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The 1971 Pink Floyd song that contains a sincere moment of sacrilege: “It’s very powerful”
Pink Floyd's 1971 track "Fearless," from the album Meddle, opens and closes with a recording of Liverpool FC's Kop Choir singing "You'll Never Walk Alone" – a choice drummer Nick Mason later described as feeling like "sacrilege" given bassist Roger Waters' devotion to rival club Arsenal. Despite the tension, the band judged the chant too powerful to leave out, and it became a defining touch on a song made during a transitional period as Pink Floyd worked to establish their identity after the departure of Syd Barrett.
Mason told Songfacts in 2022 that using an opposing team's chant felt wrong for the "north London guys" in the band, but that the raw power of the Kop Choir's sound won out. The chant has since become widely read as a symbol of unity beyond football tribalism, reflecting the band's growing confidence in blending real-world sound effects with their music. Meddle marked a turning point for Pink Floyd, who entered 1972 with fresh assurance, going on to record the La Vallée soundtrack before beginning work on The Dark Side of the Moon.
In short
- "Fearless" features Liverpool fans' "You'll Never Walk Alone" chant, not Arsenal's
- Bassist Roger Waters was a devoted Arsenal supporter
- The song reflected Pink Floyd's growing confidence after Syd Barrett's exit
Explained simply
Pink Floyd were a British rock band whose early frontman and songwriter, Syd Barrett, left in 1968. The remaining members, including drummer Nick Mason and bassist Roger Waters, spent the following years developing a new sound and identity.
“Fearless” appeared on the band’s 1971 album Meddle. Its use of Liverpool football supporters singing “You’ll Never Walk Alone” was striking because Waters supported Arsenal, a rival club; the recording’s force led the band to keep it.
Meddle helped establish the direction Pink Floyd would take in the years that followed, before they made The Dark Side of the Moon. The song also shows how sounds from outside the studio could become part of the band’s music.