Album: Meddle (1971)

License This Song 

• You say the hill's too steep to climb, climbing
  You say you'd like to see me try, climbing
  You pick the place and I'll choose the time
  And I'll climb the hill in my own way
  Just wait a while for the right day
  And as I rise above the tree line and the clouds
  I look down hearing the sound
  of the things you've said today
  
  Fearlessly the idiot faced the crowd, smiling
  Merciless the magistrate turns around, frowning
  And who's the fool who wears the crown
  No doubt in your own way
  And every day is the right day
  And as you rise above the fear lines in his brow
  You look down hear the sound of the faces in the crowd
  
  Walk on, walk on, with hope in your heart
  And you'll never walk alone
  You'll never walk alone
  Liverpool! Liverpool! Liverpool! Writer/s: David Jon Gilmour, Roger Waters
  Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 44

• David Cotter from LiverpoolThe song is about the battle for Spion kop , a hill position in the Boar war. The Spion Kop is also a stand at Anfield stadium where Liverpool football club play. This is the reason the Kop's singing can be heard on this track.
  It's a quite tenuous connection but typical of Waters pen
• Mark from NepeanI just love the lyrics:
  
  And as you rise above the Tree line in the Clouds and later on - And as you rise above the fear line in his brow.
  
  Such incredible depth in their lyrics. Will always be a Floyd.
• Dana Ruggia from Ocean City Nj By Way Of MassSong is simply haunting and it could have so meanings...sends chills up my spine...dont google much but I googled this badboy
• Nick from UsaHave loved this song since the 70's. In the last few weeks I finally broke down and tuned my guitar to open G so I could add it to my acoustic show after years of refusing to use "alternate tunings." My bass player insisted we give it a try and he was right. It really sounds great when you have all those strings ringing together.
• Tc from NycCall me a “fool” but I’ve always thought the “fool” in the lyrics is a reference to Jesus. I’m not overly religious, but Jesus was ridiculed by the crowd, sentenced by a magistrate, wore a crown, rose above. Almost every word applies. Including “you’ll never walk alone”
• Rj from Some Long IslandAmazing
• Martyn Ripley from Eccles ManchesterI've always believed that Fearless was written for John Peel as a thank you for playing their music on radio
• Fintan from Dublin, IrelandWho says "the hill's too steep to climb"? His friend? His wife? His lover? His enemy? Society?
• Frank from North CarolinaMeddle...My Golden Doodle, Zac Brown, no longer barks when he hears Seamus...he's used to it. They have been talking to each other for 2 years. Fearless brings back memories of my wife, not a big Pink fan but my generation, recognizing it as a deep cut kegger song and dancing into the front room with a drink in her hand. I will remember that moment forever. She looked like she was 17. My first vinyl purchase of The Floyd whilst rebuilding my record collection.
• Ste from LiverpoolI'm from Liverpool and an Liverpool fan, I don't care about the ins and outs, I just love the fact that our anthem and name is sung throughout my favourite song of my second favourite group! (Zep being the first).
• Midnite from Cologne Germany Well They say it is from a Game : Liverpool vs Everton
• Midnite from Cologne Germany It is not Liverpool it is EVERTON EVERTON at the End of Fearless ... Listen close and Loud you will find Out ...
• Emma from Perth, Australia I have always thought that Fearless is about football hooliganism. The fearless hooligan facing the crowd smiling, the judge saying "go down in your own way" as in going to prison and the Liverpool chant at the end always led me to believe that's what it was about. It's always been in my head that this is what it's about and I don't think that will ever change.
• Douglas from Northern OntarioIv always had pink floyd meddle in my music collection. I bought the record the cassette then the normal cd and now I have it in 24bit 96khz 5.1 surround sound. If you want a amazing thrill listen to Pink Floyd Meddle in Hi Rez there is nothing like it on this world...
• Adam from Pickens, ScThe fans at the beginning and near the end are chanting "You'll Never Walk Alone", which is the Liverpool F.C. anthem. In my opinion, "Fearless" is the best Pink Floyd song of all time.
• Jeff from Findlay, Ohi always thought this was just a david gilmore song seperate of pink floyd listening to it now this song is frickin awesome nice to drink beer to or other things too
• Shane from Bloomington-normal, IlHope, the movie you're thinking of is Barbet Schroeder's _La Valee_ which has just been released on DVD, encoded for all regions. The Floyd produced _Obscured By Clouds_ as the soundtrack for the film, their second effort for Schroeder. The first was the soundtrack for the film _More_.
• Jenner from San Francisco, CaSomeone commented asking about "Seamus". Seamus is the dog they used in the studio on Animals with Dave G.'s harmonica. Fearless is a brilliant song.
• John from Monvtille, NjOne of the most badass songs ever written. This song never fails to pump me up and give me chills at the same time. Anyone else agree? It's so subtle in it's badassery too. The driving guitar riff and the powerful lyrics set it up, but it's not an in-your-face kinda way. I think that's why it's so good. It's not like "We Will Rock You" it's totally different, and it just kills everything.
• Hope from Watertown, Nypeople are confused "You Will Never Walk Alone" is the fight song , not "Fearless"
• Hope from Watertown, NyCAN NEVER GET ENOUGH OF THIS SONG, played it over and over again as a teen, and will play it a few times tonight. Does anyone remember the movie, can't remember the name, but music of Pink Floyd was the soundtrack and it was shot in tribal village of Mud Men (Africa or the Amazon). The chanting reminds me of the Mud Men.
• Pete from Solon, OhFYI: Seamus is also known as Mademoiselle Knobs on the Pompeii soundtrack. i would definately recommend that movie to any Floyd fan
• Sam from Hipsville, CaColin,WA----I couldn't agree more, the Floyd absolutely ROCKS
• Oldpink from New Castle, InWhat a beautiful song that was (again) overlooked by dimwit radio station program directors.
  Gorgeous guitar from Dave, pretty vocals, and the lyrics from Roger are just now showing the direction he would take to guide them to their crowning achievement.
• Colin from Morgantown, WvProbably one of the most revealing lines is "Fearlessly the idiot faced the crowd, smiling." It's a poignant example of how man's deficiencies can also be strengths. The idiot is unaware of fear and thus far ahead of us in his own way. Awesome. Floyd rocks!
• Bryan from New York, NyI love this song, perhaps the origin David Gilmour's classic vocal style (Breathe, Echoes, On an Island) on a greatly underrated album.
  
• Rogero from Sao Paulo, BrazilFearless is a kick a** song! I think it tells about how easy is to be fearless when you are up to. The melody itself sounds like when you take a brave step foward your goals. I love it!
• Stephen from Parkton, MdThere's that "ping" piano note from "Echoes" hidden in this song...at about 1:25, listen very carefully and you'll hear it.
  - Joe Public, Anytown, AL
  Wow thanks man that's kinda scary but awesome!
• Braj from Kathmandu, Netherlandswho is the king and who wear the crown!!!!!! i doubt is roger waters ro david gilmaore or pink floyd ...who is fan of liver pool then???
• Joe Public from Anytown, AlThere's that "ping" piano note from "Echoes" hidden in this song...at about 1:25, listen very carefully and you'll hear it.
• Bill from Erie, PaNick Mason wrote in his book "Inside Out: A Personal History of Pink Floyd" that the word "fearless" was just an overused interjection at the time, kind of like "awesome". He was also surprised that Roger Waters was so keen to record "You'll Never Walk Alone" for this song, because he was a devoted Arsenal fan.
• Jack from Oak Ridge, NcThe main theme is a very unique riff. Every time it crescendos it is onamented magnificently by nick mason.
• Jack from Mesa, AzDoes the first line actually say, perhaps, "chiding" after "you say the hill's too steep to climb..." -instead of "climb it"?
• Jack from Mesa, AzWow, just heard this song on mysterious KCDX. Beautiful. Never heard it before, didn't even know it was PF at first. Why don't stations play this?
• Michael Miller from Torrance, CaFearless & echoes are my favourite pre-Dark side Floyd pieces. Fearless flows so smoothly with the strumming guitars & Gilmour's voice is very soothing. A brilliant selection from MEDDLE.
• James from Toronto, CanadaIf that day was November 11 than the last comment written about this song was 6 MONTHS AGO , considering today is May 11.. WOW, i would think that more people would have to write stuff about this song because its so good.
• Ash from Charleston, WvToday is November 11, 2005, the 34th anniversary of the release of the album "Meddle." So naturally I pulled out my copy from the Pink Floyd box set and popped it into the player on my way to work. And it occurred to me that if someone who only knew the big Pink Floyd hits ("Money," "Comfortably Numb," "Another Brick...," etc.) came to me and asked for a lesser known Floyd song that they might like, I would probably have to suggest "Fearless." I have never been sure what the song is about, but DAMN it's a good tune!
• Stump from Gulf Shores, AlWho was it written by? It sounds like a Gilmour tune. . .
• Takashi from Tokyo, JapanGood song and album, but... What is with "Seamus"? I don't get that song.
• Ash from Charleston, WvOne of my fave PF songs for many, many years now.
• Steve from Hamilton, Canada"Liverpool fans use this as their fight song". Not really, Jim. It's the club anthem and is no more a fight song than The Star Spangled Banner is a war song.
• Tony from St Louis, Mogood chill music
• Long from Houston, TxI love this song. It's become something for me to live by.
• Scott from Normal, Ilthis song has probably my favorite lyric in any song to date: "Fearlessly the idiot faced the crowd, smiling."

More Songfacts:

Rebel RebelDavid Bowie

When David Bowie sings, "We like dancing and we look divine" in "Rebel Rebel," it's a reference to a famous drag queen known as Divine.

Stand By MeBen E. King

Rob Reiner named his 1986 movie "Stand By Me" after the song, since he thought The Body, a Stephen King story on which it was based, sounded like a horror movie.

Soak Up The SunSheryl Crow

Sheryl Crow's "Soak Up The Sun" isn't as lighthearted as it seems: the song deals with the prevailing head-in-the-sand reaction to climate change.

ChangesDavid Bowie

The movie The Breakfast Club opens with a passage from David Bowie's "Changes" ("And these children that you spit on...")

(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love, and UnderstandingElvis Costello

"(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love, and Understanding" was written by Nick Lowe in 1974. The original version with his group Brinsley Schwarz was kind of somber, but Elvis Costello made it a classic with his 1978 uptempo take.

We Will Rock YouQueen

Brian May wrote Queen's "We Will Rock You" so the crowds could participate in the song. They didn't have instruments, but they could clap their hands and stomp their feet.

Editor's Picks

Stan RidgwaySongwriter Interviews

Go beyond the Wall of Voodoo with this cinematic songwriter.

Jules Shear - "All Through The Night"They're Playing My Song

Shears does very little promotion, which has kept him secluded from the spotlight. What changed when Cyndi Lauper had a hit with his song? Not much, really.

Bill Medley of The Righteous BrothersSongwriter Interviews

Medley looks back on "Unchained Melody" and "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" - his huge hits from the '60s that were later revived in movies.

Andrew Farriss of INXSSongwriter Interviews

Andrew Farriss on writing with Michael Hutchence, the stories behind "Mystify" and other INXS hits, and his country-flavored debut solo album.

Martyn Ware of Heaven 17Songwriter Interviews

Martyn talks about producing Tina Turner, some Heaven 17 hits, and his work with the British Electric Foundation.

Jon Oliva of Trans-Siberian OrchestraSongwriter Interviews

Writing great prog metal isn't easy, especially when it's for 60 musicians.