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)
What God Wants Part III
Roger Waters Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The alien prophet sighed
The vulture and the magpie took
The cash box from its hook
The monkey in the corner wrote
The figures in his book
Crazed the checkout lady's fingers
Flash across the till
The menu of the day
And in banks across the world
Christians Moslems Hindus or Jews
And people of every
race creed colour tint or hue
Get down on their knees and pray
The racoon and the groundhog
Neatly make up bags of change
And the monkey in the corner
Well he's slowly drifting out of range
Christ it's freezing inside
The veteran cries
The hyenas break cover
And stream through the meadow
And the fog rolls in
Through his bolttle of gin
So he picks up a stone
That looks like a bone
And the bullets fly
And rivers run dry
And the fat girls sigh
And the network anchor persons lie
And the soldier's alone
In the video zone
But the monkey's not watching
He's slipped out to the kitchen
To pile the dishes
And answer the phone
The lyrics of Roger Waters's song What God Wants Part III seem to be questioning the concepts of business and religion, and the complicated relationship between them. The opening line, "Don't be afraid it's only business," suggests a warning of some sort, perhaps of what follows in the rest of the lyrics. The alien prophet, vulture, magpie, and monkey seem to be characters that represent different aspects of society, such as the seller, the buyer, and the observer, respectively. The monkey in the corner writes the figures in his book, while the checkout lady's fingers are crazed as she services customers. Meanwhile, the captain posts the menu of the day, which may be a reference to how society's goals are constantly changing, and how we are expected to keep up with it.
The next part of the lyrics, "And in banks across the world Christians Moslems Hindus or Jews and people of every race creed colour tint or hue get down on their knees and pray," suggests that religion is another aspect of society that is somehow interconnected with business. The racoon and the groundhog pile up bags of change, perhaps symbolizing how change is the only constant in society. The veteran cries, showing how those who fought for their countries may not be getting the recognition they deserve. The bullets fly, showing how war can disrupt society, and how innocent people can get caught in the crossfire. The fat girls sigh, perhaps showing how individuals may not always fit into society's standards. Finally, the soldier is alone in the video zone, while the monkey piles the dishes and answers the phone, implying that life goes on, even when society crumbles.
Line by Line Meaning
Don't be afraid it's only business
Don't let the cruel nature of capitalism intimidate you, it's purely an economic system.
The alien prophet sighed
An extraterrestrial religious figure made a sound of disappointment.
The vulture and the magpie took
The cash box from its hook
Two scavenging birds robbed a container of money hanging from a support.
The monkey in the corner wrote
The figures in his book
An ape recorded numerical data into a ledger while out of view.
Crazed the checkout lady's fingers
Flash across the till
The cashier's frantic fingers rapidly operate the cash register.
And the captain posts
The menu of the day
The ship's commander displays the options for offered meals.
And in banks across the world
Christians Moslems Hindus or Jews
And people of every
race creed colour tint or hue
Get down on their knees and pray
Individuals of various faiths and ethnicities seem to prioritize money over their deity and display a lack of unity.
The racoon and the groundhog
Neatly make up bags of change
And the monkey in the corner
Well he's slowly drifting out of range
Small mammals effectively prepare heaps of coins and the previously mentioned primate departs unnoticed.
Christ it's freezing inside
The veteran cries
A former soldier communicates that it is bitterly cold indoors.
The hyenas break cover
And stream through the meadow
And the fog rolls in
Through his bolttle of gin
Cackling carnivorous animals emerge from hiding and pass over an expanse, with visible atmospheric vapor filling a container holding an alcoholic beverage.
So he picks up a stone
That looks like a bone
And the bullets fly
And rivers run dry
And the fat girls sigh
And the network anchor persons lie
And the soldier's alone
In the video zone
The individual chooses an object resembling skeletal remains, initiating intense conflict and disruption in society, causing water shortage, undesirable reactions, misinformation being broadcasted, and soldiers standing alone in virtual battles.
But the monkey's not watching
He's slipped out to the kitchen
To pile the dishes
And answer the phone
The simian avoids the current chaos and instead partakes in more menial tasks like stacking dishes and taking phone calls.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind