The album was released in 1988 as a double LP, double cassette, and a double CD, each format containing a slightly different track listing. The album includes many works from A Momentary Lapse of Reason as well as tracks from older Pink Floyd albums. The double LP release did not have "Us and Them" on the track listing. Both the double LP and the double cassette had "Wish You Were Here" between "Another Brick in the Wall " and "Comfortably Numb". Although David Gilmour stated around the time of its release and on a radio interview in 1992 that the album contained no studio overdubbing whatsoever, he embellished the tracks during mixing with some extra acoustic guitar on "Comfortably Numb", according to engineer Buford Jones. In addition, some harmonies were replaced by studio re-takes: Richard Wright re-did his vocal on "Time" and Sam Brown replaced Rachel Fury's part in "Comfortably Numb" but the rest of the album is as performed at the shows. Along with A Collection of Great Dance Songs, Delicate Sound of Thunder was reissued on 180g heavyweight vinyl LP in November 2017. Its artwork replicates that of the original 1988 LP release. An expanded version of the live album was included in The Later Years 1987–2019box set in 2019, including performances omitted from the original release due to the limitations of vinyl records. Previously unreleased tracks include "Signs of Life," "One Slip," "A New Machine ", "Terminal Frost", "A New Machine ", and "Welcome to the Machine". This reissue marks the first official release of Pink Floyd playing a live version of "Welcome to the Machine." All tracks were remixed for the 2019 reissue.
Commercial performance
Delicate Sound of Thunder reached #11 on the Billboard 200 and is currently listed as Triple Platinum in U.S. sales — it was certified Gold and Platinum on 23 January 1989 and Triple Platinum in April 1997. In Canada, it was #57 in the 1989 year-end chart.
Delicate Sound of Thunder became the first album to be played in space, as Soviet cosmonauts took it aboard Soyuz TM-7. David Gilmour and Nick Mason attended the mission's launch.
Track listing
CD
LP edition
Cassette
Songs omitted from the album
The concerts also featured the following songs which were not included on the album:
"Signs of Life" *
"A New Machine"
"Terminal Frost"
"On the Run" *
"The Great Gig in the Sky" *
"Welcome to the Machine"
"One Slip" *
Songs with asterisk are included in the video version.
2019 reissue
Delicate Sound of Thunder was reissued on CD on 13 December 2019 as part of the box set The Later Years 1987–2019 along with the film of the same name. The album has been remixed and remastered and includes tracks omitted from the original 1988 release. There are no current plans for a standalone release. In the 2019 remix, the songs "Sorrow", "On the Turning Away" and "Comfortably Numb" have longer guitar solos by Gilmour than in the 1988 original; "The Dogs of War" has a longer intro; "Money" has been condensed, removing Guy Pratt's bass solo and the female a cappella section; "Another Brick in the Wall " has extra elements, taken from 1989 shows, added in - most notably an extra "hey teacher!" between Gilmour's and Renwick's guitar solos; "Us and Them" has a piano added to the intro; much of the echo has been removed from Wallis' electronic drums during "Learning to Fly"; and "Run Like Hell" has an extended intro and now includes Gilmour thanking the audience; "Time" guitar's intro starts sooner within the "tic-tac" than the 1988 original. "Learning to Fly", "Us and Them", and "Run Like Hell" from the 2019 remix are also included in the 2019 compilation albumThe Later Years 1987–2019 Highlights, released on 29 November 2019.
