Fearless
Pink_Floyd Lyrics
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Chiding
You say you'd like to see me try
Climbing
You pick the place and I'll choose the time
And I'll climb the hill in my own way
Just wait a while for the right day
And as I rise above the treeline and the clouds
Fearlessly the idiot faced the crowd
Smiling
Merciless, the magistrate turns 'round
Frowning
And who's the fool who wears the crown?
Go down in your own way
And everyday is the right day
And as you rise above the fear lines in his brow
You look down
Hear the sound of the faces in the crowd
(Walk on, walk on, with hope in your heart)
(And you'll never walk alone)
(You'll never walk alone)
(Liverpool! Liverpool!)
The lyrics of Pink Floyd's song Fearless address the issue of facing challenges and obstacles in life with determination and hope. The song starts with someone suggesting that the hill is too steep to climb, to which the singer responds by claiming that they will climb it in their own way and at the right time. The following lines, "And as I rise above the treeline and the clouds, I look down hearing the sound of the things you said today," suggest that the singer has surpassed the naysayer's doubts and negative words.
The second verse of the song introduces the idea of facing the judgment and criticism of others fearlessly. The line "fearlessly the idiot faced the crowd, smiling" suggests that the person being judged is not afraid of the negative words and reactions of others. The line "And who's the fool who wears the crown?" implies that the one who judges may not necessarily be above reproach. The last lines "Walk on, walk on, with hope in your heart, and you'll never walk alone," suggest that hope and determination are key to overcoming fear and doubt and that we are never truly alone in this journey.
Overall, the lyrics of Fearless encourage listeners to persevere, fight against doubt and criticism, and walk through life with hope and determination.
Line by Line Meaning
You say the hill's too steep to climb
You're telling me I can't achieve my goals
You say you'd like to see me try
You don't think I'm capable, but you want to see me fail
You pick the place and I'll choose the time
You think you have control, but I'll choose when to take action
And I'll climb the hill in my own way
I'll achieve what I want without your help or advice
Just wait a while for the right day
I'll choose the right timing for my actions
And as I rise above the treeline and the clouds
As I achieve my goals and go beyond what you thought was possible
I look down hearing the sound of the things you said today
I hear your doubts and criticisms as I prove you wrong
Fearlessly the idiot faced the crowd
Someone who others may think is foolish or naive is standing up to criticism
Smiling
Showing strength and confidence despite harsh judgment
Merciless, the magistrate turns 'round
The harsh critic or authority figure is watching
Frowning
Showing disapproval of the person standing up to them
And who's the fool who wears the crown?
The person with power may be foolish or misguided
Go down in your own way
Achieve your goals without being swayed by the opinions of others
And everyday is the right day
You can take action toward your dreams whenever you choose
And as you rise above the fear lines in his brow
As you conquer your fears and prove your doubters wrong
You look down
Reflecting on your journey and success
Hear the sound of the faces in the crowd
Acknowledging the opinions of others, even if you don't let them dictate your life
(Walk on, walk on, with hope in your heart)
Keep moving forward with optimism
(And you'll never walk alone)
Remember that you have support
(You'll never walk alone)
You'll always have someone or something to rely on
(Liverpool! Liverpool!)
A reference to the English football club Liverpool and their song, 'You'll Never Walk Alone', which inspires hope and solidarity
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: David Jon Gilmour, Roger Waters
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
W H
Lyrics
You say the hill's too steep to climb
Chiding
You say you'd like to see me try
Climbing
You pick the place and I'll choose the time
And I'll climb the hill in my own way
Just wait a while for the right day
And as I rise above the treeline and the clouds
I look down hearing the sound of the things you said today
Fearlessly, the idiot faced the crowd
Smiling
Merciless, the magistrate turns 'round
Frowning
And who's the fool who wears the crown?
Go down in your own way
And everyday is the right day
And as you rise above the fear lines in his brow
You look down
Hear the sound of the faces in the crowd
Source music match
Sissel
[Verse 1]
You say the hill’s too steep to climb
Chiding
You say you’d like to see me try
Climbing
You pick the place and I’ll choose the time
[Chorus 1]
And I will climb that hill in my own way
Just wait a while for the right day
And as I rise above the tree line and the clouds
I look down, hearing the sound of the things you’ve said today
[Verse 2]
Fearlessly the idiot faced the crowd
Smiling
Merciless the magistrate turns ’round
Frowning
And who’s the fool who wears the crown?
[Chorus 2]
And go down in your own way
And every day is the right day
And as you rise above the fear-lines in his brow
You look down, hearing the sound of the faces in the crowd
James Festini
I had to share this Analysis of Fearless - arguably my favorite Pink Floyd song only just discovered today after years of Diving into Pink (Really just The Wall and whole lot of ..you know) Yet never enough knowledge or time to really appreciate it!
Fearless is one of Pink Floyd's most overlooked songs. The track comes from the album Meddle, one of Pink Floyd's most experimental and complete works. This period in Pink Floyd's musical career is certainly an interesting one - it was after Syd Barrett's departure; it was before Waters' dictatorial ego fragmented the band; and it was before the mainstream breakout of Dark Side of the Moon. Indeed, it was a time where Floyd had a fervent creative and artistic drive to be the best, most accomplished rock band in the world. There were no limits here other than the sky.
Whilst Meddle is largely known for the twenty-three minute magnum-opus Echoes, the album also spawned a (then) uncharacteristically quiet, slow-burning track that also happens to be one of the most radical and subversive works in all of Floyd's catalog. That song is Fearless, and it is more meaningful now than perhaps ever before.
Let's take a closer look at it, shall we? We will break it down section-by-section.
The song begins with the following:
You say the hill's too steep to climb Chiding You say you'd like to see me try Climbing
This sets up the philosophical principles of the song. Essentially, we are being told that the protagonist of the song can not climb a hill because it is, apparently, too steep. Of course, the hill is metaphorical here - it is not literally a hill, but a symbol of doing something that nobody around you (whether it be your family, your community or even society at large) believes you can do or believes you should do. They 'chid' (i.e., express disapproval of) the idea. Rather, you are expected to be complacent and subservient just like everybody else, and not follow your inner-ambitions or convictions. Just conform, essentially.
You pick the place and I'll choose the time. And I'll climb the hill in my own way Just wait a while, for the right day
These lyrics will become particularly salient as the analysis of the song continues. Here, the protagonist of this song decides to take the challenge to climb the hill...but he is still somewhat doubtful and ambivalent. While he agrees to challenge himself by climbing the hill in his 'own way', he still wants somebody else (i.e., an authoritative figure, perhaps, in his family, community or society) to pick the place. And if the place is indeed set, he wants to 'wait a while' for the 'right day'.
So, what is being said here? The person we are following in this song is beginning to become an individual, beginning to stand by his convictions, beginning to perhaps not conform to the values and doctrines set by those around him. But he has not fully evolved yet on a philosophical level. He is still hesitant and he is still doubting his prospective actions. He wants to wait a while because he is not yet set to do the very thing that will clearly undermine and subvert those around him.
It is this thought that indeed many dissenters across world history have presumably encountered. Is taking the risk worth it? Am I willing to risk everything based on my convictions and personal philosophy? Or should I just continue the way I am? It represents a state of indecision.
And as I rise above the treeline and the clouds I look down hearing the sound of the things you said today
Rising above the treeline and the clouds is, once again, metaphorical. Here, it represents the protagonist of the song standing fully by his convictions and taking a radical risk, probably at the expense of ostracism, condemnation and social sanctions. Yet what Pink Floyd is saying here is really quite beautiful and inspiring - it is above the treeline and clouds where all the dissidents and subversives go when they decide to do what they believe is true. This section of the song has some subtle Christian symbol, denoting heaven as a place where all the true dissidents will go. I don't mean to say that Pink Floyd are referencing heaven in a Christian context, per-se, but more subscribing to the idea that up above the clouds, up in the sky, is a place where the 'good one's' go. And, in this case, the good are indeed those who stand by their convictions and do not remain subservient to oppression or immoral wrongdoing. This is very important to Floyd, and it is consistent across much of their work.
Fearlessly the idiot faced the crowd, smiling Merciless, the magistrate turns 'round, frowning
We have reached a period in the song where our protagonist has clearly decided to take actions into his own hands. He is now being socially sanctioned and punished for it. Perhaps he was a political dissident or whistle blower? Maybe he was somebody who lived in an oppressive society and decided to courageously speak out against the state? Or perhaps he did something that was not lawful and law-abiding?
The song refers to the protagonist as an 'idiot'. This is interesting. It is clearly being used in a sardonic context here. The dissenter is labeled as an idiot by society, not by Floyd. When we look at some of the most eccentric and non-conformist individuals in world history, they have often been out-casted and marginalized in their time as weird, stupid, or, indeed, idiotic.
The protagonist smiles at the crowd. To me, this shows that this dissident or social misfit is somebody well ahead of his time. The smile is a fearless one, but also probably a snarky one. He has no fear being persecuted or sanctioned because he believes that his actions, his convictions, his principles are right and for the greater good. He refuses to be seen as an example of the state or some authoritative institution.
Indeed, showing fear and vulnerability when persecuted is what any authority entity wants. This is because it dissuades others not to do the same thing. But the dissident in the song refuses to show his fear. Consequently, the 'magistrate', clearly the embodiment of authority, is frowning mercilessly. All figures of authority detest subversive individuals who undermine their power and status.
And who's the fool who wears the crown Go down in your own way And everyday is the right day And as you rise above the fear lines in his brown You look down Hear the sound of the faces in the crowd
Here, the dissident has made the evolution and development that initially impeded him earlier on in the song. If you recall, the dissident originally wanted to 'wait a while for the right day' before he did what he did. This was because he was hesitant and doubtful. But now, 'everyday is the right day' to, yep, you guessed it, 'go down in your own way'. He no longer feels constrained or restricted. He is fully empowered and liberated.
While the dissident has indeed been persecuted for what he has done, he did it in his own way. He refused to show his fear to be seen as an example to those watching in the crowd; he subverted and lampooned authority by implying that they are merely fools who wear crowns; and because of this, everyday is the right day to do exactly what he did. His persecution brought him incredible empowerment and conviction.
The song ends with a recorded chant from a football match where the crowd are singing You Will Never Walk Alone. This is a nice thematic conclusion to the song. While the dissident has become persecuted and sanctioned by the state, there appears to be this overwhelming support from the crowd. This suggests that the dissident perhaps engendered the start of a revolution or uprising. And his actions, those that were deemed idiotic, were indeed anything but. His sacrifice has a legacy, and it is precisely this legacy that will inspire others to incite radical and meaningful change.
The greatness of Fearless is that we can interpret who the dissident is. He could be a whistle-blower, a political activist or maybe just a son or daughter from an oppressive family. It is a truly poignant and beautiful song about standing by your convictions, being empowered and liberated by your conscious, and standing up for what you believe in, regardless of how much you may be sanctioned and persecuted. -https://www.reddit.com/r/pinkfloyd/comments/6cmyc4/my_analysis_of_fearless_arguably_my_favourite/
Benny Martinez
I try not listening to this song much, it’s like a precious thing. You don’t want to wear it out.
Mister E
Key word.. “try” haha
HALEY BOSWELL
I feel the same way! It’s a song a cherish during very special moments. 💜
Barrett M
Couldn’t agree more
Joshua Hoover
Oh my God man that's perfect. But, sometimes I just have to come back because I love the quiet defiance of this song.
Brian J. Carnevale
Exactly. Been well over a year.
MegaSnippezz
From 1:16 to 2:45 is, in my opinion, one of the greatest minutes of Pink Floyd's discography. It's so poignant, so mellow and evokes a sense of absolute peace - peace that I would imagine one would experience through living fearlessly.
George Sirsiris
It grabs my heart and puts me in a trance. Tears steam down my face. My wife doesn't get it. 🤷♂️
eighto220
In my own way… Just wait a while for the right day 🎶
Fearless and patient ❤
eighto220
@George Sirsiris she’s missing out fa sho