One Slip
Pink Floyd Lyrics


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A restless eye across a weary room
A glazed look and I was on the road to ruin
The music played and played as we whirled without end
No hint, no word her honour to defend

I will, I will she sighed to my request
And then she tossed her mane while my resolve was put to the test
Then drowned in desire, our souls on fire
I lead the way to the funeral pyre
And without a thought of the consequence
I gave in to my decadence

One slip, and down the hole we fall
It seems to take no time at all
A momentary lapse of reason
That binds a life for life
A small regret, you won't forget,
There'll be no sleep in here tonight

Was it love, or was it the idea of being in love?
Or was it the hand of fate, that seemed to fit just like a glove?
The moment slipped by and soon the seeds were sown
The year grew late and neither one wanted to remain alone

One slip, and down the hole we fall
It seems to take no time at all
A momentary lapse of reason
That binds a life for life




A small regret, you will never forget,
There'll be no sleep in here tonight

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Pink Floyd's One Slip depict the story of a man who was seduced by a woman while another part of him resisted. He couldn't resist the temptation and gave in to his desire, not considering the consequences. He reflects on whether his feelings were genuine or just an infatuation. A small mistake, a momentary lapse of reason, and everything he had was lost. He realizes the gravity of his mistake, as he sees no way to come out of the situation, leading to a sleepless night.


The lines "One slip, and down the hole we fall, It seems to take no time at all" showcases the fact that one bad decision can lead to a chain of mistakes and regrets, leading to the loss of everything one had. The bridge line "Was it love, or was it the idea of being in love?" raises a question that many people ask themselves after a failed relationship. Was it actual love or just the idea of being in love, leading to the downfall of the relationship?


The lyrics of the song are a warning to people about giving in to temptation and not considering the consequences of their actions. It emphasizes how one small mistake can cause a significant impact on one's life leading them down a path of destruction.


Line by Line Meaning

A restless eye across a weary room
The singer is describing a scene in which there is an uneasy feeling, as though something dangerous or reckless is about to happen.


A glazed look and I was on the road to ruin
The singer is hinting that they may be under the influence of drugs or alcohol, which is leading them down a path of self-destruction.


The music played and played as we whirled without end
The singer is describing a moment of reckless abandonment, in which they are lost in the moment and caught up in the music.


No hint, no word her honour to defend
The singer is suggesting that their partner is not present, or perhaps they are being unfaithful and cannot defend their actions.


I will, I will she sighed to my request
The singer's partner has agreed to go along with whatever reckless plan they have in mind, even though it may be dangerous.


And then she tossed her mane while my resolve was put to the test
The singer's partner is showing signs of confidence and bravado, which is putting pressure on the singer to keep up.


Then drowned in desire, our souls on fire
The singer and their partner are caught up in a moment of intense passion, which is clouding their judgment.


I lead the way to the funeral pyre
The singer is leading their partner down a dangerous path, possibly towards destruction.


And without a thought of the consequence
The singer is acting recklessly, without considering the possible consequences of their actions.


I gave in to my decadence
The singer is indulging in their own behaviors and desires, which may be leading them down a path of self-destruction.


One slip, and down the hole we fall
The singer realizes that their reckless behavior could lead to disaster, and one small misstep could be their downfall.


It seems to take no time at all
The singer is suggesting that their downfall could happen very quickly, without warning.


A momentary lapse of reason
The singer is suggesting that it only takes a brief moment of poor judgment to cause great harm.


That binds a life for life
The singer is suggesting that one small mistake can have major consequences, which can impact one's entire life.


A small regret, you won't forget,
The singer is warning that even one small mistake can lead to regret that will never go away.


There'll be no sleep in here tonight
The singer is suggesting that even once the reckless behavior has ended, there will be lingering consequences, which will keep them up at night.


Was it love, or was it the idea of being in love?
The singer is questioning whether their actions were driven by true love or by a desire to be in love.


Or was it the hand of fate, that seemed to fit just like a glove?
The singer is questioning whether their behavior was preordained, or if they simply stumbled into it by chance.


The moment slipped by and soon the seeds were sown
The singer is suggesting that their reckless behavior happened quickly, and now they must deal with the consequences.


The year grew late and neither one wanted to remain alone
The singer is suggesting that they acted recklessly in order to hold onto their partner, fearing that they might otherwise be alone.


A small regret, you will never forget,
The singer is emphasizing the lasting impact of even one small mistake, which will never be forgotten.


There'll be no sleep in here tonight
The singer is suggesting that there will be lasting consequences to their actions, which will keep them up at night.




Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Written by: DAVE GILMOUR, PHIL MANZANERA

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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