David Gilmour is the only vocalist on the song.
Personnel
David Gilmour - Guitar and Vocals
Roger Waters - Bass
Richard Wright - Organ
Nick Mason - Drums
Cover Version
A cover version of Childhood's End by Becca & Pierre appears on Pink Floyd tribute album A Fair Forgery of Pink Floyd
childhoods end
Pink Floyd Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Perhaps the price is just too steep.
Is your conscience at rest
If once put to the test?
You awake with a start
To just the beating of your heart.
Just one man beneath the sky,
Just two ears, just two eyes.
You set sail across the sea
Of long past thoughts and memories.
Childhood's end, your fantasies
Merge with harsh realities.
And then as the sail is hoist,
You find your eyes are growing moist.
All the fears never voiced
Say you have to make your final choice.
Who are you and who am I
To say we know the reason why?
Some are born; some men die
Beneath one infinite sky.
There'll be war, there'll be peace.
But everything one day will cease.
All the iron turned to rust;
All the proud men turned to dust.
And so all things, time will mend.
So this song will end.
Pink Floyd's "Childhood's End" tells the tale of a journey from childhood to adulthood and the harsh realities of life that arise during this transition. The lyrics suggest that as one navigates the complexities of life, they become more acutely aware of the toll it takes on their psyche. The chorus "Childhood's end, your fantasies merge with harsh realities" encapsulates this sentiment.
The song seems to question the notion of morality and what it means to do the right thing. The line "Is your conscience at rest/ if once put to the test?" suggests that morality is subjective and varies from individual to individual. The song ends on a bleak note, acknowledging that everything is temporary and that ultimately, all things will come to an end.
Line by Line Meaning
You shout in your sleep.
You cry out unconsciously while you slumber.
Perhaps the price is just too steep.
Maybe the cost you're paying is too high.
Is your conscience at rest
Are you at peace with yourself
If once put to the test?
If you were put to the ultimate trial?
You awake with a start
You suddenly become alert.
To just the beating of your heart.
To the sound of your heartbeat only.
Just one man beneath the sky,
There is only one person on this planet beneath the sky.
Just two ears, just two eyes.
Humans possess only two ears and two eyes.
You set sail across the sea
You embark on a journey across the ocean.
Of long past thoughts and memories.
Full of bygone memories and recollections.
Childhood's end, your fantasies
The end of your innocent childhood dreams.
Merge with harsh realities.
Intertwining with the brutal truth of life.
And then as the sail is hoist,
As the sail is raised up high,
You find your eyes are growing moist.
You feel tears welling up in your eyes.
All the fears never voiced
All the fears that you couldn't express
Say you have to make your final choice.
Implying you have to make the ultimate decision.
Who are you and who am I
Questioning your and my identity.
To say we know the reason why?
To be certain about the purpose of life.
Some are born; some men die
The natural cycle of birth and death.
Beneath one infinite sky.
Under the endlesness of one infinite sky.
There'll be war, there'll be peace.
There will be both conflict and harmony.
But everything one day will cease.
But in the end, everything will come to an end.
All the iron turned to rust;
Even the strongest things will corrode in time.
All the proud men turned to dust.
Over time, even the proudest of men will perish.
And so all things, time will mend.
Time is the ultimate healer, it has the power to cure.
So this song will end.
The conclusion of the song.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: DAVE GILMOUR
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@josephbarbarie7805
Actually -- gonna disagree with you Mason's playing here. First of all, this is an amazing song, and yes, it is one of PF's most overlooked.
HOWEVER -- Mason inadvertently uses a "shuffle" timing on some fills -- where he inserts tom-toms in between the accented set of chords which end the verse, G major, D major, A minor. The song clearly has a "straight 16th note" feel -- listen to the very beginning, where there's the keyboard and very subtle beat (I think it's either a guitar low E, or a bass), that is very obviously a straight row of 16th notes. Also, listen to Dave's rhythm playing during the verse -- also very straight, if slightly syncopated, 16ths.
By applying a "swung" feel in those fills, Mason makes the beat indeterminate -- and this is problem of sub-division You can't insert triplets into a song that has already been subdivided as straight 16ths. You might be able to do it if the subdivision were only 8ths, or quarters, but not when the beat so clearly insists on straight 16ths. The listener's ear isn't sure if this is an attempt to "drag" the rhythm, or compress it. In fact, what's funny, is that in some of those "fills," he actually gets the 16th sub correct -- and it sounds much cleaner, and more rhythmically "alert," or "tense" (which is what you want). Fills should push a song from section-to-section, not distract from its progress.
I realize some people will say, "this is all a matter of feel." Sorry, nope. It's just incorrect.
Okay -- let the flame war begin.
@KC-kw7ii
I really think Obscured by Clouds is their most overlooked album. Every single piece of this album is magic.
@franciscomontoya6039
And the film is a piece of art
@tamaskerekes2186
yep, nearly as good as the Dark Side. its just not as monumental, but technically so brilliant imo. i love it
@azulim030
You could say it's quite "obscure" ?
@lawrence-yx1ew
meddle is around the same level of underrated but still just as good
@70hemi666
It's too bad it was over shadowed by dark side of the moon.
@RyanBedlack
Most underrated Pink Floyd song ever!
@frankbeltran2688
your profile Picture too
@RyanBedlack
Owl Thanks!
@paulorafaellamim3117
not by me