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)
4.47 AM
Roger Waters Lyrics
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My pyjama coat over my head
And she smiled as she finished her sandwich
And her cold eyes fixed me to my dark history
As she brushed the remains
Of our love from the bed
And when she had turned back the covers
When all of the prayers had been read
Before you catch your death of cold
I was only joking
Let's leave behind the city grime
Let's not compete
It could be fine in the country
Couldn't it though...come on lets go
I said, OK
[Young Child:] "Are we going to go now?"
[Jade:] "Where would you like to go darling?"
[Wife:] "Mmm...Vermont...Wyoming."
[Jade:] "Wyoming...huh....Children!"
[Children:] "What?"
[Jade:] "We're going to Wyoming
Darling...Which way is Wyoming?"
[Wife:] "Hook a right here
You're going the wrong way."
[Jade:] "I know that
I know children...
Let's see how many...Volvos we pass
On the way to our new life in the country
...One
[Wife:] "Jade, don't do that, that's really negative."
The lyrics in Roger Waters's "4.47 AM" paint a picture of a broken relationship between two people who are clearly not on the same page. The singer of the song cowers in the corner, trying to avoid confrontation with his partner, who has just finished her sandwich and is staring at him with ice-cold eyes. She brushes away any remnants of their love, and the singer finds himself deep in thought, reminiscing about their past. As the partner turns back the covers, the singer braces himself, thinking that she may be about to break up with him. However, to his surprise, she invites him over to her with loving words, explaining that she was only joking.
Despite this temporary reconciliation, it's clear that the relationship between the two characters is strained. They both seem to want different things - the singer wants to leave their city life behind and move to the country, while his partner has expressed her desire to move to Vermont or Wyoming instead. Furthermore, her statement about "let's not compete" seems to hint at some underlying power struggles in the relationship. Overall, the lyrics suggest that this relationship is in a rocky place and may not survive much longer.
Line by Line Meaning
I just cowered in the corner
I felt scared and small, so I hid in the corner
My pyjama coat over my head
I was so afraid that I covered myself completely
And she smiled as she finished her sandwich
She had no sympathy for me and simply ate her sandwich while I trembled
And her cold eyes fixed me to my dark history
Her judgmental gaze made me feel like a prisoner, reminding me of all my past mistakes
As she brushed the remains of our love from the bed
She cleaned up the evidence of our failed relationship, erasing any trace of affection we once had for each other
And when she had turned back the covers
After cleaning up, she got ready to go to bed
When all of the prayers had been read
She went through her bedtime routine, preparing to sleep
She said, come on over here you silly boy
Despite her previous coldness, she attempted to lure me back to bed
Before you catch your death of cold
She used a lighthearted tone to downplay the seriousness of my fears
I was only joking
She didn't really care about me or my worries
Let's leave behind the city grime
She proposed a fresh start, away from the city and our past
Let's not compete
She wanted to forget about any rivalry or conflict we had before
It could be fine in the country
She offered the possibility of a better life in a new environment
Couldn't it though...come on lets go
She tried to convince me to follow her lead and embrace this new opportunity
I said, OK
I agreed reluctantly, because I had no other options
We're going to Wyoming Darling...Which way is Wyoming?
She made an impulsive decision to move to a specific state, without even knowing how to get there
Jade, don't do that, that's really negative.
Someone expressed their disapproval of her counting Volvos on the road, suggesting that such behavior was unproductive and unnecessary
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: George Waters
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind