Us and Them
Flamming Lips/Pink Floyd Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And after all we're only ordinary men
Me
And you (you, you, you)
God only knows
It's not what we would choose (choose, choose) to do (to do, to do)
Forward he cried from the rear
And the front rank died
And the lines on the map
Moved from side to side
Black (black, black, black)
And blue (blue, blue)
And who knows which is which and who is who
Up (up, up, up, up)
And down (down, down, down, down)
And in the end it's only round 'n round (round, round, round)
Haven't you heard it's a battle of words
The poster bearer cried
"Listen son", said the man with the gun
There's room for you inside
"I mean, they're not gonna kill ya
So if you give 'em a quick short, sharp, shock
They won't do it again. Dig it?
I mean he get off lightly, 'cause I would've given him a thrashing
I only hit him once! It was only a difference of opinion, but really
I mean good manners don't cost nothing do they, eh?"
Down (down, down, down, down)
And out (out, out, out, out)
It can't be helped that there's a lot of it about
With (with, with, with), without
And who'll deny it's what the fighting's all about?
Out of the way
It's a busy day
I've got things on my mind
For the want of the price
Of tea and a slice
The old man died
The lyrics to "Us and Them" by The Flaming Lips/Pink Floyd deal with the idea of conflict between groups of people. The phrase "Us and Them" is repeated throughout the song, highlighting the divide between different groups of individuals. The lyrics suggest that despite these differences, everyone is just an ordinary person, and no one really wants to be in conflict. The line "Me and you, God only knows, it's not what we would choose to do" suggests that people are often forced into conflict due to circumstances beyond their control.
The song takes a critical view of war, as the lyrics describe soldiers on opposite sides of a battlefield fighting and dying while the leaders sit back and watch. The line "Forward he cried from the rear, and the front rank died, and the general sat, and the lines on the map moved from side to side" emphasizes this point. The lyrics also suggest that war is often a battle of words, with propaganda posters and slogans meant to inspire people to fight.
The ending of the song takes a poignant turn, as the lyrics talk about an old man who has died for want of the price of tea and a slice. This line is meant to illustrate the senselessness of war, and the fact that people often suffer and die for reasons that seem small and insignificant.
Line by Line Meaning
Us (us, us, us, us) and them (them, them, them, them)
The division between 'us' and 'them', the groups involved in some conflict, is highlighted.
And after all we're only ordinary men
Both sides of the conflict are made up of regular people, who can be flawed and make mistakes.
Me
And you (you, you, you)
Individual people within each group are being addressed, emphasizing the humanity of each person.
God only knows
The motivations and reasons behind the conflict are uncertain or unclear.
It's not what we would choose (choose, choose) to do (to do, to do)
This situation may not have been the desired outcome for either 'us' or 'them'.
Forward he cried from the rear
And the front rank died
And the general sat
And the lines on the map
Moved from side to side
The people making the decisions (the general) are often not the ones being affected (the front rank). The outcome of the conflict is shifting (the lines on the map are moving), and the impact of the decisions is misaligned with the perspective of the decision-makers.
Black (black, black, black)
And blue (blue, blue)
Both sides are experiencing pain and loss, and it is not always clear which others are suffering.
And who knows which is which and who is who
The lines between 'us' and 'them' may not be clearly drawn, with people switching allegiances or having loyalties to multiple groups.
Up (up, up, up, up)
And down (down, down, down, down)
And in the end it's only round 'n round (round, round, round)
The cycle of conflict, with victory and defeat shifting between 'us' and 'them', seems to be an endless, futile pattern.
Haven't you heard it's a battle of words
The poster bearer cried
"Listen son", said the man with the gun
There's room for you inside
The motivations and ideologies behind the conflict are fought through rhetoric and propaganda. However, it is ultimately backed up with brute force and violence, and the man with the gun tries to convince others to join by force.
"I mean, they're not gonna kill ya
So if you give 'em a quick short, sharp, shock
They won't do it again. Dig it?
I mean he get off lightly, 'cause I would've given him a thrashing
I only hit him once! It was only a difference of opinion, but really
I mean good manners don't cost nothing do they, eh?"
Those in power justify their violent actions as necessary, and can mislead others into thinking that violence is the only solution to their problems. This anecdote shows how senseless and hypocritical their justifications can be.
Down (down, down, down, down)
And out (out, out, out, out)
It can't be helped that there's a lot of it about
The violence and loss from the conflict cannot be ignored or avoided-- its impact is everywhere.
With (with, with, with), without
And who'll deny it's what the fighting's all about?
Motivations for the conflict involve differences between those with power and those without, and it is often rooted in inequality or injustice.
Out of the way
It's a busy day
I've got things on my mind
The blind busyness of modern life and daily affairs sometimes makes people forget about the harm that the conflict is causing.
For the want of the price
Of tea and a slice
The old man died
The simple desires and needs of the vulnerable and marginalized are often the main casualties of wars and conflicts, making their lives cheaper than tea and other luxuries.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Richard William Wright, George Roger Waters
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind