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)
Shine On You Crazy Diamond Parts 1-8
Roger Waters Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Shine on you crazy diamond.
Now there's a look in your eyes, like black holes in the sky.
Shine on you crazy diamond.
You were caught on the cross fire of childhood and stardom,
Blown on the steel breeze.
Come on you target for faraway laughter, come on you stranger,
You reached for the secret too soon, you cried for the moon.
Shine on you crazy diamond.
Threatened by shadows at night, and exposed in the light.
Shine on you crazy diamond.
Well you wore out your welcome with random precision,
Rode on the steel breeze.
Come on you raver, you seer of visions, come on you painter,
You piper, you prisoner, and shine!
Nobody knows where you are, how near or how far.
Shine on you crazy diamond.
Pile on many more layers and I'll be joining you there.
Shine on you crazy diamond.
And we'll bask in the shadow of yesterday's triumph,
And sail on the steel breeze.
Come on you boy child, you winner and loser,
Come on you miner for truth and delusion, and shine!
The song Shine On You Crazy Diamond Parts 1-8 by Roger Waters is a tribute to Syd Barrett, the former bandmate of Pink Floyd, who was no longer part of the band due to his declining mental health. The lyrics begin with a nostalgic tone, reminiscing about Barrett's past brilliance and how he used to shine like the sun. However, with time and the burden of fame, he lost his spark and was caught in the crossfire of childhood and stardom. The look in his eyes, described as black holes, symbolizes the emptiness he felt inside.
The second verse brings attention to the challenges Barrett faced in his life. The line "you reached for the secret too soon, you cried for the moon" implies that he expected success and fulfilment too quickly, and perhaps that led to his downfall. The shadows at night and the exposure in the light represents the struggles he faced with mental health issues. The third verse addresses his disappearance and the uncertainty that surrounded him at the time. The song ends on an optimistic note, with the hope of being reunited with Barrett in the afterlife and the encouragement to shine on.
Line by Line Meaning
Remember when you were young, you shone like the sun.
You had an iridescent glow when you were young.
Shine on you crazy diamond.
Keep shining bright, you unique and unconventional person.
Now there's a look in your eyes, like black holes in the sky.
There's a sadness and emptiness that surrounds you now.
You were caught on the cross fire of childhood and stardom, Blown on the steel breeze.
The struggle between your past and present has left you adrift and unsure.
Come on you target for faraway laughter, come on you stranger, You legend, you martyr, and shine!
Don't let the world get you down, let your true self shine through no matter what.
You reached for the secret too soon, you cried for the moon.
You wanted everything too quickly and felt let down when it didn't work out.
Threatened by shadows at night, and exposed in the light.
You never feel fully safe or secure, and are always vulnerable to the world's scrutiny.
Well you wore out your welcome with random precision, Rode on the steel breeze.
You've never been one to stick to convention and that's both your strength and your downfall.
Come on you raver, you seer of visions, come on you painter, You piper, you prisoner, and shine!
Never lose your spark or your creativity - keep expressing yourself authentically.
Nobody knows where you are, how near or how far.
You're a mystery to those around you, and you're not sure where you're headed.
Pile on many more layers and I'll be joining you there.
Let's continue to build on our shared experiences and grow together.
And we'll bask in the shadow of yesterday's triumph, And sail on the steel breeze.
We can look back on our past successes fondly, but we have to keep moving forward.
Come on you boy child, you winner and loser, Come on you miner for truth and delusion, and shine!
No matter what you've been through - the good or the bad - you have something valuable to offer the world.
Lyrics © IMAGEM U.S. LLC , Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: DAVID JON GILMOUR, RICK WRIGHT, ROGER WATERS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind