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)
Welcome To The Machine
Pink Floyd Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Where have you been?
It's alright we know where you've been
You've been in the pipeline, filling in time
Provided with toys and 'scouting for boys'
You brought a guitar to punish your ma
And you didn't like school, and you
Know you're nobody's fool
Welcome my son, welcome to the machine
What did you dream?
It's alright we told you what to dream
You dreamed of a big star
He played a mean guitar
He always ate in the Steak Bar
He loved to drive in his Jaguar
So welcome to the machine
Welcome to the Machine is a song by Pink Floyd that speaks about the music industry and how it can swallow people up and turn them into mindless machinery. The opening lyrics, "Welcome my son, welcome to the machine, where have you been? It's alright we know where you've been" suggests a controlling force that is aware of the path the person has taken. The line "Fill in the pipeline, filling in time, provided with toys and scouting for boys" indicates the systematic way in which people are groomed by the industry. They are fed trivialities and distractions to keep them occupied and subservient.
The lyrics move on to describe the person's resistance to the machine, their desire to strike out on their own and create a name for themselves through music. The line "You brought a guitar to punish your ma" indicates a rebellious spirit, someone who is unwilling to conform to the stifling environment they have emerged from. The words "And you didn't like school, and you know you're nobody's fool" further emphasise this person's individuality.
The second verse goes on to describe the idealised world that is sold to musicians by the industry. The dream is of a big star, someone who is famous and successful, playing a mean guitar, and loved by everyone. But, as the lyrics suggest, this dream is nothing but an illusion created by the machine. The lines "He always ate in the Steak Bar, he loved to drive in his Jaguar" emphasise the shallow nature of this dream, the material trappings of success rather than the art itself. The song as a whole can be seen as a commentary on the state of modern music, of the dangers of making music a commodity, something to be sold rather than an expression of art and individuality.
Line by Line Meaning
Welcome my son, welcome to the machine
Greeting to the mechanism or system that will take control of you
Where have you been?
Questioning where you have been before entering the system
It's alright we know where you've been
Assuring you that your past is known and irrelevant to your entry into the system
You've been in the pipeline, filling in time
You have been in the process, waiting for the right time to enter into the system
Provided with toys and 'scouting for boys'
You have been given distractions and entertainment as a way to lure you into the system
You brought a guitar to punish your ma
You brought a tool of rebellion to show your frustration with your old life
And you didn't like school, and you
You were dissatisfied with the previous structure and regimen
Know you're nobody's fool
You believe you are clever and independent enough to navigate the system without being tricked
So welcome to the machine
You have arrived at your destination and are now fully immersed in the system
What did you dream?
Asking what you imagined happening before you arrived at the system
It's alright we told you what to dream
Assuring you that your desires were not genuine but implanted by the system
You dreamed of a big star
Your desires and fantasies were focused on fame and adoration
He played a mean guitar
The star used his talents to attain fame and fortune
He always ate in the Steak Bar
The star indulged in luxury and extravagance
He loved to drive in his Jaguar
The star flaunted his success by driving an expensive car
So welcome to the machine
Reiterating that you are now part of the same system that created this dream for you
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: George Roger Waters
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@ozanyank2391
I can't believe that there aren't any comments about this masterpiece.
@user-rs2kf1ck9j
Quite strange