Pink Floyd were founded in 1965 by Syd Barrett (guitar, lead vocals), Nick Mason (drums), Roger Waters (bass guitar, vocals), and Richard Wright (keyboards, vocals). Under Barrett's leadership, they released two charting singles and the successful debut album The Piper at the Gates of Dawn (1967). Guitarist and vocalist David Gilmour joined in December 1967; Barrett left in April 1968 due to deteriorating mental health. Waters became the primary lyricist and thematic leader, devising the concepts behind the band's peak success with the albums The Dark Side of the Moon (1973), Wish You Were Here (1975), Animals (1977) and The Wall (1979). The musical film based on The Wall, Pink Floyd – The Wall (1982), won two BAFTA Awards. Pink Floyd also composed several film scores.
Following personal tensions, Wright left Pink Floyd in 1979, followed by Waters in 1985. Gilmour and Mason continued as Pink Floyd, rejoined later by Wright. They produced two more albums—A Momentary Lapse of Reason (1987) and The Division Bell (1994)—and toured in support of both before entering a long hiatus. In 2005, all but Barrett reunited for a one-off performance at the global awareness event Live 8. Barrett died in 2006, and Wright in 2008. The last Pink Floyd studio album, The Endless River (2014), was based on unreleased material from the Division Bell recording sessions. In 2022, Gilmour and Mason reformed Pink Floyd to release the song "Hey, Hey, Rise Up!" in protest of the Russo-Ukrainian War.
By 2013, Pink Floyd had sold more than 250 million records worldwide, making them one of the best-selling music artists of all time. The Dark Side of the Moon and The Wall were inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame, and these albums and Wish You Were Here are among the best-selling albums of all time. Four Pink Floyd albums topped the US Billboard 200, and five topped the UK Album Chart. Pink Floyd's hit singles include "See Emily Play" (1967), "Money" (1973), "Another Brick in the Wall, Part 2" (1979), "Not Now John" (1983), "On the Turning Away" (1987) and "High Hopes" (1994). They were inducted into the US Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1996 and the UK Music Hall of Fame in 2005. In 2008, Pink Floyd were awarded the Polar Music Prize in Sweden for their contribution to modern music.
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pink_Floyd
Studio albums
The Piper at the Gates of Dawn (1967)
A Saucerful of Secrets (1968)
More (1969)
Ummagumma (1969)
Atom Heart Mother (1970)
Meddle (1971)
Obscured by Clouds (1972)
The Dark Side of the Moon (1973)
Wish You Were Here (1975)
Animals (1977)
The Wall (1979)
The Final Cut (1983)
A Momentary Lapse of Reason (1987)
The Division Bell (1994)
The Endless River (2014)
Afternoon
Pink Floyd Lyrics
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You well heeled big wheel, ha ha, charade you are
And when your hand is on your heart
You're nearly a good laugh
Almost a joker
With your head down in the pig bin
Saying "Keep on diggin'"
Pig stain on your fat chin
There in the pig mine
You're nearly a laugh
You're nearly a laugh
But you're really a cry
Bus stop rat bag, ha ha, charade you are
You fucked up old hag, ha ha, charade you are
You radiate cold shafts of broken glass
You're nearly a good laugh
Almost worth a quick grin
You like the feel of steel
You're hot stuff with a hat pin
And good fun with a hand gun
You're nearly a laugh
You're nearly a laugh
But you're really a cry
Hey you White House, ha ha, charade you are
You house proud town mouse, ha ha, charade you are
You're trying to keep our feelings off the street
You're nearly a real treat
All tight lips and cold feet
I know you feel abused
You gotta stem the evil tide
And keep it all on the inside
Mary you're nearly a treat
Mary you're nearly a treat
But you're really a cry
The lyrics of Pink Floyd's "Afternoon" are a satirical commentary on the hypocrisy and insincerity of people in power who claim to be true to themselves and their values, yet are willing to engage in corrupt and immoral behavior for their own gain. The first verse addresses a "big man" with wealth and influence, who presents himself as a respectable and trustworthy person. However, his actions reveal him to be a charade, a joke, and a liar. He lowers himself to the level of a pig, saying "keep on diggin'," as he searches for something in the dirt. The imagery used here suggests that he is willing to do whatever it takes, even to act like an animal, to attain his goals. The repetition of "you're nearly a laugh but you're really a cry" at the end of each verse emphasizes the idea that the person in question is not to be taken seriously.
The second verse describes a "bus stop rat bag" and an "old hag" who are also trying to present themselves in a positive light, but their true selves are revealed by their "cold shafts of broken glass" and their fondness for violence. The third verse addresses the White House, as a symbol of the government and those in power, who are pretending to care about their constituents while actually repressing their emotions and desires. The repeated use of "ha ha, charade you are" throughout the song further emphasizes the idea that these individuals are not to be taken seriously, as their actions and behavior contradict their words.
Overall, "Afternoon" is a commentary on the dishonesty and corruption that can be found in people with power, and urges the listener to question the sincerity of those around them.
Line by Line Meaning
Big man, pig man, ha ha, charade you are, oh
You are a big, wealthy and powerful man who uses his position to exploit others for personal gain. Your behavior is laughable and insincere.
You well heeled big wheel, ha ha, charade you are
You are a well-dressed and influential person who is put up on a pedestal but in reality, you are just a sham.
And when your hand is on your heart
When you make promises to do better and be sincere, everyone around you knows you are lying.
You're nearly a good laugh
When you try to be funny or try to connect with people, you are only nearly successful.
Almost a joker
Your attempts at humor fall flat and only make you look foolish.
With your head down in the pig bin
You are willing to stoop to the lowest level to dig up dirt on others, even if it means getting your hands dirty.
Saying 'Keep on diggin'
You encourage others to continue to engage in unethical behavior and dig up dirt on anyone who opposes you.
Pig stain on your fat chin
You are caught up in your own greed and immorality, and it shows on your face.
What do you hope to find?
What do you seek by continuing a cycle of unethical and immoral behavior?
There in the pig mine
In the midst of all this immoral behavior, what do you expect to find?
Bus stop rat bag, ha ha, charade you are
You are a lowlife, who cannot be trusted and is always involved in meaningless drama.
You fucked up old hag, ha ha, charade you are
Your behavior is despicable and you are a sham of an old lady.
You radiate cold shafts of broken glass
The energy you give off is negative and harsh, as if it were sharp, broken glass that cuts through people's emotions.
You're nearly a good laugh
People try to make light of you or the situation you create to cope with how ridiculous it is.
Almost worth a quick grin
You might garner a smile or brief moment of amusement , but it's not anything of significance.
You like the feel of steel
You enjoy the idea of being powerful and controlling, and weaponry seems to be an extension of that.
You're hot stuff with a hat pin
You believe that you are an impressive and powerful person, but in reality, you are actually quite shallow and ridiculous.
And good fun with a hand gun
You use violence to express yourself and believe that it is entertaining or thrilling.
Hey you White House, ha ha, charade you are
You, who are in power or political positions, are complete fakes and your actions and words are a façade.
You house proud town mouse, ha ha, charade you are
You are an upwardly mobile person, with a high regard for superficiality and material objects, and all of it is a lie.
You're trying to keep our feelings off the street
You work hard to keep tensions and emotions buried and contained for the sake of public appearances.
You're nearly a real treat
You behave in ways that appear kind or caring, but it is only a facade.
All tight lips and cold feet
Your behavior is cautious and calculated, afraid of repercussions of the truth getting out.
I know you feel abused
Despite the negative emotions and treatment swirling around you, you are a victim of the circumstances as well.
You gotta stem the evil tide
You try to slow down the spreading of negative behavior and emotions, but none of your efforts have been effective.
And keep it all on the inside
All of your efforts to right the unethical actions of others are not visible to outsiders.
Mary you're nearly a treat
You are a delight and a welcome intrusion into the negative atmosphere oppressive us.
Mary you're nearly a treat
Your actions and words cause a positive shift in the atmosphere, but it isn't enough to stop the underlying negative emotions.
But you're really a cry
While you might appear one way or try to fake a certain emotion, you are truly upset or feeling something else completely.
Contributed by Kaylee I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Thang Leminh
on Wearing the Inside Out
Trần trụi dễ thương....
Thang Leminh
on Hey You
Tôi yêu PinkPloyd