Somewhere out there is a very specific group of people (who just so happen to have great music taste) and who will appreciate this gem of a cover… or, at the very least, get a kick out of commenting, “It’s not as good as the original.”
Because let’s be honest, when it comes to covering a legendary band like Pink Floyd, it’s not necessarily an easy feat to perfect. With that in mind, Kentucky-born singer and songwriter Tyler Childers in no way set out to replicate one of the band’s iconic ’70s tracks, but instead approached it with his signature Appalachian spin.
The song in question is none other than Pink Floyd’s 1974 single off their eighth album, The Dark Side of the Moon, released the previous year. Childers has covered the nearly 7-minute-long track throughout his career on multiple occasions, but one throwback rendition in particular, from a performance at Willie’s, has recently found a newfound resurgence online.
While I wish I could say the video’s virality, amassing well over 300K views, is thanks to everyone on the internet appreciating a good Pink Floyd cover, unfortunately, I’d argue it has more to do with the fact that the song has, oddly enough, found itself at the center of a trending TikTok audio. The latest trend features a snippet of the song, specifically the lyrics, “The sun is the same in a relative way, but you’re older,” alongside users sharing a swipe to photos of their younger and current selves.
And while some TikTok trends involving iconic hits can be quite the eye-roller (ahem, the whole Randy Travis situation being a perfect example), I’ve got to admit this one’s a pretty harmless concept. Plus, I’ll never get sick of hearing this song pop up on my feed.
As for Childers’ country-ified take on the hit performed at the “Locally Know” barbecue restaurant and music venue in Lexington, KY (which has since sadly closed down)— he infused pedal steel and his wailing vocals on the track, transforming the dad-rock staple into a cover that can only be described as uniquely him. It’s, of course, drawn a mixed reaction from fans, with a majority of people appreciating his spin, alongside a few stragglers still holding on to the original’s classic sound:
To listen for yourself, check out Childers’ rendition below…and while you’re at it revisit all 6 minutes and 56 seconds of the original too: