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 โThe Hoping Foundation,โ an organization that supports Palestinian refugee kids. At Ronnie Scottโs club in London, the duo performed four songs together: โTo Know Him Is to Love Himโ (a cover of the old Teddy Bearโs song), โWish You Were Here,โ โComfortably Numb,โ and finally (after a special request) โAnother Brick in the Wall Part 2.โ 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 โThe Wallโ tour, performing โComfortably Numb.โ 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)
* รa Ira (Opera) (2005)
*Is This the Life We Really Want? (2017)
*Igor Stravinsky's The Soldier's Tale (2018)
*The Lockdown Sessions (2022)
The Tide Is Turning
Roger Waters Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Rarely threw my hat into the crowd
I felt I had used up my quota of yearning
Used to look in on the children at night
In the glow of their Donald Duck light
And frighten myself with the thought of my little ones burning
But, oh, oh, oh, the tide is turning
Satellite buzzing through the endless night
Exclusive to moonshots and world title fights
Jesus Christ imagine what it must be earning
Who is the strongest
Who is the best
Who holds the aces
The East
Or the West
This is the crap our children are learning
But oh, oh, oh, the tide is turning
The tide is turning
Oh, oh, oh, the tide is turning
Now the satellite's confused
'Cause on Saturday night
The airwaves were full of compassion and light
And his silicon heart warmed
To the sight of a billion candles burning
Oo, oo, oo, the tide is turning
Oo, oo, oo, the tide is turning
The tide is turning Billy
I'm not saying that the battle is won
But on Saturday night all those kids in the sun
Wrested technology's sword from the hand of the war lords
Oh, oh, oh, the tide is turning
The tide is turning Sylvester
The tide is turning
"That's it!
Now the past is over but you are not alone
Together we'll fight Sylvester Stallone
We will not be dragged down in his South China Sea
Of macho bullshit and mediocrity"
The opening lines of Roger Waters's song The Tide Is Turning express a sense of pessimism and resignation about the state of the world. The singer declares that he used to think the world was flat, a metaphor for a limited perspective on life that lacked imagination and empathy. He also implies that he felt hopeless and powerless to change the world, as evidenced by his reluctance to "throw [his] hat into the crowd," a reference to taking risks or making bold gestures of defiance.
However, the chorus of the song, which repeats the phrase "the tide is turning," suggests a note of hope and optimism. The metaphor of the tide suggests a cyclical pattern of change, in which a period of decline or darkness is inevitably followed by renewal or illumination. The singer implies that something new and positive is happening in the world, though he does not specify what.
The second verse of the song takes a more critical tone, mocking the obsession with competition and conflict that characterizes much of modern society. The singer takes aim at the militarized space race between the US and USSR, as well as the cultural and ideological divide between the East and West. He argues that these petty rivalries distract people from the things that really matter, including compassion, creativity, and community. The chorus of the song, with its sense of boundless optimism and energy, suggests that a new era of cooperation and collaboration is possible, if people are willing to embrace it.
Line by Line Meaning
I used to think the world was flat
In the past, I had a very limited view of the world.
Rarely threw my hat into the crowd
I was not very outspoken, and did not take many risks.
I felt I had used up my quota of yearning
I felt like I had lost the drive or desire to pursue my aspirations.
Used to look in on the children at night
I used to observe my children before they went to sleep.
In the glow of their Donald Duck light
The light used to be a Donald Duck themed lamp.
And frighten myself with the thought of my little ones burning
I became anxious when imagining my children in danger or being harmed.
But, oh, oh, oh, the tide is turning
However, there is a change happening.
Satellite buzzing through the endless night
There is a satellite that operates constantly.
Exclusive to moonshots and world title fights
It is technology used only for important purposes.
Jesus Christ imagine what it must be earning
This technology is worth a lot of money.
Who is the strongest
Who is the most powerful?
Who is the best
Who is the most skilled?
Who holds the aces
Who has the upper hand?
The East
Refers to countries in Asia and the Middle East.
Or the West
Refers to countries in Europe and the Americas.
This is the crap our children are learning
Our children are being taught these kinds of ideas.
But oh, oh, oh, the tide is turning
However, a movement towards something better is happening.
Now the satellite's confused
The satellite cannot understand what's happening.
'Cause on Saturday night
Because of something that happened on a Saturday night.
The airwaves were full of compassion and light
The broadcast media contained messages of love and hope.
And his silicon heart warmed
Even the satellite's artificial heart was moved.
To the sight of a billion candles burning
There were candles lighting up a large area.
Oo, oo, oo, the tide is turning
The movement is growing stronger.
Now the past is over but you are not alone
The old ways are gone, but you have allies.
Together we'll fight Sylvester Stallone
We will fight against toxic masculinity, as represented by Stallone's movie characters.
We will not be dragged down in his South China Sea
We will not be influenced by his macho and violent ideals.
Of macho bullshit and mediocrity
Of ideas that are harmful and not productive.
Oh, oh, oh, the tide is turning
The movement for a better future is unstoppable.
The tide is turning Sylvester
The tide is turning, Sylvester Stallone (addressing the actor directly).
The tide is turning
The change for the better is happening.
Lyrics ยฉ BMG Rights Management
Written by: Roger Waters
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@darryl3422
This album should have been a big hit
@cbennett196631
I could do without Radio Waves and Sunset Stripโฆ
@darryl3422
@@cbennett196631 A Soul has no Eyes
@TerrencesClassicRockCorner24
@@cbennett196631Home and Four Minutes were useless and Get Back to Radio and Going to Live in L.A. should have been on the album and no dialogue
@robinkumar8128
Roger waters old songs raise some real concern
@Bez-qj2lm
For me Roger Waters is a genius.. always ahead of time.. I grew up with his music.. and still rocking
@allenirwin698
My mom turned me into pink Floyd and Roger waters fan she has great taste in music im 44 and still jamming to Roger.
@paullewis-cb9cm
The state of the world is heartbraking i feel sorry for our children i hope the tide will turn ๐
@junglemutha
Peace on Earth to all that walks this land โค
@SamtheAngelFox
The Tide needs to turn right now more than ever