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)
Us and Them
Roger Waters Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And after all we're only ordinary men
Me, and you
God only knows it's not what we would choose to do
Forward he cried from the rear
And the front rank died
And the general sat,and the lines on the map
Moved from side to side
And who knows which is which and who is who
Up and down
And in the end it's only round and round and round
Haven't you heard it's a battle of words
The poster bearer cried
Listen son, said the man with the gun
There's room for you inside
Down and out
It can't be helped but there's a lot of it about
With, without
And who'll deny it's what the fighting's all about
Out of the way, it's a busy day
I've got things on my mind
For wants of the price of a tea and a slice
The old man died.
The lyrics of Roger Waters's song Us and Them speak about the arbitrary lines that divide people and how easily we can be swept up in conflicts that are not of our own making. The first verse sets up the idea that there really isn't a distinction between "us" and "them" - we're all just ordinary people. In fact, the things we end up doing in war are never what we would really choose for ourselves. The next few lines describe a scene of violent conflict - the front-line soldiers are getting killed while the generals move their pieces around on a map. The second verse brings us back to the idea of arbitrary divisions, listing a few examples until we get to the idea that it's all just "round and round and round" - it never really ends.
The third verse brings in a new character - a "poster bearer" who is trying to win over hearts and minds with his words. But he's countered by a man with a gun who says that there's "room for you inside" - he's inviting the poster bearer to join the violence. In the final verse, we get a sense of desperation and resignation, as the old man dies because he couldn't afford even a cup of tea. It's a reminder that war is not just about abstract ideas - it has real consequences for ordinary people.
Line by Line Meaning
Us and them
The division between different groups of people.
And after all we're only ordinary men
Ultimately, we are all just human beings.
Me, and you
The singer and the listener, or two individuals in general.
God only knows it's not what we would choose to do
We often find ourselves in situations that are beyond our control and not of our choosing.
Forward he cried from the rear
And the front rank died
And the general sat,and the lines on the map
Moved from side to side
A critique of war and the senselessness of it all, as higher-ups give orders from a safe distance while soldiers on the frontlines suffer.
Black and blue
And who knows which is which and who is who
In conflicts, both sides often endure physical and psychological harm, and it can be difficult to distinguish friend from foe.
Up and down
And in the end it's only round and round and round
Life can feel like a repetitive cycle of ups and downs, with no real progress or resolution in sight.
Haven't you heard it's a battle of words
The poster bearer cried
Listen son, said the man with the gun
There's room for you inside
People use rhetoric and propaganda to manipulate others and incite them to violence, but ultimately the instigators have little at stake, while those on the ground are the ones who will bear the brunt of the battle.
Down and out
It can't be helped but there's a lot of it about
With, without
And who'll deny it's what the fighting's all about
Poverty and inequality are realities for many people, and these disparities often fuel conflict.
Out of the way, it's a busy day
I've got things on my mind
For wants of the price of a tea and a slice
The old man died.
The artist is dismissive of others' needs and priorities, even as they lament the loss of life that results from such callousness.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Richard William Wright, George Roger Waters
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@annmaricrisaschieri5881
A Nobel Peace Prize to this Man soon, please
@Cheesy_33
i dunno bout that one, chief
@abdallahmagdy8358
this man has a priceless prize already, it is the genuine love from the ppl, for staying true to what he believes is right, and not bending his moral values based on the directions of the so called elites
@samirataha9417
From Occupied Palestine Great Love to you Sir.
@olganakkas3042
great love to occupied Palestine !
@roger_waters
Thank you so much for your love and support on my career all this year's,and for taking your time to express this🙏.
where are you watching from?
@marionschmitt7507
In Deutschland dürfen wir nicht um palestinensische Menschen trauern 😢
Ich werde nachts wach und sehe die Menschen vor mir die hungern , dursten ,verletzt sind und nicht versorgt werden können und das unglaubliche Elend der Kinder . Ich kann nichts tuen außer weinen . Hier wirst du gecancelt , wenn du auf dieses Thema aufmerksam machst .
@jeanette590
@@marionschmitt7507I lay awake at night thinking of them here in America.
@stinkystinkpot
Nobody can write songs like Roger. Nobody can play guitar like David. Can’t we all just get along?
@romanchab
Write, but not to sing it up, is that what you mean?