How do you take one of the most ominous pieces of classic rock and make it somehow even more foreboding? Just ask Ice-T to give it a spin. The veteran rapper's hard-rock project Body Count released a radically reworked version of Pink Floyd's iconic tale of isolation and medically induced paralysis, “Comfortably Numb,” on Friday (September 20), featuring new spoken-word lyrics from Ice and backing vocals by Floyd singer/guitarist David Gilmour.
“Body Count's version of 'Comfortably Numb' is pretty radical, but the words really struck me,” Gilmour, 78, said in a statement about the new version of one of the emotional centerpieces from Pink Floyd's iconic concept album . The Wall. “It amazes me that a tune I wrote almost 50 years ago is coming back with this wonderful new approach. They've made it relevant again. The initial contact from Ice-T was about licensing the song, but I thought I might offer to play on it as well. I like the new lyrics, they talk about the world we live in now, which is quite scary. Ice-T and Body Count recently played in London, unfortunately I couldn't make it, but if another opportunity came to play with them I would jump at it.”
Ice-T makes the song his own with a radical overhaul in which the only remaining lyrics are “Hello… is anybody there out?/ Can anybody listen me?” chorus sung by Gilmour. Instead, the MC speaks-sings a new narrative of fear for humanity's future, as well as the dual destruction of perpetual war and strife and time's inexorable march toward death.
“We're at perpetual war, and that's the only law/ Can I change it? I doubt/ So I write songs about it/ I was young once but now I'm old/ Before your eyes you've seen my life unfold,” Ice-T narrates ominously over screeching guitars and a deathly beat. “I had no choice as I became the voice of the underdog/ A young black kid… look what the f–k I did!/ When I'm gone, there'll be someone to carry on/ We can back down, give up or we can stand strong/ How much we accept the bullshit we've all become/ This whole world is…comfortably numb”.
The original song featured music by Gilmour and haunting lyrics by the guitarist's estranged ex-partner, bassist/singer Roger Waters.
In a statement, Ice-T said: “For me 'Comfortably Numb' is an introspective song – I recognize that I'm older now. I say to the younger generation, you have two choices: you can keep the fire burning or you can give up. I'm trying to understand what's going on, but also to point out that we're all in a place where we don't have to face reality. We have flat screen TVs and popcorn, and we can just sit back and watch the chaos of the world as if it were a TV show. It doesn't feel real until it shows up at your door. I'm a little numb too — we all are.'
The song will appear on Body Count's upcoming studio album, Mercilessdue out on Century Media Records on November 22nd. the collection is the follow-up to the hard-hitting group's 2020 Grammy-winning LP Carnivore.
Listen to Body Count and David Gilmour's “Comfortably Numb” below.
from our partners at https://www.billboard.com/music/rock/ice-t-body-count-david-gilmour-comfortably-numb-cover-1235780327/
