Roger Waters was the main lyricist for the classic British rock band Pink Floyd. He, along with Syd Barrett, Nick Mason, and Richard Wright, formed the band in 1965 and released their first album, The Piper at the Gates of Dawn in 1967. In 1968, Syd Barrett was replaced by guitarist/singer David Gilmour. He and Gilmour were the main creative forces behind the albums Meddle, Dark Side of the Moon, and Wish You Were Here; Waters eventually became the primary songwriter, being the driving force behind Animals, and The Wall as well as the sole songwriter of The Final Cut. Waters became well-known for being an intense perfectionist and his controlling nature alienated the rest of the band. The Final Cut, released in 1983, was essentially a Roger Waters solo album "performed by Pink Floyd" as the credits stated. This would be the group's last album with Waters. David Gilmour decided to carry on with Pink Floyd and Waters, believing that Pink Floyd was a "non-entity" without him, sued the rest of the band to retire the Pink Floyd name. His lawsuit ultimately failed, and Pink Floyd released three more studio albums and two double live albums, without him.
The feud between David Gilmour and Roger Waters lasted for decades, and it wasn't until Live 8 in 2005 that they finally decided to set their differences aside and perform a brief set for the charity gig. This would be the last time that Pink Floyd would ever perform together in their "classic" lineup. Shortly after the show, there was much speculation that Pink Floyd would get back together for a full reunion tour, but Gilmour ultimately nixed the idea, stating that although the Live 8 gig was fun, the rehearsals were not.
Much to everyone's surprise, Gilmour and Waters reunited once again on July 11, 2010 for a charity performance for “The Hoping Foundation,” an organization that supports Palestinian refugee kids. At Ronnie Scott’s club in London, the duo performed four songs together: “To Know Him Is to Love Him” (a cover of the old Teddy Bear’s song), “Wish You Were Here,” “Comfortably Numb,” and finally (after a special request) “Another Brick in the Wall Part 2.” Once again, just like after the Live 8 Reunion, speculation began regarding future reunions. No official Pink Floyd reunion has yet been set, but Gilmour did promise that he would join Roger Waters for one show on his 2010-11 “The Wall” tour, performing “Comfortably Numb.” Gilmour fulfilled his promise on May 14, 2011 in London.
Waters has so far released the following solo albums:
* Music from The Body soundtrack with Ron Geesin(1970)
* The Pros and Cons of Hitch Hiking (1984)
* When the Wind Blows soundtrack with contributions from other artists as well (1986)
* Radio K.A.O.S. (1987)
* The Wall: Live in Berlin (1990)
* Amused to Death (1992)
* In the Flesh live (2000)
* Flickering Flame: The Solo Years, Vol. 1 (2003)
* Ça Ira (Opera) (2005)
*Is This the Life We Really Want? (2017)
*Igor Stravinsky's The Soldier's Tale (2018)
*The Lockdown Sessions (2022)
06
Roger Waters Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
[Customers:] "Heh, Turn that fucking juke box down
You want to turn down that juke box....loud in here"
[Waitress:] "I'm sorry, would you like a cup of coffee?
Ok, you take cream and sugar? Sure."
In truck stops and hamburger joints
In Cadillac limousines
And bent-backs
And sleeping forms on pavement steps
In libraries and railway stations
In books and banks
In the pages of history
In suicidal cavalry attacks
I recognise...
Myself in every stranger's eyes
And in wheelchairs by monuments
Under tube trains and commuter accidents
In council care and county courts
At Easter fairs and sea-side resorts
In drawing rooms and city morgues
In award winning photographs
Of life rafts on the China seas
In transit camps, under arc lamps
On unloading ramps
In faces blurred by rubber stamps
I recognise...
Myself in every stranger's eyes
And now, from where I stand
Upon this hill
I plundered from the pool
I look around
I search the skies
I shade my eyes
So nearly blind
And I see signs of half remembered days
I hear bells that chime in strange familiar ways
I recognise...
The hope you kindle in your eyes
It's oh so easy now
As we lie here in the dark
Nothing interferes, it's obvious
How to beat the tears
That threaten to snuff out
The spark of our love
The song "5:06 AM (Every Stranger's Eyes)" by Roger Waters is a contemplative piece that expresses his understanding of the human experience as an intricate web of emotions and experiences that connect us to everyone around us. The song begins with a brief conversation between a waitress and some customers who ask her to turn down the jukebox playing in the background. This sets the stage for the theme of the song, which is the search for meaning and connection in a world that is often chaotic and noisy.
In the first verse, Waters describes the various places where he has seen himself reflected in the eyes of strangers, including truck stops, hamburger joints, limousines, and libraries. He also includes more depressing settings, such as railway stations, council care, and commuter accidents. Despite the vast differences between these places, he recognises himself in every stranger's eyes, suggesting that our shared humanity is what connects us all.
The second verse continues with this theme, offering more settings for this connection to occur. Waters highlights the universality of human experiences, from award-winning photographs to transit camps, and suggests that we are all united in our struggles and our joys. The final verse offers a more hopeful note, as Waters looks back on half-remembered days and hears bells that chime in strange familiar ways. He recognises the hope that he sees in the eyes of those around him, even in the midst of darkness.
Overall, "5:06 AM (Every Stranger's Eyes)" is a poignant reminder that we are all connected, even in the most unexpected ways. It offers an optimistic message that, even in dark times, we can find hope and meaning if we are willing to look for it.
Line by Line Meaning
In truck stops and hamburger joints
Amidst the din of roadside eateries
In Cadillac limousines
In plush, luxurious cars
In the company of has-beens
In the presence of people who were once famous or successful
And bent-backs
And people with hunched backs, perhaps from years of manual labor
And sleeping forms on pavement steps
And sleeping homeless people on the sidewalk
In libraries and railway stations
In quiet places like libraries and train stations
In books and banks
In the pages of books and in financial institutions
In the pages of history
In significant historical events
In suicidal cavalry attacks
In instances of soldiers charging into battle with little hope of survival
I recognise...
I see myself in...
Myself in every stranger's eyes
The commonality that I share with strangers I see
And in wheelchairs by monuments
In the presence of monuments with people in wheelchairs
Under tube trains and commuter accidents
In sites where there have been accidents involving subway trains and commuters
In council care and county courts
In government institutions like care facilities and courts
At Easter fairs and sea-side resorts
In vacation spots during holidays and by the sea
In drawing rooms and city morgues
In fancy living rooms and in morgues in urban areas
In award winning photographs
In pictures that have won awards
Of life rafts on the China seas
Of rescue rafts on the seas surrounding China
In transit camps, under arc lamps
In temporary camps with bright lighting
On unloading ramps
At locations where items are unloaded from vehicles
In faces blurred by rubber stamps
In people's faces which are indistinct because of rubber stamps used in identification
I recognise...
I see myself in...
Myself in every stranger's eyes
The commonality that I share with strangers I see
And now, from where I stand
And now, in my current position
Upon this hill
On top of this hill
I plundered from the pool
I collected something from a water source
I look around
I observe my surroundings
I search the skies
I scan the sky
I shade my eyes
I shield my eyes from the sun
So nearly blind
Almost unable to see
And I see signs of half remembered days
And I see hints of memories that are only partially recalled
I hear bells that chime in strange familiar ways
I hear sounds that are both unfamiliar and familiar
I recognise...
I see myself in...
The hope you kindle in your eyes
The sense of optimism that you express with your eyes
It's oh so easy now
It's much simpler now
As we lie here in the dark
As we recline in the darkness
Nothing interferes, it's obvious
Nothing is obstructing our view; it's clear
How to beat the tears
How to overcome sorrow
That threaten to snuff out
That could possibly extinguish
The spark of our love
Our love's fiery passion
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: GEORGE ROGER WATERS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@lyallpivo9835
I vaguely remember, as a very young lad, lying on my father's lap,opposite me, my little brother doing the same, listening to Roger in the late hours of the night. I remember the lucid tranquility his voice alongside his music offered.
Tonight I listen to his music once more. Twenty years later and the feelings bubble up unharmed and unchanged, I'm still that young lad on that late South African evening.
Thank you Roger.
I hope young lads around the world continue to listen to your music, maybe, while lying on their pops lap.
I love you Dad.
@kuchbhi6813
Lyrics
In truck stops and hamburger joints
In Cadillac limousines
In the company of has-beens
And bent-backs
And sleeping forms on pavement steps
In libraries and railway stations
In books and banks
In the pages of history
In suicidal cavalry attacks
I recognise...
Myself in every stranger's eyes
And in wheelchairs by monuments
Under tube trains and commuter accidents
In council care and county courts
At Easter fairs and sea-side resorts
In drawing rooms and city morgues
In award winning photographs
Of life rafts on the China seas
In transit camps, under arc lamps
On unloading ramps
In faces blurred by rubber stamps
I recognise...
Myself in every stranger's eyes
And now, from where I stand
Upon this hill
I plundered from the pool
I look around
I search the skies
I shade my eyes
So nearly blind
And I see signs of half remembered days
I hear bells that chime in strange familiar ways
I recognise...
The hope you kindle in your eyes
It's oh so easy now
As we lie here in the dark
Nothing interferes, it's obvious
How to beat the tears
That threaten to snuff out
The spark of our love
@josecampos9180
My Love Goes Out To Everyone Who Has Been Touched By Roger Waters Music!!! Thank You For The Music!!!
@nighthawk935
Soo me
@Wierka6
It's me :)
@lepxis1
Live long and prosper my dear friend
@maragaretkapusnick5954
💓 Roger Waters You touch our Hearts!! You are Forever Pink Floyd and Sid 💓 Your Dad Would Be Very Proud of you. God Bless 😍
@MBROUKS
Thank you very much
@lyallpivo9835
I vaguely remember, as a very young lad, lying on my father's lap,opposite me, my little brother doing the same, listening to Roger in the late hours of the night. I remember the lucid tranquility his voice alongside his music offered.
Tonight I listen to his music once more. Twenty years later and the feelings bubble up unharmed and unchanged, I'm still that young lad on that late South African evening.
Thank you Roger.
I hope young lads around the world continue to listen to your music, maybe, while lying on their pops lap.
I love you Dad.
@kevinlancewicz4030
How beautiful... ❤😢
@S0LYD2
tell me you didn't wait 20 years to listen to this again.
@justinnel1996
Lucid tranquility indeed FRIEND 🤘🍺. To write with this kind of honesty takes guts 👊