Us and Them
PINK FLOYD [TRIBUTE] 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 of Pink Floyd's Us & Them depict the tragic reality of war and its devastating effects on ordinary people. The song's title is a symbolic representation of contrasting sides that exist in society. "Us" and "them" represent polar opposite groups that are distinguished from each other based on their cultural, societal, and political differences. The song portrays the pain and suffering that soldiers go through during a war, and how civilians are caught in the middle of it. The lyrics "And after all, we're only ordinary men, me, and you. God only knows, it's not what we would choose to do" signify the common people who do not have a say in war and its decisions, and are forced to go along with them.
The lyrics also reflect on the fact that wars are fought over trivial issues, and people end up losing their lives for things that are not even worth it. The lines "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" are a metaphor for how wars are incited by powerful people who manipulate the sentiments of ordinary people for their own personal gains. The lyrics also comment on how the lines between the enemy and themselves are blurred, and it becomes hard to differentiate between who is who.
Overall, the song Us & Them is a commentary on the futility of war and the need for peace in the world. It portrays the harsh realities of war and how it affects people on both sides.
Line by Line Meaning
Us (us, us, us, us) and them (them, them, them, them)
The separation between us and them is being highlighted.
And after all we're only ordinary men
We're all human and flawed.
Me
And you (you, you, you)
God only knows
The uncertainty of life and the unpredictability of events is being echoed.
It's not what we would choose (choose, choose) to do (to do, to do)
Sometimes we're forced to do things we don't want to do.
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 futility of war and how the soldiers who fight it often have no say in the matter is being conveyed.
Black (black, black, black)
And blue (blue, blue)
The physical and emotional toll of war is being depicted.
And who knows which is which and who is who
In the chaos of war, it's difficult to distinguish friend from foe.
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 cyclical nature of conflict and how it never truly ends is being highlighted.
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
Propaganda and indoctrination can be forms of violence in their own right.
"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?"
The normalization of violence and how it perpetuates itself through societal attitudes is being portrayed.
Down (down, down, down, down)
And out (out, out, out, out)
It can't be helped that there's a lot of it about
There's a lot of violence and suffering in the world and it's difficult to escape it.
With (with, with, with), without
And who'll deny it's what the fighting's all about?
The struggle for power and control is often the root cause of conflict.
Out of the way
It's a busy day
I've got things on my mind
The detachment and apathy that people display towards the suffering of others is being criticized.
For the want of the price
Of tea and a slice
The old man died
The song concludes with a tragic anecdote emphasizing how even the most basic necessities of life can mean the difference between life and death.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Richard William Wright, George Roger Waters
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@DamienMcGuinness
[Segue: Saxophone Solo]
[Verse 1: David Gilmour]
Us and them
And after all
We're only ordinary men
[Verse 2: David Gilmour]
Me and you
God only knows
It's not what we would choose to do
[Chorus: David Gilmour & Richard Wright]
“Forward!” he cried from the rear
And the front rank died
The general sat and the lines on the map
Moved from side to side
[Verse 3: David Gilmour]
Black and blue
And who knows which is which
And who is who?
[Verse 4: David Gilmour]
Up and down
And in the end
It's only round and round, and round
[Chorus: David Gilmour & Richard Wright]
“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”
[Interlude]
I mean, they're not gonna kill ya
So like, if you give 'em a quick short, sharp, shock
They won't do it again
Dig it? I mean, he got off lightly
'Cause I would've given him a thrashing
I only hit him once!
It was only a difference of right and wrong, innit?
But really, I mean good manners don't cost nothing, do they, eh?
[Saxophone Solo]
[Verse 5: David Gilmour]
Down and out
It can't be helped
But there's a lot of it about
[Verse 6: David Gilmour]
With, without
And who'll deny
It's what the fighting's all about?
[Chorus: David Gilmour & Richard Wright]
Out of the way! It's a busy day
I've got things on my mind
For want of the price of tea and a slice
The old man died
@anajuliagalvao4941
Lyrics:
Us (us, us, us, us) and them (them, them, them, them)
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 general sat
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
@tomkohlman8110
I'm 72 now. I bought this album when it came out in 1973. IT NEVER GETS OLD!!! The memories ☮️✌️☮️✌️
@JessicaNyquist37
I am 36 years old, and I am a huge fan of Pink Floyd. My Dad got me listening to them when I was a kid.
@spaghettisauce445
it mustve been amazing hearing all of those ground breaking records being made when you were young, a teen, and a parent
@definitelynotsavathun3859
You are an icon and a legacy unto yourself, do not ever let anyone disparage you
@aryaaditya3043
What a great story
Did you still have the vinyl?
Kinda great if you still have it😊😊
@brianbrown3482
I have the vinyl from when it first cam out, the 8 track, the cassette, and even have CD. The record shows its age, played it what seems like all the time. The music from the "60's and "70's was the greatest soundtrack to grow up with.@@aryaaditya3043
@primobrickhouse
This was the last song my dog and i shared together before he died in my arms. Such a beautiful song.
@r25s_
I hope he is having a joyful time in puppy heaven! ❤
@christianj7440
Beau et triste à la fois.
@MiguelRivera-
Precisamente ahora mi perro la disfruta conmigo, debe de ser algo muy triste. 😢 Lamento tu perdida.