David Gilmour told The Sun September 26, 2008 about this song, which was wr… Read Full Bio ↴David Gilmour told The Sun September 26, 2008 about this song, which was written by him and his wife Polly. Said Gilmour: "That song is really about the aftermath (of the fall of the totalitarian state). First, it was a joy and a release for the people with the freedom of democracy but then it became horribly marred by the ethnic cleansing and genocide, particularly in Yugoslavia."

This song juxtaposes world events of the previous 5 years (the collapse of Communism and subsequent chaos and war in several countries) with a personal loss that turns out to have been just a bad dream.
The lyrics mention "The day the Wall came down," but in this case David Gilmour seems to be referring to the Berlin Wall rather than Pink Floyd's album The Wall. However, some have interpreted the lyrics about loss to refer to Pink Floyd founding member Syd Barrett. >>

A Great Day for Freedom
Pink Floyd Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

On the day the wall came down
They threw the locks onto the ground
And with glasses high we raised a cry
For freedom had arrived

On the day the wall came down
The Ship of Fools had finally run aground
Promises lit up the night like paper doves in flight

I dreamed you had left my side
No warmth not even pride remained
And even though you needed me
It was clear that I could not do a thing for you

Now life devalues day by day
As friends and neighbours turn away
And there's a change that, even with regret
Cannot be undone

Now frontiers shift like desert sands
While nations wash their bloodied hands
Of loyalty, of history, in shades of gray

I woke to the sound of drums
The music played, the morning sun streamed in
I turned and I looked at you

And all but the bitted residue slipped away
Slipped away

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "A Great Day for Freedom" by Pink Floyd describe the fall of the Berlin Wall and the sense of hope and freedom that it brought to the people. The first stanza describes the moment of the wall coming down and the feeling of liberation that accompanied it. The second stanza highlights the disappointment in the aftermath of the fall and the broken promises of a better life. The third stanza talks about the gradual depreciation of life as people become more distant from each other and the changes that cannot be undone. Finally, the verses portray the shifting of borders and the lack of historical and national loyalty in the shades of grey. The song ends with the hopeful line that despite everything, the music played on.

The song expresses a dualistic feeling of hope and disappointment, a bittersweet realization that nothing can ever be the same as before. It talks about the promises of a better tomorrow, but with a hint of skepticism about the fulfillment of those promises. The wall is seen as a symbol of oppression and separation, and its collapse represents the end of that era. The lyrics are open to interpretation and can be seen as a commentary on various aspects of life, including politics, relationships, and personal growth.

Line by Line Meaning

On the day the wall came down
When the Berlin Wall was torn down

They threw the locks onto the ground
The locks on the gates were removed

And with glasses high we raised a cry
We cheered loudly and celebrated with drinks

For freedom had arrived
Because freedom had finally been achieved

The Ship of Fools had finally run aground
The foolish and misguided had met their end

Promises lit up the night like paper doves in flight
People made promises and celebrated with light imagery

I dreamed you had left my side
I had a nightmare that you were gone

No warmth not even pride remained
I felt nothing, no emotion

And even though you needed me
Despite you requiring my help

It was clear that I could not do a thing for you
I was powerless to help you anyway

Now life devalues day by day
Life loses value as each day passes