The recording of '"Cymbaline" on the album is different from the one in the movie (the latter version is heard on a record player in a bedroom). The vocals are a different take. The studio version is sung by David Gilmour, while the movie version is sung by Roger Waters. The lyrics are also different in one place. One notable feature of the lyrics is the question posed at the end of the first verse, "Will the final couplet rhyme". Not coincidentally, the final couplet in the song is the only one that does not rhyme.
The song features a sparse arrangement of nylon string guitar, bass, piano, drumset, bongos, and Farfisa organ entering when Gilmour does a scat solo. Pink Floyd played "Cymbaline" from 1969 until the end of 1971. It can be heard on several bootleg recordings. This song was covered by Hawkwind in 1970, but wasn't released until their debut album's reissue in 1996. It's also covered on the Echoes of Pink tribute album in 2002 by Maureen Mahon, and in 2005 on Neptune Records' None of Us is Pink tribute album by Lovespirals.
Cymbaline
Pink Floyd Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And the drop is shear and very high
The ravens all are watching
From a vantage point nearby
Apprehension creeping
Like a tube-train up your spine
Will the tightrope reach the end
Will the final couplet rhyme
And it's high time
Cymbaline
It's high time
Cymbaline
Please wake me
The lines converging where you stand
They must have moved the picture plane
The leaves are heavy around your feet
You feel the thunder of the train
Suddenly it strikes you
That they're moving into range
Doctor Strange is always changing size
And it's high time
Cymbaline
It's high time
Cymbaline
Please wake me
The lyrics to Pink Floyd's song "Cymbaline" paint a vivid picture of fear and apprehension. The path the singer is treading is narrow and the drop is high, both figuratively and literally. They feel as though they are being watched by ravens from nearby. The apprehension is building within them, like a tube-train moving up their spine. They are unsure if they will complete the tightrope walk and if the final line of the couplet will rhyme.
The second stanza discusses a feeling of disorientation. The lines are converging where they stand, and it feels as though the picture plane has been moved. The leaves around their feet are heavy and they feel the thunder of an oncoming train. They suddenly realize that "they" are moving into range, possibly referring to the ravens mentioned earlier. The reference to Doctor Strange, a Marvel Comics superhero known for his ability to manipulate size and reality, adds to the surreal nature of the lyrics.
Overall, the lyrics to "Cymbaline" seem to be about the fear of the unknown and the uncertainty of the future. The high stakes of the tightrope walk are used as a metaphor for life in general, with the final couplet representing the end of life. The disorientation and surreal imagery add to the sense of uncertainty and unease in the song.
Line by Line Meaning
The path you tread is narrow
The route you have chosen to follow is limited and restricted
And the drop is shear and very high
The distance between the path and the bottom is steep and dangerous
The ravens all are watching
The birds are observing your journey from a nearby viewpoint
From a vantage point nearby
From a point with a clear view of your surroundings
Apprehension creeping
A feeling of anxiety is gradually taking over
Like a tube-train up your spine
Similar to a sensation of pins and needles running through your back
Will the tightrope reach the end
Is there a possibility of reaching your final goal
Will the final couplet rhyme
Can the conclusion of your journey be satisfying and fulfilling
And it's high time
It's about time for something to happen
Cymbaline
Relates to the title of the song and does not have a direct meaning in this context
Please wake me
A plea to be snapped out of a disturbing dream or situation
The lines converging where you stand
Paths or situations appearing to merge into one where you are currently situated
They must have moved the picture plane
The image of your surroundings seems to have shifted due to a change in perspective
The leaves are heavy around your feet
Foliage is weighing you down or hindering your movement
You feel the thunder of the train
A loud, dominant noise that is affecting you physically and mentally
Suddenly it strikes you
An idea or realization occurs to you suddenly
That they're moving into range
A sense that something or someone is approaching you
Doctor Strange is always changing size
A reference to a character who can alter his appearance which adds to the sense of a distorted reality
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: DAVE BROCK, NICK TURNER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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