A Pillow of Winds

This soft acoustic love song[4] may be quite uncharacteristic of the band's previous and future material. Guitarist David Gilmour composed the chord sequence using an open E tuning (EBEG#BE), played in a series of arpeggios, composed the melody and maybe part of the lyrics (along with Roger Waters).[4] This song also features slide guitar work by Gilmour, as well as a fretless bass[4] played by Waters. The song begins and ends in the key of E major, with a darker middle section (following the lyric "and the candle dies") in the parallel minor, E minor. Both the E major and E minor chords feature the ninth, making this song one of many Pink Floyd songs to feature a prominent E minor added ninth chord, "Em(add9)". Throughout most of the song, the bass line remains on E as a pedal point, creating a drone. A chord named "G#m/E" is more accurately called an E major seventh chord, "Emaj7", and a "Bm/E" is just as equally named an "E7sus2". In the instrumental interlude, however, the chords change completely to A minor and B minor chords, leaving the E bass drone for a time before returning to E major.[5]

According to Nick Mason, the song's title originates from a possible hand in the game of mahjong, with which the band had become enamoured while touring.[6]

In a review for the Meddle album, Jean-Charles Costa of Rolling Stone described "A Pillow of Winds", along with "San Tropez", as an "ozone ballad". He further described the two as "pleasant little acoustic numbers hovering over a bizarre back-drop of weird sounds".[7] Classic Rock Review described "A Pillow of Winds" as "a soft acoustic love song" that's reminiscent of previous albums Ummagumma and Atom Heart Mother. They went on further, saying: "this second song could not be in more contrast to the first one".[8]

• David Gilmour – double-tracked lead vocals, acoustic and electric guitars, electric and acoustic slide guitars, pedal steel guitar
• Richard Wright – Hammond organ, piano
• Nick Mason – hi-hats
• Roger Waters – fretless bass