Us and Them
Richard Wright/Roger Waters Lyrics
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And after all we're only ordinary men
Me, and you
God only knows it's not what we would choose to do
Forward he cried from the rear
And the front rank died
And the general sat,and the lines on the map
Moved from side to side
And who knows which is which and who is who
Up and down
And in the end it's only round and round and round
Haven't you heard it's a battle of words
The poster bearer cried
Listen son, said the man with the gun
There's room for you inside
Down and out
It can't be helped but there's a lot of it about
With, without
And who'll deny it's what the fighting's all about
Out of the way, it's a busy day
I've got things on my mind
For wants of the price of a tea and a slice
The old man died.
The song "Us And Them" by Richard Wright and Roger Waters is a haunting commentary on the senselessness of war and how we, as ordinary people, are pawns in a larger game. The lyrics suggest that the division between us and them is arbitrary and only serves to fuel conflict. The opening lines of the song are especially poignant, as the singers acknowledge that they are only ordinary men, caught up in a situation beyond their control. The line "God only knows it's not what we would choose to do" suggests that if given the choice, they would not choose to fight and kill each other.
The lyrics then move on to describe the chaos of battle, with soldiers dying on both sides while the generals remain safe and distant, moving the lines on the map from side to side. The lines "black and blue, and who knows which is which and who is who" suggest that in war, it can be difficult to tell friend from foe. The song also touches on the power of propaganda, with the "poster bearer" crying out for others to join the fight. Meanwhile, the man with the gun tells the singer that there's room for him inside, further emphasizing the idea that we are all just pawns in someone else's game.
The final verse is perhaps the most haunting, with the singer describing how an old man has died for want of the price of a tea and a slice. This line suggests that even those not directly involved in the conflict can still suffer the consequences. The song is a powerful commentary on the senselessness of war and the ways in which ordinary people get caught up in larger forces beyond their control.
Line by Line Meaning
Us and them
The divisions created by society and circumstances.
And after all we're only ordinary men
We are just regular people caught in this divide.
Me, and you
The commonality between all of us despite differences.
God only knows it's not what we would choose to do
Nobody actively chooses to be part of a divided society.
Forward he cried from the rear
Leaders push those below them into danger.
And the front rank died
Those who are risked first in battle are usually the ones to suffer.
And the general sat, and the lines on the map, moved from side to side
People's lives are moved like pawns on a chessboard, with little thought to their significance or consequences.
Black and blue, and who knows which is which and who is who
The opposing sides of a conflict look similar and it's hard to distinguish who is right or wrong.
Up and down, and in the end it's only round and round and round
While events may appear to change, history repeats itself and nothing truly changes.
Haven't you heard it's a battle of words, the poster bearer cried
People fight verbally just as fiercely as they do physically.
Listen son, said the man with the gun, there's room for you inside
The man with the gun threatens harm if you do not join his side.
Down and out, it can't be helped but there's a lot of it about
Some people are just unlucky and can't escape their circumstances.
With, without, and who'll deny it's what the fighting's all about
The conflict is over resources and privilege.
Out of the way, it's a busy day, I've got things on my mind
People ignore the suffering around them and move on with their own lives.
For wants of the price of a tea and a slice, the old man died
Poverty and a lack of resources can lead to someone's life being cut short.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Richard William Wright, George Roger Waters
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@douglasgray6783
Fantastic. What a superb cover of a superb song.
@toohottotrott
Absolutely gorgeous 😍. Quiet emotional when everyone turns their cameras off.
@TheEasyFeeling
One of the most awesome songs, beautifully played! Thank you!
@alastairgavin7545
What a lovely lockdown vid - great choice of song, great performance and a very cool ending!
@SharonHurst
Oh my, that was stunning! Beautiful pure vocals. It raised the hairs on my arms...thank you so much, we all needed that. 🧡
@666maiden5
This is brilliant beautifully done 🇮🇪🤘🏴
@pnarco
OMG! This is so incredibly awesome! I am weeping! Bravo!
@harrycowell
Absolute class as always. Looking forward to seeing Red Box live again after the madness has ended
@lechkrugielka595
A great song performed by a great band. It's hard for me to accept great hits performed by other artists, but you did it brilliantly !!!!!! TAK TRZYMAĆ PANOWIE!!!!
@floyd4472
Tak wygląda cover gdy biorą się za niego muzycy (!) wiedzący co mają zrobić.
Nie naśladują, nie udają, a jednocześnie trzymają się klimatu utworu.
Czapki z głów!