesome. Especially on a piece with that much significance (to me, at least). Very glad you liked it. And of course you have to watch the Pompeii version! Also, look up "Nothing Part 14" to hear them experimenting on this. Great work and thanks for your efforts!

[@JustJP]

Thanks so much AE, especially for sharing exactly why this song is so special to you.

[@direnova6284]

Yes, Andrew Lloyd Webber did steal that riff for Phantom of the plagiarist. This song is important to me because it was the start of the PF style that I loved most. They found their direction on this song. Also, in a band known for their excellent lyrics, this song contains my favourite line in all music "strangers passing in the street, by chance two separate glances meet and I am you and what I see is me". This is at the core of nearly all Rogers lyrics and is also my principle belief in life. Empathy is the key.

[@johnallen869]

One of my top 5 PF songs! If you listen closely you will here a ping and return ping from a submarine. The weird sounds, are to me, whales echoing in the deep ocean. The live at Pompeii version of this is amazing! You can watch Gilmour work that black Strat to perfection!

[@roddmcleodable]

I had forgotten how deeply and freakishly good this is. Wow. The vocal section is this gorgeous spacey church music, until the blues rears up and stomps around the church. Gilmour and Wright sing together so beautifully.

[@jtrem08]

First, honestly, I've watched 100s of Floyd reactions and 100s of other music reactions and I have to say this reaction and post song analysis has been the best I've seen (at least among my favourites). Thank you for that, the wait was well worth it. Secondly, even if you didnt end up liking the song, I would have said thanks for giving it a shot, but the fact that not only you enjoyed it, but you understood how profound this song actually is made this an amazing experience to listen to this song with you ("connection"). Your analysis and excitement helped put into words what all of us feel when we listen to this masterpiece. You asked us what our favourite part is... I'd say everything. From the pings to the instrumentals, musical landscapes, transistions, tempo changes, middle section, the build ups, Gilmour's solo, the lyrics, and the vocals, this song is all around amazing. But if I have to choose, I would say when the ping comes back in after the middle section is amazing. Then it builds up into Gilmour's solo which then builds again into the final vocals. That whole section is so incredible for me. There are a few live versions (Pompei, Rememeber than Night, Live in Gdansk), I was extremely fortunate to see the Remember that Night Version live on Gilmour's 2006 tour with Richard Wright (On an Island tour in Toronto). It was the best live musical experience I've had to date. I recommend you check that version out in your own time when you can (or do a reaction if you want, I won't complain :p ). If you want to continue discovering more Floyd, and since you've already done Darkside, I suggest Wish You Were Here album as the next logical step. Seeing you react to it like Meddle, track by track, will be so much fun. Thanks again (and sorry for the novel!).

[@JustJP]

Thanks for all of that jtrem, I'm really really happy you've enjoyed this (and other videos)! Yeah, the buildup into the solo is just magical. I'll definitely be doing more PF in the future :)

[@SebGeddy]

Can't get enough of this masterpiece, wish it could go on forever.

[@mrdavid42]

I remember listening to this with friends in the early 70's, usually in an altered state of mind, and commenting with them how we would still be listening to this 50 years later.

[@iacobustres8032]

What a brilliant analysis while at the same time intelligently expressing an emotional musical experience which is even more impressive because its the product of an initial listening. Well done and thank you!

[@JustJP]

Thats really nice of you to say Iacobus, thank you

[@Kriegsgefangener31]

The part that you describe as "quiet funk with the organ in the back" after the first transition is the single best groove that Floyd ever committed to vinyl.

[@alexhamilton4084]

This was the second album I ever bought. I bought it about a week after it was first released. One of Floyd's best, certainly top 3. Love Echoes so much, I can remember listening to it in the shop before deciding whether to buy it or not. I remember vividly hearing that ping for the first time. It still fills me with joy.49 years later. 👍😊

[@JohnSmall314]

I know the feeling. Whenever I hear a ping, I get a ripple deep pleasure. I laugh when people say 'ping me a message', Do they know what comes after the 'ping' ?

[@robertbarnett619]

yep ! well done again Justin, nailed it, if the KZbin police are watching leave this guy alone he's doing a fantastic job putting a lot of effort in to his channel to make it a really unique and in depth take on reactions as opposed to a lot of other channels, I can't add much to what you've already said about "Echoes" but considering it was released in 1971 it must have blown everyone away at the time, As well as the Pompeii version you should also watch the version on the David Gilmour live DVD "Remember That Night".....

[@FLASHAHOLIC_TV]

He's doing Genesis and Floyd, what a guy. Hope he does Camel too!

[@PaulMDove2]

I'm ashamed to say that it's only now when I listen to what we had in the '70s, compared to what came before and after, am I blown away. At the time as a teenager it was just the music we listened to - Alan Freeman on the radio Saturday mornings, John Peel late at night and listening with friends to each new album and gig from Pink Floyd, Genesis, King Crimson, Van Der Graaf, etc. We didn't know any different, this is just what music was. Now I realise I was spoilt and I was living in a golden age that I'll never see again. Or does everyone think that of their teenage years?

[@JustJP]

Thanks so much Robert! I appreciate you all watching and just enjoying the videos, means a lot to me tbh.

[@sammarsh3679]

​@@PaulMDove2 I spent my teenage years mostly in the early 80's, but went back and found the same golden age you did when I was dissatisfied, which was often.

[@Thievius333]

As far as the length goes, you have to remember this was 1971 and they were limited by the vinyl format. Sure they could do a 28 minute track but the sonics would have suffered. I was introduced to Meddle/Echoes around 1980 and it was not a widely talked about record at least in my circle of friends and acquaintances. I bought the album after seeing a midnight showing of the Pompeii film. This was shortly after being introduced to Pink Floyd with the release of The Wall in 1979. But Echoes remains as powerful as it was all those years ago.

[@royc998]

You should try Mick Oldfields Tubular Bells. He had to borrow and beg studio time, he was only 17, plays all the instruments, produced most of it himself and of cause came up the the tune and concept. "Of course" " Mike Oldfield"

[@SpaceCattttt]

Of cause, he did. Of cause.

[@michaelhernandez6446]

I loved 'Ommadawn', 'Hergest Ridge' and 'QE2' even better, and yes, 'Tubular Bells', is a Masterpiece.

[@SpaceCattttt]

@@michaelhernandez6446 Of cause.

[@johndennell2077]

songs of distant earth

[@royc998]

@@SpaceCattttt of course, 😂

[@SpaceCattttt]

At last. It's here. Echoes. After 30 years of waiting and anticipating, the day has finally arrived. People have lived and loved, died and lost. Ice ages have gone by and the tectonic plates have drifted several meters apart. But the day we've all been waiting for has finally come. And it's a bittersweet one, because there are no more epics like this to react to now. But we've had Supper's Ready and now we have Echoes, so the balance has been restored. And that's what life is about. Yin and Yang, and all that shit.

[@JustJP]

Balance at last! :)

[@davidchaplain6748]

(Wow. I've been watching you for years.) This has got to be one of the defining songs of the 70's. It is an absolute masterpiece.

[@grelch]

For me Pink Floyd peaked at Echoes. It was the last song the 4 members truly equally collaborated on, and it is the best example of the whole being greater than the parts. It is my favorite song, period. I've been listening to this song for over forty years.. I've heard it hundreds and hundreds of times. And yet even now, once in a while I will find something I've never heard before buried in the mix. Maybe I'm using new headphones, or different speakers etc., and it usually happens when I'm not entirely focused on the music, but invariably my mind will pick out an instrument or sound that I had never noticed before. The music is so layered and textured that it's ocean deep. That's why when people say they prefer the Pompeii version I cringe a little bit. The album version and the live version are 2 completely different beings. Both incredible. The live version is raw and visceral, the studio version is softer but so expansive. There is literally an orchestra of David Gilmour's playing on the album version, most of whom you will never hear because the passage is buried so deep in the mix. That's what I love about this song. Those little pieces surface many years down the road. The song keeps revealing itself even after all this time.

[@whu1001]

I love your post because it's exactly how i feel. I do love Dark Side and beyond but for me pre Dark Side is my preferred era and i agree that the studio version is better than Pompeii. For me my favourite albums are Meddle,Atom Heart Mother and the live side of Ummagumma.

[@jamesburns3493]

The structure of the song is just sublime, it’s as if each band member brings there own experiences and sounds together and is moulded into a fantastical soundscape of the ocean depths. Pure class!

[@4ctmam]

You've got to check out the live version from Live In Gdańsk (performed by David Gilmour with his band, which featured Richard Wright) from 2006. I might be biased as I was there but the recording doesn't lie!

[@kellydelay18]

My favorite

[@mhlevy]

Agree completely. While the original "Live in Pompeii" live version was very good, "Live in Gdansk" was spectacular, as is the entire concert video. I was so happy that David and Richard kept collaborating after Pink Floyd dissolved. They played together until Richard's death of cancer.

[@therealtwiggyleaf]

At last! Actually, I must say, although I have been waiting for this, I must also point out, I haven't actually listened to it for years. Nonetheless, it was brilliant to experience it with you again. So many musical memories crashed into my consciousness. I was taken back to the very first time I heard the song, while watching a late night cinema version of "Pink Floyd in Pompeii" - three schoolkids out at night without our parents really knowing where we were. Freedom! After I got hold of the album and played it many times, I increased my own love of all the parts - the beginning, the vocals, the long ambient bit you liked so much, the "cllimactic guitar" - I have lived it through many lives. I had played it so many times that, although I have not listened to it for over 20 years, the memories all came flooding back as I listened to it with you. Thank you so much for including it in your programme.

[@JustJP]

Thanks Mark! I'm glad you enjoyed listening to it again after so long; must be like revisiting an old friend :)

[@andres7604]

Now the second best song of pink floyd, shine on you crazy diamond, all 9 parts!!!

[@jerrypetrillo2903]

Echoes is part of my personal prog Mount Rushmore : it sits alongside Close to the Edge /Yes , Suppers Ready /Genesis and 2112 /Rush

[@pinkraven4402]

My Rushmore is: - "Echoes" by Pink Floyd - "Firth of Fifth" by Genesis - "La Villa Strangiato" by Rush - "Close To The Edge" by Yes - "Starless" by King Crimson - "Luminol" by Steven Wilson (only modern one but it's just SOOO good) :)

[@hieroeadawulf9123]

I would add Epitaph - King Crimson to this list.

[@wagnerribeirodesantana1651]

This song is so good that it is not long enough! 🎸🎶👌

[@jonathansmith3742]

45 + yrs later and I still groove to Echoes.. Its nice knowing and expecting all the little nuances of the song. I must have heard this well over a thousand times. It was nice to watch someone hear it for the first time and be taken to a new place.

[@amnril]

50yrs !

[@ronjm945]

Happy to see you reach nirvana finally! This is the prelude to the masterpiece Dark Side of the Moon! Echoes is unlike any other song by any other band, a creativity overload..Enjoy Echoes Pompeii...

[@anthonyblakely399]

Pink Floyd are among the gods of Rock n' Roll!!! And they along with YES created these sounds that we call today "Ambient" music......for lack of a better word. The song is one of the greatest songs in music history. Just a masterpiece!!!! Your reaction is Perfect!!!!

[@RedPillMode]

Meaning of this album, let me put it this way. My little sister just told me, she has been listening this lately, and was stunned to realize, she did not know any of the songs by name, but every part of every song was very familiar. And that is because of the amount of play this album got in our home. I was about 16, she was about 14. Something like 38 years ago. This is very essential music to me. Those seagulls, random sounds, overall freedom and creativity. Can not explain. I now consider DSOTM, WYWH and Animals to be better albums. But at the time, this was the most fascinating music. Its beautiful to gather around these masterpieces. I am biased, but how could admiring this be cheesy 😊. Got to the end, great analysis. Thank you.

[@JustJP]

THAT is lovely to hear! Ty Blue

[@DrMorb1us]

Thanks JP, it was facinating to hear your thought on this epic song. You pretty much 'echo' my own thoughts. To me the whale song section portrays desolation and loneliness, which (I think you said) pulls you deep down, but then a slow rise follows into the second major transition which is like a reward for returning from such a bleak place. This song should be tought at music school. This song grew in an organic way from their live performances in much the same way that many of Floyds later tracks, including the follow-up album Dark Side Of The Moon, which they were playing versions of long before they committed it in the recording studio. BTW, you're going to love see the guys playing live at Pompeii. Along with all the expected greatness, look out for Nick Mason on drums in Pt.1 of Echoes, some of my favourite Floyd viewing right there.

[@JustJP]

Ty Morbius! :D

[@ciroamore2546]

Since you already listened to The Dark Side Of The Moon, I highly suggest to react to Wish You Were Here. Hands down their best album, with the beautiful suite Shine On You Crazy Diamond that is split in half and opens and closes the album.

[@robertcartier5088]

It's hard to pick a "best album" when they are all so damn good, but WYWH is definitely one of my top 3 from PF! It's got stiff competition for first place from The Wall, that's for sure!

[@bobcarn]

Wish You Were Here is one of my all-time favorite albums! Seriously. It's an incredible album!

[@JamesHowe]

I still think Dark Side of the Moon is their best, I can't put that album on and not end up listening to the whole thing. I love Wish Your Were Here as well, but I still think the entire flow of DSotM is better. Now, Shine on you Crazy Diamond may be the best song of theirs (all parts).

[@JamesHowe]

@ron schraper Agreed! I think Sheep is my favorite song off of Animals, but I like the whole album as well.

[@craigpage381]

I must agree theyre best. Just like all of them...

[@warrenbitters1020]

I used to listen to Echoes every night in my lightweight Sennheiser headphones until I fell asleep. It was 1980. I was a kid. 16 years old. Now I am 58 years old. Yet as youtube chose to play your video (randomly) this morning, the effect was visceral. It's not music. It's sounds. And to my amazement, they did the same things to me now as they did 42 years ago.

[@MP-TheNewGuy]

The opening ping gives me chills every time.😀 It is the sound of Pink Floyd reaching their potential. Great Song. I sometimes listen to this song to relax at night so I can fall asleep. I have fallen asleep while listening and then get awakened abruptly by the spooky screeching section.

[@j.k.1963]

I just love your analytic skills Justin. And your enthousiasm is so fantastic! I can tell you've been touched to the core. This is what Pink Floyd does. But now direct yourself quickly towards the pompeii live version, part I and II. You will be blown away!

[@JustJP]

Thx so much JK! This was perfect

[@j.k.1963]

@@JustJP to help you out: kzbin.info/aero/PLFDA8SD1ocxnjWgQ6LKQv7rVlc_-RaPn And enjoy the rest of the concert as well.

[@williambeckham4656]

I am glad you had this on. I have been a Floydian since I first saw them in 1968 and never missed a tour after that. Not only can their music put you into a place that no one else can take you but many of their shows were beyond belief. Now turn up the volume!

[@JeromeDukes]

Holy Molly Justin, this has to be your best reaction yet, you nailed it. Everytime I hear this song, musically I find something new and visually my mind conjures images of vastness and the unknown. The ocean, space, universe comparatively to my presence immersed within it. Always asking the question "Whats out there". Interesting you pointed out floating on the ocean and looking up and all around you is darkness. I liked your description of the forest with the moon light, with something beautiful and eerie at the same time. I've heard this song hundreds of times on camping trips, cottages etc, when I want to connect with nature and just let my mind wonder. I find alone time with PF relaxing and healing for the mind.

[@JustJP]

Thanks Dukes, that means a lot to me :) Yes, the mystery and possible beauty of the "unknown" is what the song explores so wonderfully. Maybe I'll have to take a night hike listening to this...

[@eriamjr]

Brother, I shake your hand. You’re the first person I’ve come across in 50 years who’s come close to doing justice to what Floyd achieved, not only in Echoes but in all the great work of their middle era. I appreciate your humility, but you’re also doing great work. To express everything I feel about Echoes would require a book, so instead, here are some random comments in no particular order. I like the way you convey your feelings silently to camera without interrupting the music. Echoes is a hymn, a secular song of praise - to life, to creation, and (as you say) to connection. It’s a song about spiritual awakening, and the awakening of Life itself. The music transcends genre. It’s not blues, jazz, ambient or prog rock. It contains elements of these but it goes beyond them into another realm. On these grounds alone, I rank Echoes as a milestone in the evolution of music. I suspect it will increasingly come to be seen as such in future decades/centuries. Echoes is optimistic. It’s a terrible irony that the author of its lyrics (Waters) descended in later years into a pit of anger and alienation which led to the breakup of the band, and from which he’s never fully recovered. Compare the following lyrics, respectively from Echoes and Nobody home (The Wall album): ‘And so I throw the windows wide and call to you across the skies.’ ‘When I try to get through on the telephone to you there’ll be nobody home.’ There are examples in Waters’ early lyrics where he seems to be having a conversation with God, or with the higher intelligence of life if you prefer to put it that way. In the track Breathe on Dark Side, the opening lines are ‘Breathe, breathe in the air / Don't be afraid to care / Leave but don't leave me…’ The second verse advises ‘Dig that hole, forget the sun’. You could read these as contrasting advice from God and the Devil, or from the good and evil parts of ourselves. In Echoes, I’m inclined to think that the ‘you’ he calls to across the sky is Life’s higher intelligence, the light that we began climbing towards in the opening verse. The extended ‘funk’ section with the percussive organ is repetitive the way a mantra is repetitive. It takes you deeper and deeper into a meditative state…and it’s at the end of this piece, where the funk decays into nothingness, that the ‘whalesong’ sequence commences. Production qualities: fathomless depth…subtle layers…an incredible sense of 3D space and vastness. It’s not just a piece of music, it immerses you in a WORLD. Echoes has a recurring high/low theme. Apparently the track grew out of the first note that Wright played on a piano that had been hooked up to an echo device. As Wright described it, the first note he played was high, the second low: hence the opening notes of the track. These echo the ‘overhead…and deep beneath’ of the opening verse. They’re echoed again by the ‘earthquake’ rumble that ends the whalesong ambient, which is followed by the re-emergence of the high piano notes. Echoes within Echoes. It occurred to me after listening to Echoes for about 20 years that ‘coral caves’ could be a metaphor for the neural labyrinths of the human brain. Yep music is organised sound, and Echoes is partly a celebration of frequency. Consider how the music emerges from the ‘earthquake’, first with the beating of Wright’s organ, then with the metronomic baseline (so metronomic I used to think it was synthesised, but it was played manually at least in their live performances), and then with Mason’s drumming, which comes in at different speeds and angles, with subtle syncopations, playing in and out of the baseline. The order of Nature is partly chaotic, hence its incomparable beauty. Floyd’ music is partly chaotic too, reflecting the chaotic natural order. There’s one thing I have to add. Like one of the other commenters here, my ‘favourite’ passage in Echoes is every darn part of it. But if you put a gun to my head, I’d have to say it’s the part where the music re-emerges after the whalesong meditation. As the music builds, gaining richness and depth, there’s this one little Celtic tune that plays plaintively in the midst of it all. You could almost overlook it but it’s there, pure and sweet, like the voice of Music itself amidst the turmoil of the world. Did I mention that I like this track? Anyway, great work bro, great to connect.

[@music4al]

The one song that perfectly defines "Space Rock"

[@kwenchrishendriks6427]

Hi there, and thanks for this superb reaction. This song is very special to me, and will be for all time. As a 8 year old I was snooping around in my dad's albums and came across this , almost 40 years ago. I was listening to the album and while Echoes played I noticed that something happened to me. The bridge that sets in on 16.41 in you're reaction video was a turning point for me. I was listening to it, the world stopped. I never had heard someting so beautyfull and soul crushing like this. How the sound volume goes up, the instuments grow and the overal feel gets uplifting, and becomes a person almost. That feeling I got then, well I still cary that around with me. I've seen lots of concerts, shows from blues to extreme metal and always look when that feeling comes around , then I know it's alright. Echoes is one of my altime favorits and that person, like I did say, walks with me for all my life. Thanks again for this reaction, Greets, Chris.

[@JustJP]

Ty so much Kwenchris! I can tell this album definitely left a mark on you from the moment you found it.

[@petermachacek308]

This is my favorite piece of music ever. I've never heard a better , more complete or more heartfelt review of it.

[@utubernow1]

Brilliant reaction Justin!!! Analysis is truly a gift of yours; right on the mark. Roger Waters was a Stanley Krubic fan and '2001 a Space Odyssey' (Which I highly recommend), had just came out not long before this. A movie which is about the evolution of man. The way the music rises during the Altro of the song makes me picture our next evolutionary phase, our journey to space and the stars. I can hear someone saying, 'Set the controls for the heart of the sun'. We're all echoes of the Big Bang I suppose...fantastic!!!

[@JustJP]

Thanks so much Will!

[@joemaurone7923]

My all-time favorite song, from my all-time favorite band of all space and time.

[@angelagraves865]

You're so perceptive and articulate, listening to you talk about Pink Floyd is an absolute delight. I heard someone once describe Pink Floyd as always playing the perfect note you didn't know you needed to hear and the suprise of it causes an ecstatic response in your brain. Ecstatic would definitely describe how I feel when listening to Pink Floyd no matter how many times I've heard a song. My boyfriend did a college final on the hero's journey by playing this song to the class. He got a B. ✌💗🖖

[@JustJP]

Thank you so much RM!

[@jeffmcdonald5901]

Just love the Shepherd's Tone during the ending. They have always fascinated me.

[@TIMARTO]

Wow Justin you nailed it ! Well worth waiting for your reaction and you will enjoy the Pompeii version even more. Meddle will be 50 years old next year, I can’t believe it. Floyd music will never die, thanks for a brilliant analysis. Gilmour also plays echoes live in Gadansk with Rick Wright it’s amazing. My top 3 bands are Floyd , Genesis (early up to Duke) and Yes. It’s great that you play all three. So far you’ve just done the classic Echoes and Genesis’s Suppers Ready, only Awaken to go now 😊

[@JustJP]

Thanks so much Gavin, I appreciate that🙃

[@dapablo2]

1976 my mate bought all the Floyd and I bought all the Genesis, visited each other to vary the tunes.

[@JustJP]

Thats such a perfect way to share the music

[@cherylwoodward]

My sister and I did this. Between the two of us, we owned most all of Genesis and PF albums.

[@andrewcaelliott]

Thank you! You flipped the vinyl over and found the band that Pink Floyd were destined to become... A while ago I came back to this track after many years and re-discovered how good it was and how much it had shaped my musical tastes a long time ago. It's really exciting to see you making that same journey of discovery: it re-awakens the spirit. You'll enjoy the Pompeii video: what the movie adds is the realisation that this magic can be made, not by trickery and fakery, but by four young musicians. It can really be created by four super-talented guys, brimming with confidence and musicality, playing, what? a bass, a guitar, a piano, several organs and a drum kit. What is special is not their set-up but them...

[@JustJP]

Thanks Andrew! You're right; it's the heart and soul of "who" were behind the instruments that made it

[@Veggamattic]

The part you refer to at the 42:00 mark is just spectacular to see live in the Pompeii video: PINK FLOYD, LONDON! Gilmore is on fire!

[@stevenorris8986]

Echoes is one of my all time favorite. Listened with my sister to all Pink Floyd when we were young. She is no longer with us. Echoes always takes me back to those happy days. It touches deep into my soul.

[@alisonanthony1228]

If you get the chance, you should listen to the Live in Gdansk version of this. The whole thing is sublime but the last 5 minutes especially are heartbreaking when you hear how completely in sync with each other David and Rick were. I don't blame David for saying he'll never play it again. It was a musical conversation between them and he'll never find that synchronicity with anyone else. We are blessed to be able to witness it, and I mean that literally - it's a religious experience. What you say about being underwater rings very true to me. I'm a scuba diver and I always listen to Echoes when I'm on the boat heading for a dive site - it gets me in the right frame of mind to relax into the dive and allow the water to wrap around me. I wish there was some way to listen to this during a dive - that would be paradise to me, listening to Echoes 30m down in a sunlit sea!

[@JustJP]

Thanks Alison! Oh man, this song would be magical underwater, especially on a dive.

[@cadencooper1828]

I don't know. The weird middle section would unnerve me if I were to listen to it underwater.

[@michellehitchens1495]

This piece takes you deep deep underwater in the labyrinth of coral caves where life began. The screaming sea gulls and roaring waves take you deep. Very deep.

[@Sir_Blobfish]

Finally watched! What an amazing job, Justin. You nailed it in every way possible. My history with this song is kinda neat. When I was 10 years old, my oldest sister sat me down in her room, closed the curtains and turned off all the lights and told me to be quiet and listen. I could barely make out what was visible in the room but my sister knew what she was doing. She was getting me to really listen and feel the music. I’m forever grateful for this. Not only for my introduction to Floyd but my introduction into subversive listening. That night is forever burned in my memory. My sister still comments to me what I said to her after the experience. For days upon days I would ask her, “can you please put on the ‘Ghosts in Space’ song! The song haunted me but not in a way Freddy Krueger did at the time... but in the way that I wanted it more and more. Years later I remember my Mom having a rough time and something made me want to just get her to not think for a few moments and let her mind go. I don’t know why but I played Echoes for her. I told her it would be an emotional ride but have an uplifting payoff. She cried. Then I cried. Another moment I’ll never forget. This song has a special place for me in my life. I’m sure it’s the same for a lot of other people. Thanks for the great reactions to Meddle, JP. Well done!

[@JustJP]

Thanks so much Bill! LOL! I LOVE that your sister did that, sounds like she has a great taste in music. And wow, the moment with your mom... THank you for all that Bill. Really.

[@atrickofthefloyd4208]

Greatest Pink Floyd song of all time. Really enjoyed your reaction Justin!

[@JustJP]

Ty!

[@klausschneider1045]

Compliments, Justin, this is by far the best "off-music-theory" - first listen channel I know. And many thanks for the "unsettling beauty" in this song, I didn't have a better concise expression for that certain feeling so far.

[@revanasywal]

your background is also matching with the album cover, what a coincidence. Echoes probably one of the greatest song ever written. The last line "Calling you across the sky" always gave me chills. Roger Waters is lyrical genius.

[@jongiometti6595]

Thanks for the reaction, Justin. My wife and I were spending our 3rd anniversary in Capri back in 1998 and we journeyed to Pompeii largely because of this song and the movie Live at Pompeii. So good!

[@JustJP]

Awesome Jon! How was the trip?

[@jongiometti6595]

@@JustJP Fantastic. The following year my wife gave birth to our first child in Germany without anesthesia, just headphones and a cassette with DARK SIDE OF THE MOON and WISH YOU WERE HERE on it. All of my kids have grown up surrounded by good music, and "Echoes" is a favorite. Thanks again for your reactions.

[@thejoker-ie1mm]

A masterpiece... 🤗

[@vernonallen3370]

I always thought the repeated piano ping was meant to represent sonar and, the middle I always thought was the band trying to replicate prehistoric sounds of pterodactyls. It's amazing that next year this song will be 50 years old and yet doesn't sound dated in any way. I think that you would enjoy Mike Oldfield's Ommadawn, an album of virtually two side long instrumental tracks plus a single length vocal track.

[@richardsmith3121]

Vernon Allen Your mention of Ommadawn transported me to the memory of hearing it for the first time at College; a rainy afternoon stuck in my dorm room. A lot of memories today. I would second your recommendation.

[@shyshift]

And everything is green and submarine explains the sonar.

[@mariobaert8346]

@@richardsmith3121 just yesterday I happened to think the very same thing about Ommadawn. I would third the recommendation 🤣 Seriously though!

[@amnril]

Speaking about Mike Oldfield, I’d take a listen to Hergest Ridge too.

[@macgrzly]

Excellent reaction! Very in depth,appreciative of that depth, detailed and aware of all the usually overlooked great details lyrically and compositionally. Very impressive display of your awareness of Floyd's epic creative depths! Well done!

[@65Bardy]

This was the first ever song by Pink Floyd i listened to. I was 9 (1974) and on TV on a Sunday morning they showed Pink Floyd Live at Pompeii. I was totally amazed (although knowing nothing about Rock Music and knowing not a single word in english) and this made my heart beat and my head shake to the rythm. So it was my first Rock experience and i loved it (really) Some Years later i begann to buy all Pink Floyd Albums and i still listen very often to them . The next i learned were bands like Alan Parssons Project, Deep purple, Status Quo and ELO., Supertramp ....and then i became 16 and started to go to the Discos ^^. But at the age of 20 i returned to Rock Music (nearly all kinds of). THX for this....i love it.

[@JustJP]

Love the journey and discovery of the music. Ty Kai

[@philging]

Great reaction and good analysis - they were outstanding live - saw them twice in the 1970s.

[@JustJP]

Ty!

[@SunnnyDay]

So, I just want to say, the analysis of this song is outstanding ! You are thoroughly tuned in to what is going on as the song flows and I'll make a bet now....You'll here this piece a different way every time you listen, from now on. The soundscape in the middle has been called "whale songs" "seagulls", ect. ....I tend to call them "space whispers". For anyone that doesn't know, this song was developed on the road, prior to the album release. One working title was "Looking Through The Knothole In Granny's Wooden Leg" ...Another was " Return Of The Sons Of Nothing" One of my favorite live versions comes from the John Peel show in 1971, there is a good version from 1974, during the winter tour...In 1975 they played versions with a saxophone solo included. In 1987 several of the very first concerts on that tour opened with Echoes, there are outstanding recordings out there for that one...quite different with 2 drummers and a much larger band. Plenty of live versions exist from every era of Pink Floyd's heyday as well as David Gilmour's solo career . Thank you for taking the time and the care, reviewing this song !! BTW, I hope you plan on reviewing the Hackett concert !!

[@JustJP]

Thanks so much Fish! Space whispers...I really like that.

[@professortheremin]

hat Looking Through The Knothole In Granny's Wooden Leg? Sounds suspiciously like the second Bonzo Dog Band album "The Donut in Granny's Greenhouse" (released in America as "Urban Spaceman", as that was the big hit from it.) That's probably why the suggestion was nixed.

[@jagdeepkaul1261]

Most Pink Floyd fans will tell you either ECHOES or SHINE ON YOU CRAZY DIAMOND is their best song. But seriously, I love so many songs by them. I think the more you listen to Pink Floyd's discography (By the way, Pink Floyd have a pretty large discography, they were active a lot longer than Led Zeppelin ever were), the more you will explore and appreciate and discovery their other hidden gems such as The Narrow Way Part 3 from the Ummagumma album by Pink Floyd or Julia Dream from Relics album. I think globally, people will know them most for The Dark Side Of The Moon album, therefore their other albums kinda get overlooked.

[@Siberian_Khatru.]

Atom Heart Mother,this album in fact too does have a lot of impact but again went overlooked

[@3ggshe11s]

Appropriate that you shared this on David Gilmour's birthday! (And mine.) The Pompeii video is like nothing you've ever heard. Yeah, Pink Floyd has always been more about atmosphere and feel than chops. Their music does feel very organic. I read the evolution of life in the lyrics as well as the music. And I knew exactly what two transitions you were going to talk about! If I could do anything different about this song, I would have had a few instrumental bars of the return to the slower mood before the words came back in near the end. It feels like it could have used that buffer rather than such an immediate change. But that's a tiny complaint. I know "Dark Side of the Moon" is the thing for most people, but for me, this was Pink Floyd's creative pinnacle. Love the channel!

[@Gingivits]

Echoes is my favorite song by far. I used to skip it because on Pandora, they would always play the middle part of the song and I would not understand why that would be made. I picked up the album and I like to listen to the whole album a few times to get what type of story it might tell. So I finally heard it and fell in love. The beginning keyboards, with the guitar and how it builds up into this dream like song that always makes me feel relaxed no matter what I am doing. Fat old sun on Atom Heart Mother is another song by Pink Floyd that is amazing and you should really give it a try. It isn't as known as most of their albums (I don't think. Most I talk to never heard of that album).

[@leocunhadabahia]

your faces with their craziness are the best. Love your videos, cheers from Brazil

[@JustJP]

😁Ty!

[@MinorCirrus]

That's the thing with Echoes: it is impossible to oversell it. People (myself included) have been harassing you for months with how great the song is and oh my God you should listen to it it's so mindblowing and blah blah blah, but still, in the end, the song exceeded you expectations. Isn't that crazy? Echoes is the very best of them all, my friend. What you felt happening to you at the end of the listening was the no-turning-back point. There is a before and an after with this song, I can tell you.

[@JustJP]

Hahaha, you are very very right MC. Ty

[@TonVermeij]

The effect of the Shepherd' tone at the end is something I never heard again as an end.....

[@briganfree3656]

The delicacy of the play between Rick and David on this is something to be treasured.

[@jacquesdemolay2699]

I very much liked your reaction and very apt analysis. the middle part - the ambience part - for me always has been the submarine being on the surface of the sea - with cold wind and sea gull cries. Imagine a submarine lost in the middle of North Atlantic during last war -- and there is dark grey sky - cold wind - sea gulls trying to land on your starboard and the radar clicking to detect any enemy. it sounds more melodic when it returns under the sea and get protected by the mass of water being itself and the potential enemy. Note that the radar clicking can only happen under the sea.

[@JustJP]

Thanks so much Jacques! Ah, a lost submarine; I love the visual

[@twelvemonkeys8786]

Missed this, damn.. Brilliant reaction. More Pink Floyd please 😌

[@katyland1015]

One of Pink Floyd's most epic songs. It is a beautiful, dreamy, sonic voyage. A visionary visit to another place, another time. Thank you for selecting this one.

[@anandr1385]

Bro, amazing review. Music is a mixture of both sound and silence and Pink Floyd has mastered that art form.

[@JustJP]

Ty so much Anand! Sound and silence, space and fulfillment; they bring it all together!

[@kivimik]

Thanks for your insights on this song. Your critique allows me to hear it again with new ears.

[@JustJP]

Ty for that Mikko :)

[@tarkus365]

A lot of people including myself consider this song to be the culmination of all of their previous work into one tight, beautiful package. Can't get any better than this man!

[@marymargaretmoore9034]

Live from Pompeii in 1971 is just amazing. Love, love, love this song! I appreciate your reaction comments. Such a beautiful musical conversation between David Gilmour and Rick Wright (and the rest). True art. I also can identify with your “night in the woods” comment as I lived in the woods for several years. Is this really your first time hearing Echoes? You could teach a course on understanding music (and Pink Floyd in particular).

[@JustJP]

Thanks Mary! I appreciate your words. Yup, this was the first time (but not the last, lol)

[@kentclark6420]

I'm having a hard time editing this. But boy, you really see so many things about songs, and are able to find the connections between the lyrics and the sounds, in an organic fashion. I've been listening to this song for years and years, and you've pointed out many aspects I hadn't considered, but make sense. I, like yourself, feel the songs along with the images very deeply. But finding words to describe those is an elusive thing, for me. In this song, I just feel a floating sensation, also sea-related and where the lyrics take me. But it's more like floating on the surface, looking up at the mural-like sky, suddenly feeling my soul soaring with the albatross, while looking down at the turbulence of the ocean below.

[@JustJP]

Ty so much Bart, i like the images you see as well🙂

[@kentclark6420]

@@JustJP Thanks! I had a dream of being an eagle in flight, soaring up high, and I looked over to the eagle next to me, flying together. Right then I realized it was my father. Who had passed away, years earlier. This song feels like the tone of that dream.

[@yes_head]

RIP Rick Wright. Echoes is always very cleansing, and is arguably the most proggy thing PF ever did. Most of the effects -- piano, guitar, bass and more -- were produced using a Binson echo unit and a Leslie cabinet. The Leslie had been around for years, but the Binson was relatively new and was one of the first purpose-built effects units. It was adopted by many rock bands in the late 60s/early 70s. The deep, haunting swirling sound in the middle is Waters running a metal slide bar over his bass strings while running it through the Binson. You can see him doing this in the Pompeii film.

[@bennetbayer3103]

Pink Floyd, whilst way over toward the progressive side, still find their roots, like so many English bands (the Shadows, Dave Mayhall, Cream, Yardbirds, Zeplin...long list), in American Blues. It is fun to watch your reactions to things I was listening to 45+ years ago, thank you for your interest.

[@SharpblueCreative]

Forgotten how many times I’ve got high to this going back 30 plus years. Still great in 2021 as it was in 1973 - and this is exactly why music was far better then than now.

[@antonio_sanna]

I felt like listening a song with an old friend, a song I've known since I was a kid. Such a special good time.

[@JustJP]

Thanks so much Antonio :)

[@garryiglesias4074]

I'm late, but this is the very first music from Pink Floyd which stuned me when I was 8. I used to do dancing (ballet, mordern jazz) in small town. Of course there were end of years shows... And this one was at the end of year, and guess what ? It was used to illustration "evolution", so... "Life" as you said... You seem to have felt the same feeling my dance teacher felt almost 40 years ago.... But I must admit, at 8, this song felt a bit creepy for me, fortunately I was going to become a huge Pink Floyd fan a few years later...

[@crazyyyyhorse]

Some thoughts: 1) For me this song is THE progressive rock definition. It was e revelation for a young me, a 12 years old boy in 1974, when I heard it for the first time. 2) One of the 3 most beautiful guitar solos in this style. Simple but wonderful. 3) I have a little different view about the message. I think this reminds us to the womb (water, echos, nature, comfort and safety), the begining of life, the terror of birth, the creepiness of the dangerous new place we came to (outside), and, after all, the tranquility of the end. And yes, connections with people and environment that make life meaning. This masterpiece is a brave deep dive in the soul. 4) It's almost unbelieveble that so young boys could make this piece of art, with such complexity, and artistic maturity. They were just kids! Gilmore was 25 y.o.; Waters and Wright 28; Mason, 27.

[@JustJP]

Ty for watching Luiz! I LOVE the womb idea! Never even thought about it, but that makes sense as well. Ty

[@dougreed2257]

Justin another stupendous prog band to react to, camel, "ice" a hair on back of neck instrumental, camel guitarist Andrew Latimer is on par with David gilmour. Justin, you won't be disappointed, I promise, thanks for another great review.

[@steeleye2112]

Takes me long chilled summer days and nights. It's uncanny how well the setting fits the song so well on the Pompeii film.

[@williamgeorgefraser]

I knew Pink Floyd through "See Emily Play" but never got into them. When I was at uni, I went to the local record shop to buy "Ars Longa, Vita Brevis" by the Nice and "Echoes" was playing. When I listened to the Nice album I thought it was shit, scratched it and took it back to the shop. I got "Meddle" to replace it. Must admit, I later bought ALVB again and really love it. "Echoes" is one of my favourites along with "Atom Heart Mother".

[@itchyvinyl]

I love that people are still discovering Floyd. I got really into them in 1985, and I still go back to it often.