On The Turning Away
Pink Floyd搀 Lyrics
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From the pale and downtrodden
And the words they say
Which we won't understand
"Don't accept that what's happening
Is just a case of others' suffering
Or you'll find that you're joining in
It's a sin that somehow
Light is changing to shadow
And casting it's shroud
Over all we have known
Unaware how the ranks have grown
Driven on by a heart of stone
We could find that we're all alone
In the dream of the proud
On the wings of the night
As the daytime is stirring
Where the speechless unite
In a silent accord
Using words you will find are strange
And mesmerized as they light the flame
Feel the new wind of change
On the wings of the night
No more turning away
From the weak and the weary
No more turning away
From the coldness inside
Just a world that we all must share
It's not enough just to stand and stare
Is it only a dream that there'll be
No more turning away?
Pink Floyd's On The Turning Away speaks to the human tendency of turning a blind eye to the suffering of others. As the opening lines suggest, people often turn away from those who are underprivileged and downtrodden, ignoring their pleas or words, and ultimately failing to understand their problems. Even when injustice or suffering is happening around us, we have a tendency to deny that it is happening or to try and rationalize it as the result of others’ actions, rather than our collective actions. The chorus warns against this, implying that if we're not careful, we may find ourselves complicit in perpetuating this injustice.
The song then goes on to ask why society behaves in this manner, and how it can be changed. The music suggests that something fundamental is shifting, as light becomes shadow and the known world becomes covered by a shroud, symbolizing society's inability to see the suffering of others. The verses suggest that a “heart of stone” may be what is driving society, leading to the growth of inequality and ultimately, foolish pride. However, there is a glimmer of hope as the song progresses. In the bridge, the music lifts and a "new wind of change" is felt. The song ends with a call to action—the need to stand up and advocate for change, no more turning away. It speaks for the hope of a world in which people are more empathetic and do not deny the suffering of others.
Line by Line Meaning
On the turning away
Acknowledging the moment of refusal and stagnancy
From the pale and downtrodden
Walking away from those who are weak and vulnerable
And the words they say
Ignoring the thoughts and perspective of the less privileged
Which we won't understand
Being indifferent to the cries of the oppressed and refusing to understand their suffering
Don't accept that what's happening
Don't take it as normal that people are suffering and being treated unfairly
Is just a case of others' suffering
Do not believe that the suffering of others does not concern you
Or you'll find that you're joining in
Otherwise, you will be contributing to the problem
The turning away
The act of ignoring those in need and becoming indifferent to their plight
It's a sin that somehow
It is a terrible thing that in some way
Light is changing to shadow
Places of light, hope, and opportunity are becoming dark, overshadowed by fear and hopelessness
And casting it's shroud
Spreading its darkness and shadow
Over all we have known
Overwhelming everything we believed and were familiar to
Unaware how the ranks have grown
Not realizing how many people are being negatively affected
Driven on by a heart of stone
Moving forward without empathy or concern
We could find that we're all alone
Realizing that we have isolated ourselves and that we are alone in this world
In the dream of the proud
Living in a world that only benefits the privileged and powerful
On the wings of the night
In the stillness and silence of the night
As the daytime is stirring
As the day comes alive
Where the speechless unite
Where those who cannot speak for themselves join together
In a silent accord
In a quiet agreement to make a change
Using words you will find are strange
Using language and ideas that may seem unfamiliar
And mesmerized as they light the flame
Inspired by this unfamiliar language and ideas as they ignite a movement
Feel the new wind of change
Embracing the new, transformative ideas that will bring change
No more turning away
Refusing to ignore those in need and choosing to take action
From the weak and the weary
Refusing to turn away from those who are suffering and vulnerable
From the coldness inside
Leaving behind the lack of compassion and empathy within oneself
Just a world that we all must share
A reminder that we all live on this planet and must take care of it and each other
It's not enough just to stand and stare
We cannot simply watch as the world falls apart; we must take action
Is it only a dream that there'll be
Is a world that is compassionate and just only something we can dream of?
No more turning away?
Will we truly stop ignoring the suffering around us and take action to create change?
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: DAVE GILMOUR, ANTHONY MOORE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Michael Palmieri
@Akshaya Rohatgi
That's different from the film version where Dorothy (played by Judy Garland) accidentally splashes water on the witch, because she's trying to help her friend, the Scarecrow, whom the witch had set on fire by using her broom as a torch.
Witch: How about a little fire, Scarecrow?
She pokes him with the burning end of the broom.
Scarecrow: I'm burning, I'M BURNING!
Dorothy picks up a bucket of water.
Witch: Don't throw that water!
Dorothy throws the water on the Scarecrow, putting out the fire, but some of the water hits the witch in the face.
Witch (Screeching): Now look what you've done, I'm melting, MELTING!
She begins to melt.
Witch (Still screeching): Ohhh, what a world, what a world! To think that a little girl like you could destroy my beautiful wickedness! OOOHHHH!!!
She finally melts away.
MaskedMan66
@Riy Nu That doesn't make sense. If someone wants a book with a particular meaning, let him or her write that book. Don't bastardize someone else's work by shoving a meaning into it that the author never had-- and probably never would have had-- in mind.
"Folklore, legends, myths and fairy tales have followed childhood through the ages, for every healthy youngster has a wholesome and instinctive love for stories fantastic, marvelous and manifestly unreal. The winged fairies of Grimm and Andersen have brought more happiness to childish hearts than all other human creations.
"Yet the old time fairy tale, having served for generations, may now be classed as 'historical' in the children’s library; for the time has come for a series of newer 'wonder tales' in which the stereotyped genie, dwarf and fairy are eliminated, together with all the horrible and blood-curdling incidents devised by their authors to point a fearsome moral to each tale. Modern education includes morality; therefore the modern child seeks only entertainment in its wonder tales and gladly dispenses with all disagreeable incident.
"Having this thought in mind, the story of 'The Wonderful Wizard of Oz' was written solely to please children of today. It aspires to being a modernized fairy tale, in which the wonderment and joy are retained and the heartaches and nightmares are left out.
"L. Frank Baum
Chicago, April, 1900."
Darth
I often wonder if authors/writers actually intend the symbolism that ends up getting found. Like how much thought did they actually put into their work(s)?
But something I was taught once was that just because the author didn't mean to put some sort of symbolism (or something else) doesn't mean it is not there.
AVIVA studios
@Chuunosuke (The Squishiest Lawyer) But it would still be cool to hear theories.
Ebenezar Okezie-Alaukwu
You guys just don't get it. The artists paint what they see, the artistes perform what they feel, the writers or poets pen what they think. But the receivers of these works of art interprete these as they feel!!!
And THAT my friends is the very beauty of art!!!
john acetable
People who are looking for Symbolisms are parasiting on originals work popularity, to spread their own ideas. As an author disgust is only thing I feel towards them.
kulturfreund66
There‘s Bill Still’s great documentary on the book revealing a lot more on the background and the symbolism of the tale.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Rmc8GDlyAQg&t=6784s
Theodore Shulman
Lewis Carroll said that when people asked him what he meant when he wrote THE HUNTING OF THE SNARK. He always answered something like: "I'm sure it means something, but I don't know what."
Preston Estes
I remember this Wizard of Oz lesson from my American History class. I also remember these facts:
When Dorothy and her friends return to the emerald city after killing the Witch of the West, the Wizard states “You liquidated her.” Liquidation means to sell off assets, implying the selling off or breaking up of the assets of the big banks and corporations.
The Wizard was from Omaha, where the Populist party was centered.
MaskedMan66
@Roger Martin It's in the MGM movie.
MaskedMan66
@ZachPlayz There's no such thing as digging "too deep" into Scripture..
MaskedMan66
@Riy Nu "just because the author didn't mean to put some sort of symbolism doesn't mean it is not there."
That's about the dumbest thing I've ever heard. And can it with the ideological bigotry.