Polly Samson
A novelist and lyricist with a sharp eye for emotional detail, she has shaped the words behind some of Pink Floyd's most poignant later songs.
Born 1962 (age 64)·English writer·Birthday: April 29·Baby Boomers
Biography
Polly Samson's path to writing began in journalism, but it was her keen, literary sensibility that propelled her into fiction and, unexpectedly, into the heart of one of rock's most storied bands. Her debut short story collection, 'Lying in Bed,' announced a writer of psychological acuity and wit. Her personal and creative partnership with David Gilmour of Pink Floyd became a defining element of her public life, leading her to co-write lyrics for his solo work and for Pink Floyd's final studio album, 'The Endless River.' Her novels, including 'The Kindness' and 'A Theatre for Dreamers,' explore complex relationships and social milieus with a precise, often devastating clarity. Samson has navigated the worlds of music and literature not as a mere adjunct, but as a respected artist in her own right, using language to dissect the heart and to give voice to atmospheric, enduring music.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Polly was born in 1962, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Polly Was Born
The biggest hits of 1962
#1 Movie
Lawrence of Arabia
Best Picture
Lawrence of Arabia
#1 TV Show
Beverly Hillbillies
Polly's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1962Born
Cuban Missile Crisis brings the world to the brink
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,800Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Stranger on the Shore" — Acker BilkBest Picture: Lawrence of Arabia
1967Started school
Summer of Love in San Francisco; first Super Bowl
Gas: $0.33/galHome: $14,250Min wage: $1.40/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"To Sir, with Love" — LuluBest Picture: In the Heat of the Night
1975Became a teenager
Fall of Saigon ends the Vietnam War
Gas: $0.57/galHome: $27,600Min wage: $2.10/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Love Will Keep Us Together" — Captain & TennilleBest Picture: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
1978Could drive
First test-tube baby born
Gas: $0.63/galHome: $35,300Min wage: $2.65/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Shadow Dancing" — Andy GibbBest Picture: The Deer Hunter
1980Could vote
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1983Turned 21
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
1992Turned 30
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
2002Turned 40
Euro currency enters circulation
Gas: $1.36/galHome: $137,800Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"How You Remind Me" — NickelbackBest Picture: Chicago
2012Turned 50
Curiosity rover lands on Mars; Sandy Hook shooting
Gas: $3.64/galHome: $143,200Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Somebody That I Used to Know" — GotyeBest Picture: Argo
2022Turned 60
Russia invades Ukraine; Queen Elizabeth II dies
Gas: $3.97/galHome: $348,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"As It Was" — Harry StylesBest Picture: Everything Everywhere All at Once
2026Age 64 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Published several acclaimed novels, including 'The Kindness' and the bestselling 'A Theatre for Dreamers.'
- Co-wrote lyrics for the majority of songs on Pink Floyd's 2014 album 'The Endless River.'
- Authored lyrics for multiple David Gilmour solo albums, including 'On an Island' and 'Rattle That Lock.'
- Her debut book, the short story collection 'Lying in Bed,' was published to strong critical reviews.
Did You Know?
She worked as a press officer for the publisher Jonathan Cape early in her career.
Samson is a passionate advocate for hedgehog conservation in the UK.
She is a stepmother to David Gilmour's children from his first marriage and the couple have children together.
Her novel 'A Theatre for Dreamers' is set on the Greek island of Hydra in the 1960s, a place with personal significance.
“The truth is rarely pure and never simple, especially in families.”
