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)
The Papal Edict
Roger Waters Lyrics
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"The Papal Edict"
RINGMASTER
Trade wings, buffeting the sweet molasses
Smoke of burning cane
Push, swelling East the spreading ripples of unrest,
Back to Europe and the rain
Surveys the flotsam on the tide
Ignores the cries of drowning men and
Passes on the other side
"The Papal Edict" by Roger Waters is a haunting depiction of the Papacy and its position of power and privilege. The song talks about the aftermath of the Atlantic Slave Trade and how it pushed the trade winds over the oceans and led to widespread social unrest that reverberated across the world. The lyrics depict the irony of the Holy See, a religious institution that should have acted as a moral compass and provided guidance to the people, but instead ignored their pleas for help and continued living a life of luxury on the banks of the Tiber River.
The song begins with the Ringmaster talking about the trade wings and the sweet molasses that were the root causes of the slave trade. The sugarcane produced a lot of smoke when it was burned, and this image is used to represent the destruction caused by the slave trade. The Ringmaster then goes on to talk about the spreading ripples of unrest that reverberated across the world as a result of the slave trade. The social upheaval leads to cries of pain and suffering, but the Holy See chooses to ignore them and continues to live in the lap of luxury.
The chorus of the song talks about the Holy See and its attitude towards the plight of the people. It is clear that the institution is fully aware of the atrocities being committed, but it chooses to turn a blind eye to them. The song is a powerful reminder of the role played by institutions of power in perpetrating injustice and the need for society to hold them accountable.
Line by Line Meaning
Trade wings, buffeting the sweet molasses
The strong winds of commerce stirring up the sugar cane industry
Smoke of burning cane
The environmental destruction caused by burning the sugar cane fields
Push, swelling East the spreading ripples of unrest,
The rising up of oppressed peoples in the East, gaining momentum like waves
Back to Europe and the rain
The movement of this unrest back to Europe, where the rains symbolize a return of the natural order
The Holy See safe on Tiber's shore
The powerful Catholic Church, protected by its location on the banks of the Tiber River in Rome
Surveys the flotsam on the tide
Observing the chaos and destruction caused by the spread of unrest and the greed of the sugar industry
Ignores the cries of drowning men
The Church turns a blind eye to the suffering of those who are oppressed and struggling to survive
And passes on the other side
The Church chooses to avoid getting involved or taking action to help those in need
Contributed by Sophia E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.