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)
Take Up Thy Stethescope And Walk
Pink Floyd Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm in bed
Achin' head
Gold is lead
Choke on bread
Underfed
Gold is lead
Jesus bled
Are goon
Grow go
Greasy spoon
You swoon
June bloom
Music seems to help the pain
Seems to cultivate the brain
Doctor kindly tell your wife that
I'm alive, flowers thrive, realize, realize
Realize
The lyrics of "Take Up Thy Stethoscope and Walk" by Pink Floyd are a critique of the medical establishment, particularly the dehumanizing nature of medical practices that prioritize the bottom line over patient care. The opening lines, "Doctor doctor! I'm in bed/ Achin' head," suggest a patient in agony. The lyrics then describe a series of maladies and injustices, like being underfed and choking on bread. The phrase "Gold is lead" invokes the idea of greed overshadowing the good performance of medical practices. The ironic suggestion to "Grow go/ Greasy spoon/ You swoon/ June bloom" implies some sort of sinister conspiracy or secret plot.
The next stanza suggests that music may serve as a palliative, as "Music seems to help the pain/ Seems to cultivate the brain." However, the lyrics don't let the medical establishment off the hook, as the final lines seem to mock the traditional sentimentality of the medical profession: "Doctor kindly tell your wife that/ I'm alive, flowers thrive, realize, realize/ Realize." The singer may be suggesting that the doctor's concern for his wife is misplaced, and that his focus should be on caring for his patients.
Line by Line Meaning
Doctor doctor!
Calling out to a medical professional for help
I'm in bed
The singer is currently resting in bed, likely due to illness
Achin' head
Suffering from a headache, which is causing pain/discomfort
Gold is lead
Metaphorically comparing the value of gold to lead, suggesting that material possessions can weigh one down
Choke on bread
Struggling to swallow food, perhaps due to illness or anxiety
Underfed
Not properly nourished or fed, which could be contributing to the singer's poor health
Jesus bled
Referencing the crucifixion of Jesus, which is often associated with pain and suffering
Pain is red
Describing pain as having a visual color (red), which could symbolize anger, passion, or intensity
Are goon
Unclear what this line means, potentially a nonsensical phrase or reference to something unknown
Grow go
Another unclear line, possibly referring to growth or movement
Greasy spoon
A slang term for a cheap, unclean restaurant
You swoon
To feel faint or lightheaded, often due to strong emotion
June bloom
A phrase indicating the arrival of summer or new growth/freshness
Music seems to help the pain
Suggesting that listening to music can alleviate physical or emotional pain
Seems to cultivate the brain
Metaphorically stating that music can help develop the mind or intellect
Doctor kindly tell your wife that
Asking the doctor to relay a message to their spouse or partner
I'm alive, flowers thrive, realize, realize
Implying that the artist has survived a health scare and is now appreciating life and nature
Realize
An emphasis on the importance of recognizing or acknowledging something
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@RoverT65536
Doctor doctor!
I'm in bed
Achin' head
Gold is lead
Choke on bread
Underfed
Gold is lead
Jesus bled
Pain is red
Are goon
Grow go
Greasy spoon
You swoon
June bloom
Music seems to help the pain
Seems to cultivate the brain
Doctor kindly tell your wife that
I'm alive, flowers thrive, real eyes, realize
Real lies
@casafilms
“Take Up Thy Stethoscope and Walk” (Roger Waters)
Recorded in Studio Three at EMI Studios (renamed Abbey Road Studios in 1969) on a 4 track Studer J37
Syd Barrett: electric rhythm and lead, backing vocals
Roger Waters: vocals, bass
Rick Wright: organ, backing vocals
Nick Mason: drums
Producer: Norman Smith
Sound Engineers: Peter Bown, Norman Smith
Assistant Sound Engineers: Jeff Jarratt, Graham Kirkby
@RazzleDazz72
People hate on this song. To me, it’s heavenly bliss.
@aaronm.1998
Never heard anyone hate on this song. Other than the same people that would hate the entire album.
@Marco_Venieri
@aaronm.1998 hating this album is sign of musical shitty taste. This is the best of pf, period.
@jamesheath7601
This will always be my favourite Pink Floyd album
@thomasbarbour384
somehow I can see that
@jamesheath7601
@@thomasbarbour384 somehow I can see what yours is ;)
@okay9685
The only Pink Floyd album
@jamesheath7601
@@okay9685 💯
@rorogogo6241
Syd Barett's and the profiteers
@dandeo50
Best song on the Album Barrett guitar is insane!