The 4 Pink Floyd songs that Richard Wright was the lead vocalist

Pink Floyd is one of the best-selling bands of all time with an estimated amount of more than 250 million records worldwide. In decades of existence the band had different eras, all really important for their discography. But when it comes to the vocals, people tend to remember only Syd Barrett, Roger Waters and David Gilmour. But the keyboardist Richard Wright was also the lead vocalist in several tracks.

Wright occupied the lead vocals more during the first years of the band when they were still experimenting a lot. It was after the release of the groundbreaking 1973 album “Dark Side of The Moon” that he was more focused on the keyboards and backing vocals only.

The 4 Pink Floyd songs that Richard Wright was the lead vocalist

“Remember a Day” from A Saucerful of Secrets (1968)

The first Pink Floyd track that had Richard Wright as the vocalist was “Remember a Day” which was featured on their 1968 album  “A Saucerful of Secrets”. The song was written by Wright alone and was performed live only once as an encore in 1968 of a live show. It was only performed again by David Gilmour in 2008 as a tribute to Wright who passed away that year after a battle with lung cancer. He was only 65 when he died.

Besides singing in the track, Wright also played the piano and farfisa organ. Were also part of the original recording Syd Barrett playing acoustic and slide guitar, Roger Waters playing bass and Norman Smith (producer) playing drums.

“See-Saw” from A Saucerful of Secrets (1968)

“See Saw” is another track from “A Saucerful of Secrets” that was written by Wright in which he also was the lead vocalist. It was the third song by the band he wrote on his own.

The band members involved in the recording of the track were slightly different from the previous one. Syd Barrett didn’t play on it, being replaced by David Gilmour who played acoustic and electric guitar. Roger Waters played the bass, Nick Mason the drums.

“Summer ’68”  from “Atom Heart Mother” (1970)

This one is probably the most known Pink Floyd song with Richard Wright on vocals. Many fans discovered that many years after they already knew the track. Once again Wright wrote the song on his own. The lyrics talk about the experience of him meeting a groupie two years before.

It has been described over the decades as the most accessible song on that album that had many complex and long songs. In the recording session Wright played the piano and Hammond organ. Gilmour was in charge of the acoustic and electric guitar while Roger played the bass and Mason the drums. The Brass part was recorded by the Abbey Road Session Pops Orchestra.

“Stay” from “Obscured by Clouds” (1972)

The final Pink Floyd that had only Wright on vocals was “Stay”. That song was featured on the forgotten album “Obscured By Clouds” released in 1972. Unlike the previous tracks, this one was written by Wright and Roger Waters.

Although Wright was the lead vocalist in only four Pink Floyd songs he divided the vocals with other band members on several others. On “The Piper At The Gates of Dawn” (1967) he appears in “Astronomy Domine” and “Matilda Mother” with Syd Barrett.

Then on “Saucerful of Secrets” he shares the vocals with David Gilmour in “Let There Be More Light” and “Corporal Clegg”. On the 1971 album “Meddle” (1971) he appears with David Gilmour in the long track “Echoes”. Also sings with Gilmour in “Burning Bridges” that is featured on the album “Obscured by Clouds” (1972).

After those appearances Wright would only share the vocals in two more tracks. In “Time” from “Dark Side of The Moon” (1973) and 31 years later in “Wearing the Inside Out” from “Division Bell” (1994).

During his career, Wright released two solo albums. The first one was “Wet Dream” (1978) in which he sang all the songs. The second and final one was “Broken China” released in 1996 and he again sang in most of the tracks. But the famous singer Sinéad O’Connor was the lead vocalist in two tracks on that record.