Pink Floyd were founded in 1965 by Syd Barrett (guitar, lead vocals), Nick Mason (drums), Roger Waters (bass guitar, vocals), and Richard Wright (keyboards, vocals). Under Barrett's leadership, they released two charting singles and the successful debut album The Piper at the Gates of Dawn (1967). Guitarist and vocalist David Gilmour joined in December 1967; Barrett left in April 1968 due to deteriorating mental health. Waters became the primary lyricist and thematic leader, devising the concepts behind the band's peak success with the albums The Dark Side of the Moon (1973), Wish You Were Here (1975), Animals (1977) and The Wall (1979). The musical film based on The Wall, Pink Floyd – The Wall (1982), won two BAFTA Awards. Pink Floyd also composed several film scores.
Following personal tensions, Wright left Pink Floyd in 1979, followed by Waters in 1985. Gilmour and Mason continued as Pink Floyd, rejoined later by Wright. They produced two more albums—A Momentary Lapse of Reason (1987) and The Division Bell (1994)—and toured in support of both before entering a long hiatus. In 2005, all but Barrett reunited for a one-off performance at the global awareness event Live 8. Barrett died in 2006, and Wright in 2008. The last Pink Floyd studio album, The Endless River (2014), was based on unreleased material from the Division Bell recording sessions. In 2022, Gilmour and Mason reformed Pink Floyd to release the song "Hey, Hey, Rise Up!" in protest of the Russo-Ukrainian War.
By 2013, Pink Floyd had sold more than 250 million records worldwide, making them one of the best-selling music artists of all time. The Dark Side of the Moon and The Wall were inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame, and these albums and Wish You Were Here are among the best-selling albums of all time. Four Pink Floyd albums topped the US Billboard 200, and five topped the UK Album Chart. Pink Floyd's hit singles include "See Emily Play" (1967), "Money" (1973), "Another Brick in the Wall, Part 2" (1979), "Not Now John" (1983), "On the Turning Away" (1987) and "High Hopes" (1994). They were inducted into the US Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1996 and the UK Music Hall of Fame in 2005. In 2008, Pink Floyd were awarded the Polar Music Prize in Sweden for their contribution to modern music.
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pink_Floyd
Studio albums
The Piper at the Gates of Dawn (1967)
A Saucerful of Secrets (1968)
More (1969)
Ummagumma (1969)
Atom Heart Mother (1970)
Meddle (1971)
Obscured by Clouds (1972)
The Dark Side of the Moon (1973)
Wish You Were Here (1975)
Animals (1977)
The Wall (1979)
The Final Cut (1983)
A Momentary Lapse of Reason (1987)
The Division Bell (1994)
The Endless River (2014)
Have a Cigar
Pink Floyd Lyrics
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You're gonna fly, you're never gonna die
You're gonna make it if you try, they're gonna love you
Well, I've always had a deep respect and I mean that most sincere
The band is just fantastic, that is really what I think
Oh, by the way, which one's pink?
And did we tell you the name of the game, boy?
We're just knocked out, we heard about the sell-out
You gotta get an album out, you owe it to the people
We're so happy we can hardly count
Everybody else is just green, have you seen the chart?
It's a hell of a start, it could be made into a monster
If we all pull together as a team
And did we tell you the name of the game, boy?
We call it riding the gravy train
Pink Floyd's song "Have a Cigar" is a commentary on the music industry and highlights the ways in which corporate greed and the desire for fame can corrupt the artistic process. The opening lines "come in here, dear boy, have a cigar, you're gonna go far" are spoken from the perspective of a record executive enticing a new artist with the promise of success. The repeated reference to "you're gonna make it if you try" suggests that the industry values profitability over artistic integrity.
The line "well, I've always had a deep respect and I mean that most sincere" is then contradicted by the question "oh, by the way, which one's pink?" which implies that the executive is not truly invested in the band's identity or music. The reference to Pink Floyd's name, which was inspired by two blues musicians named Pink Anderson and Floyd Council, reinforces the idea that the industry commodifies and commercializes artistic expression.
The chorus of "Have a Cigar" further emphasizes the industry's exploitative nature, with the phrase "riding the gravy train" referring to the notion that artists are merely profit-generating machines for record labels. The line "we're so happy we can hardly count, everybody else is just green" highlights the competitiveness and jealousy of the music industry, with success being measured solely in terms of album sales and chart rankings. The final line "If we all pull together as a team" ironically suggests that even though the industry is highly competitive, it still requires a collective effort to achieve success.
Line by Line Meaning
Come in here, dear boy, have a cigar, you're gonna go far
Welcome to the music industry, my friend. Smoke a cigar and bask in the promise of success.
You're gonna fly, you're never gonna die
You will rise to the top and enjoy great success; nothing can stop you.
You're gonna make it if you try, they're gonna love you
You have to work hard to succeed, but if your music is good, people will adore you.
Well, I've always had a deep respect and I mean that most sincere
I genuinely admire musical talent and appreciate those who possess it.
The band is just fantastic, that is really what I think
Your music is truly marvelous and deserves all the recognition it gets.
Oh, by the way, which one's pink?
This is a sarcastic way of saying that the singer doesn't really care about the band's individual members or their quirks.
And did we tell you the name of the game, boy?
We didn't explain this earlier, did we?
We call it riding the gravy train
We're talking about making a ton of money and enjoying all the perks that come with fame and success.
We're just knocked out, we heard about the sell-out
We're amazed and thrilled about the success of your recent concert or album.
You gotta get an album out, you owe it to the people
Your fans are hungry for more music; it's your responsibility to deliver.
We're so happy we can hardly count
We're overjoyed and can hardly contain our excitement.
Everybody else is just green, have you seen the chart?
Everyone else is envious of your success. Have you checked the charts?
It's a hell of a start, it could be made into a monster
Your success is amazing so far, and it has the potential to become even greater.
If we all pull together as a team
If we work together and collaborate, we can accomplish anything.
And did we tell you the name of the game, boy?
Yes, we did. It's riding the gravy train.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Roger Waters
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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