My Top 1000 Songs #622: No Way Out Of Here

[I've been writing up my Top 1000 songs on a daily basis--you can see them all in descending order by hitting the All My Favorite Songs tag.]

Pink Floyd guitarist David Gilmour's 1978 self-titled solo album is a quite pleasant side-project between the twin monsters of Animals and The Wall. And while there were some fine originals, the highlight was a cover song, "There's No Way Out Of Here," a mid-tempo rocker with a catchy riff and some enchanting touches. 

The original version was recorded by a British band called Unicorn, who never got a lot of traction (certainly here in the States), appearing on their 1976 LP Too Many Crooks--produced by Gilmour. Unicorn's music is actually pretty decent, distinctively 70s-sounding AOR yacht rock with country, folk, and prog vibes; I particularly enjoy their 1974 record Blue Pine Trees, a jangly, understated delight. Their original "No Way Out Of Here" is perfectly solid, and Gilmour didn't mess with the arrangement for his cover (though he appended "There's" to the title). But he elevates the track through his trademark velvet vocals and bluesy guitar licks, as well as some nice backing vocals and beefier production than Unicorn's original. It's a modest song, nothing flashy, but it's one of those things I've just always loved, a fell-good tune I often find myself turning to on a lazy Sunday afternoon.

Gilmour's cover:

Gilmour live 1978:

Gilmour live 1984:

The Unicorn original:

A more recent cover from Americana act Iron & Wine (with Band of Horses' Ben Bridwell):