"Crying Song" is from Pink Floyd's 1969 soundtrack album, "Soundtrack from … Read Full Bio ↴"Crying Song" is from Pink Floyd's 1969 soundtrack album, "Soundtrack from the Film More". It was composed by Roger Waters, the bassist.

The song is a lazy pastoral-like ballad, featuring a dreamy vocal delivery by Gilmour. The song was never performed live. It composed similarly to many standard folk ballads, with the only exception being the second chord. It is a D major with a diminished fifth. In this context the D major flat fifth chord has a more dissonant character and lasts for a whole measure. It creates a very dreamy, surreal atmosphere. The song has four verses connected with a unison instrumental interplay of guitar and bass.

It is introduced by a vibraphone played by Richard Wright. The acoustic guitar is played by David Gilmour as well as the final electric guitar solo which is in the beginning very close to the vocal line with some rhythmic variation. It slowly evolves into an own melody line while maintaining its melodic character. This approach is very typical for Gilmour's later style. Roger Waters can be heard on the Fender Precision Bass while Nick Mason is using just the snare drum of his kit.

Crying Song
Pink Floyd Lyrics

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We smile and smile
We smile and smile
Laughter echoes in your eyes

We climb and climb
We climb and climb
Footfalls softly in the pines

We cry and cry
We cry and cry
Sadness passes in a while

We roll and roll

We roll and roll
Help me roll away the stone

Overall Meaning

The song "Crying Song" by Pink Floyd is a reflective piece about the various emotions we experience in life. The opening verse talks about smiling and climbing, it alludes to the idea of climbing the ladder of life - pursuing ambitions and goals - while masking pain with a smile. The line "laughter echoes in your eyes" could refer to the idea of trying to hide sadness or pain with superficial happiness, often seen in social settings. The next verse talks about the physical aspect of climbing, which is depicted as being peaceful - "footfalls softly in the pines" - while still trying to put on a brave front. The third verse speaks of crying and sadness, but it also hints at the fact that these emotions are temporary, "sadness passes in a while." The final verse is much deeper as it talks abut rolling away the stone, possibly alluding to the resurrection of Christ and the removal of spiritual burdens.

The song is open to interpretation and can be seen from different points of view. It could be seen as a commentary on the human experience - the ups and downs, the masks we wear, and the hope that we can overcome life's challenges. It is a powerful reminder that we all cry, we all have moments of sadness, but we can find the strength to roll away the stone and continue moving forward.

Line by Line Meaning

We smile and smile
We put on a happy face despite feeling unhappy

We smile and smile
We pretend everything is okay even though it's not

Laughter echoes in your eyes
You may be laughing on the outside, but your eyes reveal your true feelings

We climb and climb
We continue to make progress, even though it may be difficult

We climb and climb
We strive to reach our goals, despite obstacles in our way

Footfalls softly in the pines
We make quiet and subtle movements as we climb, like walking softly on pine needles

We cry and cry
We release our emotions through tears

We cry and cry
We express sadness and pain in order to heal

Sadness passes in a while
Our sadness and pain is temporarily felt, and eventually subsides

We roll and roll
We continue to move forward, always striving for progress

We roll and roll
We make steady, repetitive movements towards our goals