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)
Oceans Apart
Roger Waters Lyrics
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Always the love of my life
We were strangers, oceans apart
But when I laid eyes on her
A part of me died
In the song "Oceans Apart," Roger Waters reflects on a lost love from the past. Despite being "strangers, oceans apart," the woman in question was "always here in [his] heart" and "always the love of [his] life." The verse suggests that they had never met in person before, but when they finally did, something changed within him. He felt like a part of him had died, perhaps as a result of realizing what he had been missing out on all those years.
The chorus of the song emphasizes the theme of distance and longing. Waters sings, "Oceans apart, day after day / And I slowly go insane / I hear your voice on the line / But it doesn't stop the pain." These lyrics convey the idea that while technology may make it possible to bridge the physical distance between two people, it cannot erase the pain of separation.
Overall, "Oceans Apart" speaks to the universal human desire for connection. Even when we are far away from the people we love, they remain a part of us. The song captures the bittersweet feeling of holding onto memories of a love that one can never fully recapture.
Line by Line Meaning
She was always here in my heart
Despite the separation between us, she has always occupied a place in my heart
Always the love of my life
I have always loved her, and she has remained the most important person to me
We were strangers, oceans apart
Although we were unknown to each other and far apart geographically, fate brought us together somehow
But when I laid eyes on her
The moment I saw her, something shifted within me
A part of me died
A part of myself that I used to know was no longer there after falling in love with her
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: GEORGE ROGER WATERS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind