Roger Waters and his Palestinian musical collaborator, Mona Miari, discussed their hopes for the release of their new version of “Comfortably Numb” and the continuing accusations of anti-Semitism that have followed him for years. The song, titled “Comfortably Numb Re-Imagined,” was released in June and features a change to the refrain that makes the culminating lyric, “I will never become comfortably numb.” Miari sings in Arabic throughout the more than nine-minute remake, vocalizing “When I was young I dreamed of freedom/ Hope blazes fierce in everything I am/ Like roots breaking through the rubble/ We shape our fate/ Our light will break the darkness/ We are the promise of a new dawn.”
New Take on a Classic Song
Roger Waters told WIRED in an interview that he hopes people will “hear that it was prophetic — there is a right and a wrong. This is not complicated, and this song is on the right side of history.” The new take on the 1979 Pink Floyd song off The Wall is re-envisioned as a tribute to the Palestinian people and Gaza.
Accusations of Anti-Semitism
Waters also addressed the recurring accusations of anti-Semitism that his support of Palestine has garnered him. Waters had a terse answer when asked to address the criticism that his work is anti-Semitic. “Fuck off is my answer to that,” Waters said. He elaborated by telling WIRED, “I don’t have an anti-Semitic bone in my body, I never did and I never will have. I couldn’t give a shit what your religion is, frankly. I’m not interested in it. I’m interested in human rights for my brothers and sisters, whoever they are. Color of the skin, religion, nationality, politics — I couldn’t care less.”
Criticism from David Draiman
Recently, this criticism of Rogers has flared up with Disturbed singer David Draiman, who is Jewish and pro-Israel, saying on Billy Corgan’s podcast, “It was such a massive betrayal, not just to me, but Jews everywhere when (Waters) went in the direction that he did. And it wasn’t just two years ago; he’s been doing this for a long time,” adding that he would punch Waters if the two met.
Response to Criticism
In an open letter, Waters called Draiman “an obnoxious little prick” in response and said, “I will continue to work with all my brothers and sisters all over the world in the movement to demand equal human rights for all human beings, irrespective of their religion or ethnicity or nationality.”
Social Media Criticism
Waters took the WIRED interview as an opportunity to express his criticism for social media as well, saying it’s numbing people to issues and injustices going on in the world. Waters called himself lucky for not having come up with social media. “Back in the ’60s and ’70s, there wasn’t any social media,” he said. “Nobody had an iPhone… We didn’t have a phone, never mind an iPhone.”
In conclusion, Roger Waters and Mona Miari’s new version of “Comfortably Numb” has sparked both praise and criticism, with Waters addressing accusations of anti-Semitism and speaking out against social media. The song serves as a tribute to the Palestinian people and Gaza, and Waters hopes it will be heard as a prophetic and historic work.
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