George Roger Waters (born 6 September 1943 in Great Bookham, Surrey, United… Read Full Bio ↴George Roger Waters (born 6 September 1943 in Great Bookham, Surrey, United Kingdom) is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer.

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)

4:56AM
Roger Waters Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

For the first time today
I feel it's really over
You were my everyday excuse
For playing deaf, dumb and blind
Who'd have ever thought
This was how it would end for you and me
To carry my own millstone
Out of the trees

And I have to admit
I don't like it a bit
Being left here beside this lonesome road.

Lonesome road
Lonesome road

Overall Meaning

In Roger Waters's song 4:56AM, the lyrics express a sense of loss and abandonment as the singer comes to terms with the end of a relationship. The opening line, "For the first time today, I feel it's really over," suggests that the singer has been in denial about the end of the relationship and has been using their partner as an excuse for their behavior. However, now they have accepted that the relationship is truly over and they must face the consequences of their actions.

The lines "You were my everyday excuse, for playing deaf, dumb, and blind" suggest that the singer was not taking responsibility for their actions in the relationship, but rather blaming their partner for their behavior. The lines "Who'd have ever thought, this was how it would end for you and me, to carry my own millstone, out of the trees" paint a picture of the singer struggling to carry the weight of their mistakes and regrets, even as they acknowledge that they were responsible for the relationship's demise.

The repeated refrain of "Lonesome road" at the end of the song emphasizes the sense of isolation and loneliness that the singer feels as they come to terms with their situation. Overall, the lyrics of 4:56AM convey a sense of regret and sadness, but also hint at the possibility of growth and self-reflection.

Line by Line Meaning

For the first time today
This is the first time today when I am feeling this way.

I feel it's really over
I have come to the realization that our relationship has come to an end.

You were my everyday excuse
You were the reason I used to justify my actions every day.

For playing deaf, dumb and blind
I ignored the warning signs and refused to acknowledge the problems we were facing.

Who'd have ever thought
I never imagined that it would end this way.

This was how it would end for you and me
This is how our relationship has come to an end.

To carry my own millstone
I now have to face the consequences of my actions.

Out of the trees
I can no longer hide from my problems.

And I have to admit
I must confess.

I don't like it a bit
I am unhappy with the situation.

Being left here beside this lonesome road.
I am alone and unhappy on this journey.