"Fearless" is the third track on the 1971 album Meddle by Pink Floyd.[4][5] It is a slow acoustic guitar-driven song written by Roger Waters and David Gilmour, and includes audio of football fans singing "You'll Never Walk Alone". It was also released as the B-side of the single along with "One of These Days", and was praised by critics as one of the better songs from Meddle.
"Fearless" | ||||
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Single by Pink Floyd | ||||
from the album Meddle | ||||
A-side | "One of These Days" | |||
Released | 29 November 1971[1] | |||
Recorded | 9 May – 11 September 1971[2] | |||
Studio | AIR, Abbey Road, Morgan studios in London | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 6:08 | |||
Label | ||||
Songwriter(s) | ||||
Producer(s) | Pink Floyd | |||
Pink Floyd singles chronology | ||||
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The song's slow tempo and mellow acoustic sound bear similarities to some of the other tracks on the first side of the album. Roger Waters performed the acoustic guitar parts[6] using an open tuning in G major, taught to Waters by former member Syd Barrett.[7]
Near the beginning and at the end of the song, a field recording of fans in Liverpool's Kop singing "You'll Never Walk Alone" is superimposed over the music.[8] This Rodgers and Hammerstein song became the anthem of Liverpool F.C. after Gerry & the Pacemakers had a number one hit with their recording.
Although it was not released as a single in the UK and never played live, it was released as the "B-side" of the single "One of These Days" in 1971. Roger Waters briefly resurrected the song for a small number of shows in 2016, and the song was played by Nick Mason's Saucerful of Secrets on their tours in 2018, 2019 and 2022.[9][10][11]
This song was one of several to be considered for the band's "best of" album, Echoes: The Best of Pink Floyd, but was ultimately rejected for inclusion.[12]
In a review for the Meddle album, Jean-Charles Costa of Rolling Stone described "Fearless" as "a clever spoof" that "leads up to a classic crowd rendition of Rodgers & Hammerstein's "You'll Never Walk Alone"."[13] Classic Rock Review described "Fearless" as "the best overall song on the album and talks about meeting challenges in the face of adversity."[14] They went on saying "Fearless" is "highlighted by Gilmour’s calm yet strong guitar strumming and the odd beat from drummer Nick Mason."[14]
with: