Other versions
Live versions of the song are featured on 1988's Delicate Sound of Thunder album and 1995's P*U*L*S*E album, with running times of 9:27 and 10:49 respectively, mostly taken up by extended solos by Gilmour and an additional outro. A slightly shortened version of the song appears on Pink Floyd's greatest hits collection, Echoes: The Best of Pink Floyd, which is edited so that the song "Sheep" segues into Sorrow. David Gilmour played the song at the "Strat-pack" guitar concert, an event which commemorated the 50th anniversary of the Fender Stratocaster.
Sorrow
Pink Floyd Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Plumes of smoke rise and merge into the leaden sky
A man lies and dreams of green fields and rivers
But awakes to a morning with no reason for waking
He's haunted by the memory of a lost paradise
In his youth or a dream, he can't be precise
He's chained forever to a world that's departed
His blood has frozen and curdled with fright
His knees have trembled and given way in the night
His hand has weakened at the moment of truth
His step has faltered
One world, one soul
Time pass, the river roll
And he talks to the river of lost love and dedication
And silent replies that swirl invitation
Flow dark and troubled to an oily sea
A grim intimation of what is to be
There's an unceasing wind that blows through this night
And there's dust in my eyes, that blinds my sight
And silence that speaks so much louder than words
Of promises broken
The song "Sorrow" by Pink Floyd is a melancholic reflection on the feeling of loss, regret, and the realization that time has passed. The first verse sets the tone by describing a sense of sadness that hangs over the land like a sweet smell. The imagery then turns to plumes of smoke, which rise and merge into the leaden sky, signifying the pollution of the environment and the devastating consequences of human actions. The next verse depicts a man who is haunted by the memory of a lost paradise, either in his youth or a dream he can't recall precisely. He awakens to a morning with no reason for waking, which implies that the past is gone, and it's time to move on. However, he feels chained forever to a world that's departed, and he's unable to let it go. The chorus repeats the line "It's not enough," emphasizing the futility of dwelling on things that can never be recaptured.
The second stanza describes the physical effects of this sense of sorrow on the man. His blood has frozen, his knees have trembled, and his hand has weakened at the moment of truth. He's lost his confidence and his sense of purpose, and his step has faltered. The next few lines conjure up an image of the man talking to a river that represents his lost love and dedication. The river, represented by silent replies, swirls an invitation to flow dark and troubled into an oily sea, indicating that the man's past struggles and hurt will be washed away and disappear into oblivion. The final verse features an unceasing wind that blows through the night, and dust in the eyes that blinds one's sight, illustrating the distortion and disruptions of memories. The last line speaks of the silence that speaks so much louder than words, and the promises broken, emphasizing the finality of the loss.
In summary, "Sorrow" is an expression of the sorrow that comes with memories of a person, place, or time that one can't return to, and the inevitability of time marching forward. It is a lament of the past, a tribute to the present, and a warning to the future.
Line by Line Meaning
The sweet smell of a great sorrow lies over the land
There is a pervasive sadness that is felt all around
Plumes of smoke rise and merge into the leaden sky
There is an overwhelming feeling of despair and hopelessness
A man lies and dreams of green fields and rivers
The man is lost in memories of a happier, more peaceful time
But awakes to a morning with no reason for waking
The present reality is bleak and purposeless
He's haunted by the memory of a lost paradise
The man cannot forget the past and longs to return to it
In his youth or a dream, he can't be precise
It is unclear whether his memories are from his actual past or just his imagination
He's chained forever to a world that's departed
The man feels trapped in a world that no longer exists
It's not enough, it's not enough
The man is unsatisfied with his current situation and longs for something more
His blood has frozen and curdled with fright
He is paralyzed with fear
His knees have trembled and given way in the night
The man has been physically weakened by his fear and despair
His hand has weakened at the moment of truth
He has lost his courage when it was most needed
His step has faltered
He is struggling to move forward
One world, one soul
We are all part of the same world and share a common humanity
Time pass, the river roll
Time moves on and waits for no one
And he talks to the river of lost love and dedication
The man is trying to find solace in nature and is speaking to a river
And silent replies that swirl invitation
The river is responding to his sadness in a way that invites him in
Flow dark and troubled to an oily sea
The river is carrying all his sadness and despair to a bigger, darker ocean
A grim intimation of what is to be
This is a foreshadowing of more dark times to come
There's an unceasing wind that blows through this night
The hopelessness and despair will not go away easily
And there's dust in my eyes, that blinds my sight
The despair is so overwhelming that it's hard to see any hope or good in the world
And silence that speaks so much louder than words
The silence around him is deafening and more impactful than any words could be
Of promises broken
The man has been let down by broken promises and unfulfilled dreams
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Written by: DAVE GILMOUR
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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