Pink Floyd was an English rock band formed in London in 1965. Gaining an ea… Read Full Bio ↴Pink Floyd was an English rock band formed in London in 1965. Gaining an early following as one of the first British psychedelic groups, they were distinguished by their extended compositions, sonic experimentation, philosophical lyrics and elaborate live shows. They became a leading band of the progressive rock genre, cited by some as the greatest progressive rock band of all time.

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)

Milky Way
Pink Floyd Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

What'd you ever say today when you're in the milky way

oh tell me please
just to give you a squeeze
if I met you - I told you what to do
seems a while
since I could smile the way you do...

how many times, if I try, if I may,
when you're in the milky way

half of your time -beside me only atmosphere
the singular, raised by heats and wet
Seems a while
since I could smile the way you do...
oh-OH!

What can anyone mean to you
standing in the milky way?

take life easy
I mean so easy
Why so empty...?
I told you - I can tell you
what to do - when I hold you
and I tell you "I love you"
I feel that I'm... way you do...

Give a grasp of life today
when you're in the milky way
oh, try to please! Knock on wood of the trees
glad you, mold you, mold you and hold you

means five miles
and everyway for you...

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Pink Floyd's song "Milky Way" seem to be a conversation between two people, with one asking the other what they would say if they were in the Milky Way. As if asking what their feelings would be if they were surrounded by such an awe-inspiring, beautiful, and powerful natural phenomenon. The line "If I met you - I told you what to do" suggests that the singer would like to share an intimate moment of physical affection with the other person. However, the repeated refrain "Seems a while since I could smile the way you do" indicates that it’s been a long time since they’ve been this happy and carefree like the person they’re talking to.

The phrase, "What can anyone mean to you standing in the Milky Way?" suggests that the singer is asking if the person they're addressing understands the meaning and significance of their existence amidst the vastness and complexity of the universe. The line, "take life easy I mean so easy, Why so empty...?" is a gentle encouragement towards the other person to relax and enjoy life a little more. The singer seems to have a desire to guide and protect the person they’re talking to, as indicated by "glad you, mold you, mold you and hold you, means five miles and every way for you..." which suggests that they want to care for and nurture the other person.

Line by Line Meaning

What'd you ever say today when you're in the milky way
What words did you speak today while you felt lost and distant from reality?

oh tell me please
Please share your thoughts with me

just to give you a squeeze
I long to hold and embrace you

if I met you - I told you what to do
If we met, I would advise you on what to do

seems a while
It has been some time

since I could smile the way you do...
Since I felt true happiness and joy like you look to have now

how many times, if I try, if I may, when you're in the milky way
How many attempts will it take to reach you when you're lost in thought and far away from this world?

half of your time -beside me only atmosphere
Half of the time we spend together, our connection feels 'airy' and lacking substance

the singular, raised by heats and wet
The uniqueness of our bond is strengthened by intense emotion and passion

oh-OH!
Exclamation of strong emotion or realization

What can anyone mean to you standing in the milky way?
What significance does anyone have to you when you are feeling so disconnected from reality?

take life easy
Don't stress, just relax and go with the flow

I mean so easy
I really do mean for you to take it easy

Why so empty...?
Why do you feel so lacking or hollow inside?

I told you - I can tell you what to do - when I hold you - and I tell you "I love you" I feel that I'm...way you do...
I can guide you towards what's best for you, and when I express my love for you, I feel the same happiness and joy that you are experiencing now

Give a grasp of life today when you're in the milky way
Get a hold of life while you are feeling detached from reality

oh, try to please!
Please try your best!

Knock on wood of the trees
Find something solid to hold onto and ground yourself

glad you, mold you, mold you and hold you
Happy to be part of your life and shape/comfort you

means five miles and everyway for you...
Will go the distance and be there for you in every possible way

Contributed by David D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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