Us and Them
Wright And 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 Wright and Waters's song Us and Them tackle the theme of war and the division it creates among people. The song's title alone emphasizes the idea of division since "us" and "them" are terms used to distinguish two opposing groups. However, the song depicts how despite the differences that divide people, humans are only ordinary and are prone to commit mistakes in times of conflict. In the lines "God only knows it's not what we would choose to do," the song highlights the irony of war where people fight despite not wanting to.
The song's second verse describes the futility of war and how it leaves people confused about right and wrong. The mention of the color black and blue implies that people in war can never know which side is right or wrong since even the appearance of the colors of two opposing groups can be confusing. The phrase "it's only round and round and round" also emphasizes how the cycle of war perpetuates itself, and people become part of it without really understanding and achieving anything as an outcome.
The song's final verse depicts the tragedy of war and how ordinary people, like the old man, become collateral damage in the process of war. The line "I've got things on my mind, for wants of the price of a tea and a slice, the old man died," highlights the idea that people in power often don't have any concern for the impoverished, which leads to the death of innocent people.
Line by Line Meaning
Us and them
There's a divide between different groups
And after all we're only ordinary men
Despite the divide, everyone is human
Me, and you
There are two sides to every issue
God only knows it's not what we would choose to do
Regardless of personal choice, conflict arises
Forward he cried from the rear
Leaders often don't experience the same dangers as followers
And the front rank died
Those on the front lines often suffer the most casualties
And the general sat,and the lines on the map
Commanders strategize from a safe distance
Moved from side to side
Borders and territories constantly shift
Black and blue
Both sides suffer injuries and damages
And who knows which is which and who is who
It's difficult to differentiate between the opposing sides
Up and down
The situation is constantly changing
And in the end it's only round and round and round
Despite the changes, the cycle of conflict continues
Haven't you heard it's a battle of words
Propaganda and slogans are used to rally support
The poster bearer cried
A supporter promotes their side
Listen son, said the man with the gun
A soldier commands attention through force
There's room for you inside
Join our team and fight with us
Down and out
Many people suffer and fall in battles
It can't be helped but there's a lot of it about
War is inevitable
With, without
People have different levels of wealth and resources
And who'll deny it's what the fighting's all about
The root of conflict is often based on socio-economic differences
Out of the way, it's a busy day
The urgency of war leaves no time for distractions
I've got things on my mind
Soldiers often have personal worries and concerns
For wants of the price of a tea and a slice
Poverty and lack of resources lead to sacrifice and suffering
The old man died.
Even innocent civilians are casualties of war
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Richard William Wright, George Roger Waters
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@douglasgray6783
Fantastic. What a superb cover of a superb song.
@toohottotrott
Absolutely gorgeous 😍. Quiet emotional when everyone turns their cameras off.
@TheEasyFeeling
One of the most awesome songs, beautifully played! Thank you!
@alastairgavin7545
What a lovely lockdown vid - great choice of song, great performance and a very cool ending!
@SharonHurst
Oh my, that was stunning! Beautiful pure vocals. It raised the hairs on my arms...thank you so much, we all needed that. 🧡
@666maiden5
This is brilliant beautifully done 🇮🇪🤘🏴
@pnarco
OMG! This is so incredibly awesome! I am weeping! Bravo!
@harrycowell
Absolute class as always. Looking forward to seeing Red Box live again after the madness has ended
@lechkrugielka595
A great song performed by a great band. It's hard for me to accept great hits performed by other artists, but you did it brilliantly !!!!!! TAK TRZYMAĆ PANOWIE!!!!
@floyd4472
Tak wygląda cover gdy biorą się za niego muzycy (!) wiedzący co mają zrobić.
Nie naśladują, nie udają, a jednocześnie trzymają się klimatu utworu.
Czapki z głów!