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)
5:01 AM.
Roger Waters Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Pulls across to greet a fellow rolling stone
Puts his bike up on it's stand
Leans back and then extends
A scarred and greasy hand, he said
How ya doin bro? Where ya been? Where ya goin'?
Then he takes your hand
In some strange Californian handshake
Have a nice day
A housewife from Encino
Whose husband's on the golf course
With his book of rules
Breaks and makes a 'U' and idles back
To take a second look at you
You flex your rod
Fish takes the hook
Sweet vodka and tobacco in her breath
Another number in your little black book
These are the pros and cons of hitchhiking
These are the pros and cons of hitchhiking
Oh babe, I must be dreaming
I'm standing on the leading edge
The Eastern seaboard spread before my eyes
"Jump" says Yoko Ono
"I'm too scared and too good looking" I cried
"Go on", she says
"Why don't you give it a try?
Why prolong the agony all men must die"
Do you remember Dick Tracy?
Do you remember Shane?
And mother wants you
Could you see him selling tickets
Where the buzzard circles over
Shane
The body on the plain
Did you understand the music Yoko
Or was it all in vain?
Shane
The bitch said something mystical "Herro"
So I stepped back on the curb again
These are the pros and cons of hitchhiking
These are the pros and cons of hitchhiking
Oh babe, I must be dreaming again
These are the pros and cons of hitchhiking
The song "5:01AM" by Roger Waters from his 1984 album "The Pros and Cons of Hitch Hiking" depicts a series of encounters that the singer has with strangers he meets while hitchhiking. The first verse describes an encounter with a fellow biker who greets him in a friendly manner with a Californian handshake, but then breaks his hand. It's a metaphorical representation of the hazards of social interaction, highlighting how one can never be too sure about the intentions of the people they meet. The next verse tells the story of a housewife who stops to take a second look at the singer, lured by his charisma and confident attitude. The encounter ends up with the singer adding another number to his little black book, symbolizing his promiscuous lifestyle.
The song evokes feelings of loneliness, isolation, and fear of the unknown. Waters, former bassist and lyricist of Pink Floyd, uses the concept of hitchhiking as a metaphor for life itself, where one is always on the move, jogging forth into the future, yet never quite sure where they're headed. The encounters with strangers in the song reflect this sense of confusion and uncertainty, with the singer both thrilled and unnerved by the unexpected direction his life takes. The song's evocative lyrics, combined with Waters' signature introspective style and haunting melodies, create an enigmatic masterpiece that invites repeated listens.
Line by Line Meaning
An angel on a Harley
A motorcyclist wearing leathers and riding a Harley Davidson motorbike
Pulls across to greet a fellow rolling stone
The rider stops next to someone else who is also traveling
Puts his bike up on it's stand
The rider parks his bike and prepares to dismount
Leans back and then extends
The rider relaxes and offers a handshake to the other person
A scarred and greasy hand, he said
The rider's hand is rough from motorcycle riding and he greets the other person
How ya doin bro? Where ya been? Where ya goin'?
The rider asks the other person how they are doing and where they have been and are going
Then he takes your hand
The rider grasps the other person's hand in greeting
In some strange Californian handshake
The rider shakes the other person's hand in a unique way associated with California
And breaks the bone
The handshake is so strong that it causes the other person's hand to break
Have a nice day
The rider bids the other person farewell and wishes them well
A housewife from Encino
A woman who is married and lives in a suburb of Los Angeles called Encino
Whose husband's on the golf course
The woman's husband is playing golf and is not currently with her
With his book of rules
The woman's husband has a book of rules that he follows
Breaks and makes a 'U' and idles back
The woman turns her car around and drives back to take another look at the rider
To take a second look at you
The woman is interested in the rider and wants to see him again
You flex your rod
The rider prepares to fish with his fishing rod
Fish takes the hook
The rider catches a fish with his fishing rod
Sweet vodka and tobacco in her breath
The woman has been drinking vodka and smoking tobacco
Another number in your little black book
The rider adds the woman's name and contact information to his list of contacts
Oh babe, I must be dreaming
The rider is unsure if what is happening is real or just a dream
I'm standing on the leading edge
The rider is at the forefront of something new or exciting
The Eastern seaboard spread before my eyes
The rider can see the East Coast of the United States stretching out before him
"Jump" says Yoko Ono
The artist Yoko Ono encourages the rider to take risks and live life to the fullest
"I'm too scared and too good looking" I cried
The rider is afraid to take risks because he is worried about his appearance, but he still wants to try
"Go on", she says
Yoko Ono continues to encourage the rider to take risks and live life to the fullest
"Why don't you give it a try?
Yoko Ono suggests that the rider should try something new and exciting rather than living a boring life
Why prolong the agony all men must die"
Yoko Ono reminds the rider that life is short and he should make the most of it
Do you remember Dick Tracy?
The rider is reminiscing about a comic book character from his childhood
Do you remember Shane?
The rider is reminiscing about a character from an old western movie
And mother wants you
The rider is reminded of his responsibilities to his mother and family
Could you see him selling tickets
The rider imagines a character from the western movie selling tickets to a show or event
Where the buzzard circles over
The rider imagines a desolate, deserted place where only buzzards remain
The body on the plain
The rider imagines a dead body lying on a flat, open area
Did you understand the music Yoko
The rider asks Yoko Ono if she really understood the music they were listening to
Or was it all in vain?
The rider wonders if their experiences have been pointless and meaningless
The bitch said something mystical "Herro"
A woman said something mysterious and unfamiliar to the rider
So I stepped back on the curb again
The rider returns to where he was before and continues his journey
These are the pros and cons of hitchhiking
The rider reflects on the risks and rewards of hitchhiking as a mode of travel
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Michael R
An angel on a Harley
Pulls across to greet a fellow rolling stone
Puts his bike up on it's stand
Leans back and then extends
A scarred and greasy hand...he said
How ya doin bro?...where ya been?...where ya goin'?
Then he takes your hand
In some strange Californian handshake
And breaks the bone
Have a nice day
A housewife from Encino
Whose husband's on the golf course
With his book of rules
Breaks and makes a 'U' and idles back
To take a second look at you
You flex your rod
Fish takes the hook
Sweet vodka and tobacco in her breath
Another number in your little black book
These are the pros and cons of hitchhiking
These are the pros and cons of hitchhiking
Oh babe, I must be dreaming
I'm standing on the leading edge
The Eastern seaboard spread before my eyes
"Jump" says Yoko Ono
"I'm too scared and too good looking" I cried
"Go on", she says
"Why don't you give it a try?
Why prolong the agony all men must die"
Do you remember Dick Tracy?
Do you remember Shane?
And mother wants you
Could you see him selling tickets
Where the buzzard circles over
Shane
The bitch said something mystical "Herro"
So I stepped back on the kerb again
These are the pros and cons of hitchhiking
These are the pros and cons of hitchhiking
Oh babe, I must be dreaming again
These are the pros and cons of hitchhiking
rds
If you want a great experience Put on your headphones and listen to the whole album You won't regret it its mind-blowing
Kevin
I saw it in concert 3 times. I never recovered. My mind has exploded like the lamp on the table.
rosario ramo
Eric Clapton is incredible. It plays live so much so that at minute 3 the amp whistles. The best fender sound ever.
ytmc
Also listen to the calloused fingers scratching on the strings at 2:34
ytmc
It must be turned up to 11
simorado
I totally agree
GarpVerwijk
Great song great album with a superb contribution of Eric Clapton. I love his playing on songs from others often better then on his own stuff. Waters is one of the greatest composers of all time. It's not a coincidence that Jeff Beck is also awesome on Amused to dead. Waters gives the other musicians enough space and gets the best out of them.
Irene Santos
uma voz inconfundível...a emoção que transmite ...magnifico...
ANDY MANN
Not particularly a Floyd fan so came across this because radio one breakfast show played it a lot when it was released as a single. Bought the album and absolutely loved it. Ive listened to it thousands of times and i never get bored. Roger Waters is truly unique as an artist, there really is no one quite like him. I could wax lyrical about how great this album is for ever and a day.
Jesse Burleson
Brilliant song by Roger Waters. And it's even more brilliant because Slowhand is on guitar!