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)
To Freeze In The Dead Of Night
Roger Waters Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
To freeze in the dead of night
To burn in divine law
Deep in the crucible brine
The sorrow and the rage entwine
And coil and climb towards the light
The quill is poised above the page
Words like falling rain slake the thirst and dowse the flames
A nugget of belief in the hearts of the poor
That maybe in the dawn's new light
They have a right to the law
"To Freeze In The Dead Of Night" is a powerful and thought-provoking song by Roger Waters that delves into the themes of revolution, belief, and hope. The lyrics seem to depict a revolutionary priest who is willing to sacrifice himself to bring change and justice to society. The opening line, "To freeze in the dead of night, to burn in divine law" represents the extreme lengths the priest would go to in order to bring about a revolution. The coldness of the night seems to indicate the harsh and unforgiving nature of the priest's chosen path, which would lead to his ultimate sacrifice.
The song goes on to describe the emotional and mental state of the priest as he prepares for the revolution. The "sorrow and the rage entwine and coil and climb towards the light" represents the inner turmoil that the priest experiences as he grapples with the enormity of his task. The lyrics "The quill is poised above the page, words like falling rain slake the thirst and dowse the flames" seems to indicate that the priest is writing down his thoughts and feelings, possibly to leave behind a legacy that would inspire others to carry on his work.
The final lines of the song are particularly poignant: "A nugget of belief in the hearts of the poor, that maybe in the dawn's new light, they have a right to the law." The lyrics suggest that the priest's beliefs and ideas would live on long after his death and inspire the people to rise up and demand justice. The dawn's new light represents a new era of hope and change, where everyone - irrespective of their social and economic status - has a right to the law.
Line by Line Meaning
REVOLUTIONARY PRIEST
A leader who is willing to challenge the norms and fight for change
To freeze in the dead of night
A person who is willing to endure difficulties and hardships in pursuit of a goal
To burn in divine law
To be consumed by a belief system that is seen as sacred
Deep in the crucible brine
In the midst of intense circumstances that test one's resolve
The sorrow and the rage entwine
Emotions that are both painful and motivating come together
And coil and climb towards the light
Despite the difficulties, there is hope that progress can be made
The quill is poised above the page
Preparation is being made to express one's thoughts in a meaningful way
Words like falling rain slake the thirst and dowse the flames
Communicating a message can have a powerful impact on those who hear it
Cooling in the crucible and idea forms
After difficult experiences, a new and potentially transformative concept is developed
A nugget of belief in the hearts of the poor
A new idea has the potential to inspire a group of people who have been marginalized
That maybe in the dawn's new light
Perhaps a new day is dawning and change is possible
They have a right to the law
All people, regardless of their station in life, deserve to be treated justly under the law
Contributed by Liam T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.