Hey You
Michael Kamen; Pink Floyd; Bob Ezrin Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Getting lonely, getting old
Can you feel me?
Hey you, standing in the aisles
With itchy feet and fading smiles
Can you feel me?
Hey you, don't help them to bury the light
Don't give in without a fight
Hey you out there on your own
Sitting naked by the phone
Would you touch me?
Hey you with you ear against the wall
Waiting for someone to call out
Would you touch me?
Hey you, would you help me to carry the stone?
Open your heart, I'm coming home
But it was only fantasy
The wall was too high
As you can see
No matter how he tried
He could not break free
And the worms ate into his brain
Hey you, out there on the road
Always doing what you're told
Can you help me?
Hey you, out there beyond the wall
Breaking bottles in the hall
Can you help me?
Hey you, don't tell me there's no hope at all
Together we stand, divided we fall
Hey You by Pink Floyd is a thought-provoking song that speaks of the universal human experience of loneliness and the longing for connection. The song begins by addressing the listener, who is portrayed as being isolated and alone. The lyrics evoke a sense of empathy between the listener and the singer, encouraging the listener to 'feel' the emotions that the singer is expressing. The song then moves on to explore different scenarios where the characters in the song are going through similar experiences. The lyrics suggest that even when surrounded by people, we can still feel alone and disconnected. The song ends on a hopeful note, with the singer asking for help and offering a sense of unity by saying "together we stand, divided we fall".
One of the key themes in Hey You is the idea of building walls around ourselves to protect us from the outside world. The wall is a metaphor for the emotional barriers that we put up to guard ourselves from hurt and rejection. The lyrics suggest that we can become trapped behind these walls, unable to connect with others, and can lead to feelings of loneliness and despair. However, the chorus of the song reminds us that there is always hope for connection and that by coming together, we can break down these walls and support each other.
Line by Line Meaning
Hey you, out there in the cold
Are you, who are out in the world destitute and without direction, aware of my existence and support?
Getting lonely, getting old
As time passes, are you losing hope and feeling left behind by the world?
Can you feel me?
Am I able to offer you comfort and assurance through my presence and support?
Hey you, standing in the aisles
Are you, who are stuck in your daily routine and disconnected from the world, aware that I am reaching out to you?
With itchy feet and fading smiles
Are you growing restless and tired of living day-to-day without purpose or joy?
Can you feel me?
Am I able to offer you a sense of connection and belonging?
Hey you, don't help them to bury the light
Don't let outside pressures and expectations snuff out your own inner light and potential.
Don't give in without a fight
Don't surrender to the negativity and despair that can come with the struggles of life.
Hey you out there on your own
Are you experiencing the isolation and fear that comes with facing life's challenges alone?
Sitting naked by the phone
Are you feeling vulnerable and exposed as you wait for a response or a sign of hope?
Would you touch me?
If I were to offer you my own vulnerability and openness, would you be willing to reciprocate?
Hey you with your ear against the wall
Are you listening for a signal of hope and a way out of your current circumstances?
Waiting for someone to call out
Hoping for a savior to rescue you from your struggles and offer you a way out.
Would you touch me?
If I were to offer you my own vulnerability and openness, would you be willing to reciprocate?
Hey you, would you help me to carry the stone?
Will you join me in taking on the burden of life's struggles and supporting one another through the tough times?
Open your heart, I'm coming home
Be open to receiving love and support from others, and know that I am there for you.
But it was only fantasy
The hope and connection we crave can sometimes feel out of reach and unattainable.
The wall was too high
The obstacles and barriers we face can seem insurmountable and impossible to overcome.
As you can see
Our struggles and pain are visible and real, and can take a toll on our mental and emotional wellbeing.
No matter how he tried
Despite our best efforts, we may still struggle to find a way out of our challenges and pain.
He could not break free
Sometimes, the weight and burden of our struggles can feel suffocating and impossible to escape.
And the worms ate into his brain
The emotional toll of our struggles can have a debilitating impact on our mental and emotional health.
Hey you, out there on the road
As you journey through life, are you aware of the others around you who may be struggling as well?
Always doing what you're told
Are you living out your life on autopilot, following the expectations and rules of society without questioning them?
Can you help me?
Will you offer your support and guidance to those who are struggling and searching for hope?
Hey you, out there beyond the wall
Are you able to see past the divisions and barriers that separate us and recognize our shared humanity?
Breaking bottles in the hall
Are you acting out in frustration and despair, searching for an outlet for your pain?
Can you help me?
Will you offer your support and guidance to those who are struggling and searching for hope?
Hey you, don't tell me there's no hope at all
Even in the darkest moments, there is always the possibility of finding hope and light.
Together we stand, divided we fall
We are stronger when we come together and support one another, and weaker when we allow ourselves to be divided by our differences.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Broma 16
Written by: Roger Waters
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
John Jackson
While Piper At the Gates of Dawn comes really close because of its visceral edginess, childhood and rustic whimsy and zaniness mixed with intense far out psychedelic rock, overall I think that Dark Side of the Moon is the most impressive because of its remarkable consistency as an integrated whole combining space rock with the constraints of time, death, insanity, money and war with a multitude of voices expressing the ways in which they try to cope with it. It also operates with a diverse range of musical styles from gospel in Great Gig in the Sky and Eclipse, to jazz and blues while featuring melodic and dynamic rock guitar solos on Time and Money. The inclusion of sound effects also evokes the events of daily life from the mad cap laughs hearkening back to the name of Syd Barrett's solo album, to the ticking of the clocks setting off alarms, to the heart beats while running foreshadowing the line and you run and you run to catch up with the sun but it's sinking in Time. Not to mention the allusion to Syd Barrett again at the very end, "The sun is in tune but the sun is eclipsed by the moon after singing and when the band your in starts playing different tunes, I'll see you on the Dark Side of the Moon. This is a reference to Syd Barrett untuning his guitar on stage and strumming the same chord over and over again while Pink Floyd tries to play a different song. In my opinion, there is a tendency especially on videos and comments to be contrarian by choosing another Pink Floyd album as their best. I have even seen the comments sections of videos in which Dark Side of the Moon isn't even mentioned as the best one time. Certainly, I think everyone is entitled to their opinion, but this defies the opinions expressed in mass polls on line in which Dark Side of the Moon is routinely picked as the best. The divergence in opinion is really intriguing perhaps it speaks to a deep human need to unseat what is perceived as the impeccable best and the ones most outspoken are more likely to express this in comments. I know this is a feeling I often have myself, but in this case the comparative excellence of Dark Side of the Moon has overcome it.
1. Dark Side of the Moon
2. Piper at the Gates of Dawn
3. Meddle
4. Wish You Were Here
5. The Wall
6. Saucerful of Secrets
7. Atom Heart Mother
8. Animals
9. Obscured by Clouds
10. Umma Gumma
11. Division Bell
12. A Momentary Lapse of Reason
13. Final Cut
14. Endless River
15. More
Karabear Comics
There are also the albums I consider honorary Pink Floyd albums: when their solo artists each did an album that felt quite close to the band itself. Of those, the most tenuous is Syd Barrett's (Barrett), because it's one I mainly include to have one of his in the list and overall him going entirely acoustic for his solo stuff does give a quite different sound. But for the other members (well, not Bob Klose, because he was gone before the band even recorded their first proper single and so I don't tend to think of him as a true member), you have Amused to Death (Roger Waters), On an Island (David Gilmour), Broken China (Richard Wright), and Profiles (Nick Mason with Rick Fenn--maybe I think of it as such because Gilmour sings on the album). Of course, each gets at least one album that sounds nothing like Floyd, either (Syd Barrett's The Madcap Laughs, Roger Waters's Ca Ira, David Gilmour's David Gilmour, Richard Wright's Identity as part of the band Zee, and Nick Mason's Fictitious Sports). Closest to remaining consistently Floyd-like in their sound to me is Gilmour.
As to my favorite song and favorite album, that's "Comfortably Numb" and The Wall (coincidentally the song comes off the album). Both spoke to me personally when I listened to them in high school, as I was in the midst of a severe depression, and I could fully relate to building a mental wall to separate oneself from the world, and a sort of numbness you feel towards everything that, while destructive, feels better than actually letting anyone or anything in. I wish tearing it down were as simple as in the album, though (you make the decision to tear it down and it crumbles).
But because I'm long-winded (I have a degree in English and I love Pink Floyd, so yeah, that makes sense), I figured I may as well break down my favorite song off of every Floyd album:
The Piper at the Gates of Dawn - "Bike"
A Saucerful of Secrets - "See-Saw" (I know I'm in the minority, but I like what I like)
More - "Cymbaline"
Ummagumma - "Grantchester Meadows" (though I don't count the live album in this, it should be noted)
Atom Heart Mother - "Atom Heart Mother Suite"
Meddle - "Echoes"
Obscured by Clouds - "Wots... uh the Deal"
The Dark Side of the Moon - "Us and Them"
Wish You Were Here - "Have a Cigar"
Animals - "Pigs (Three Different Ones)"
The Wall - "Comfortably Numb" (as mentioned)
The Final Cut - "Two Suns in the Sunset"
A Momentary Lapse of Reason - "On the Turning Away"
The Division Bell - "High Hopes"
The Endless River - "Louder Than Words"
And the honorary albums, because why not keep going when I'm already posting something too long for anyone to read:
Barrett - "Effervescing Elephant"
Amused to Death - "What God Wants Part I"
On an Island - "Smile"
Broken China - "Breakthrough"
Profiles - "Lie for a Lie"
Lardo
To think Pink Floyd’s name is the “The Megadeaths” in another timeline is insane.
MR. WORLDWIDE
Meggadeaths*
Alonso Arana
The Darkest Timeline, all the members would have had goatees and worn leather
Grug
@Alonso Arana and they would all be evil and travel to the normal timeline to try to cut Roger's arm off with a bonesaw.
Alonso Arana
@Grug it's the only thing that might force a reunion
L. Pietrobon
That name didn't fit them at all
jimmyjambhere
It’s so crazy that they didn’t professionally record any of their concerts from their peak 1973-1977. I still hope that one day we’ll get a full blu ray show from the 1970’s. I just know Waters has something somewhere lol
Thomas Nelson
"As a guitarist and musician, David Gilmour is great. As a lyricist, he is" LMFAO
Fgurs
i know this is part of the whole sentiment of DDD, but i want to point out how much i appreciate this format for existing with the intention of the audience not knowing anything about the band in question. especially with a band as ubiquitous as pink floyd for example, it's embarrassing to be someone interested in music but to have peers find out that you yes indeed in fact have never intentionally listened to a single song from them. so dope to have fun engaging ways to get interested in music but without the snobbery (especially the snobbery i see from rock bros)
Tesseract King
YES THIS THANK YOU. Mic is one of the few music channels I can get really invested in because I never feel like I'm being condescended to because of my very spotty musical experience.