Us and Them
Shirley Adamson Lyrics

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Us (us, us, us, us) and them (them, them, them, them)
And after all we're only ordinary men
Me
And you (you, you, you)
God only knows
It's not what we would choose (choose, choose) to do (to do, 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
Black (black, black, black)
And blue (blue, blue)
And who knows which is which and who is who
Up (up, up, up, up)
And down (down, down, down, down)
And in the end it's only round 'n round (round, round, 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
""I mean, they're not gonna kill ya
So if you give 'em a quick short, sharp, shock
They won't do it again. Dig it?
I mean he get off lightly, 'cause I would've given him a thrashing
I only hit him once! It was only a difference of opinion, but really
I mean good manners don't cost nothing do they, eh?""
Down (down, down, down, down)
And out (out, out, out, out)
It can't be helped that there's a lot of it about
With (with, with, 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 the want of the price

Of tea and a slice
The old man died

Overall Meaning

The song "Us and Them," by Shirley Adamson, speaks to the theme of conflict and division between groups ("us" and "them") and the human toll it takes on individuals caught in the fray. The lyrics emphasize the pointlessness and tragedy of war and violence, demonstrating that people on both sides of a conflict are ultimately "only ordinary men," just trying to survive.

The song starts with the repetition of "us" and "them," creating a clear dichotomy between groups of people. The line "God only knows it's not what we would choose to do" highlights the fact that people often find themselves in conflicts, not because they want to be there but because circumstances or outside forces have pushed them into it. The reference to lines on a map being shifted back and forth highlights how arbitrary the notion of borders and boundaries can be in the context of war.

The verses continue to explore these themes, with one particular section focusing on the notion of propaganda and how words can be used as weapons. The poster bearer's cry and the man with the gun's response illustrates how easily people can be manipulated and how violence can be justified with persuasive language. The song ends with a haunting final image of an old man dying for "the want of the price of tea and a slice," showing that even the smallest things in life can take on a profound significance in times of war and strife.

Line by Line Meaning

Us (us, us, us, us) and them (them, them, them, them)
We are divided into two opposing groups - 'us' and 'them'

And after all we're only ordinary men
Despite our differences, we are all just ordinary human beings

Me And you (you, you, you)
Both of us, me and you, are part of this divide

God only knows
Only God knows how to fix this problem

It's not what we would choose (choose, choose) to do (to do, to do)
We do not want this conflict, but we are forced into it

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
Leaders who are not on the front lines make decisions that lead to bloodshed

Black (black, black, black) And blue (blue, blue) And who knows which is which and who is who
The violence has caused confusion and it is difficult to distinguish between sides

Up (up, up, up, up) And down (down, down, down, down) And in the end it's only round 'n round (round, round, round)
The conflict seems endless, with both sides taking turns at being on top

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 "I mean, they're not gonna kill ya So if you give 'em a quick short, sharp, shock They won't do it again. Dig it? I mean he get off lightly, 'cause I would've given him a thrashing I only hit him once! It was only a difference of opinion, but really I mean good manners don't cost nothing do they, eh?"
The conflict is fueled by propaganda, and a man with a gun tries to convince someone to join his side using mild coercion

Down (down, down, down, down) And out (out, out, out, out) It can't be helped that there's a lot of it about
Many people are affected by the violence and it is difficult to escape

With (with, with, with), without And who'll deny it's what the fighting's all about?
Some people have more resources and advantages than others, which is often the root cause of the conflict

Out of the way It's a busy day I've got things on my mind For the want of the price Of tea and a slice The old man died
People are too busy to care about others, and sometimes even the smallest things can lead to death

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Richard William Wright, George Roger Waters

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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