THE POST WAR DREAM (Roger Waters) in « The Final Cut » (1983) | Produced by Roger Waters, James Guthrie & Michael Kamen.
Roger Waters: Lead vocals, bass guitar,; David Gilmour: Electric guitar; Nick Mason: Drums; Michael Kamen: Harmonium.
Nick Mason was the one who suggested to use the gimmick « Maggie, what have you done ? » all through the album.
« …announced plans to build a nuclear fallout shelter at Peterborough in Cambridgeshire…”
“…three high court judges have cleared the way…”
“…It was announced today that the replacement for the Atlantic
Conveyor, the container ship lost in the Falklands conflict would be built in Japan. A spokesman for…”
“…moving in. They say the third world countries, like Bolivia, which produce the drug are suffering from rising violence… »
Tell me true, tell me why, was Jesus crucified?
Was it for this that Daddy died?
Was it you? Was it me?
Did I watch too much T.V.?
Is that a hint of accusation in your eyes?
If it wasn't for the Nips
Being so good at building ships
The yards would still be open on the Clyde
And it can't be much fun for them
Beneath the rising sun
With all their kids committing suicide
What have we done?
Maggie, what have we done?
What have we done to England?
Should we shout? Should we scream?
“What happened to the post war dream?”
Oh, Maggie, Maggie, what did we do?
YOUR POSSIBLE PASTS (Roger Waters) in « The Final Cut » (1983) | Produced by Roger Waters, James Guthrie & Michael Kamen.
Roger Waters: Lead vocals, bass guitar, electric guitar; David Gilmour: Electric guitar, acoustic guitar; Nick Mason: Drums; Andy Bown: Hammond B3 organ; Ray Cooper: Cabasa, tambourine; Michael Kamen: Piano, electric piano, synthesizers; Laura Boisseau: voices.
This song is one of the tracks rejected during the recording of "The Wall". You can hear the lyrics of this song when Bob Geldof is in the bathroom, waiting for his trial, at the end of the movie "Pink Floyd, The Wall". The chorus is from Waters' unreleased 1968 song Incarceration of a Flower Child (recorded by Faithfull in 1999).
This track was considered for the 2000 compilation « Echoes - The best of Pink Floyd » but was eventually rejected.
Roger Waters:
« I would veer away from the over-use of the drum kit. Some of it I find difficult to listen to. A specific example is You possible pasts, which is quite melodic thing and then the drums come in really loud, and I find that slightly irrupting now. I’d probably put in some kind of rhythm section that carries you through the song more smoothly. I’d bring the verses up and take the choruses down to the point where you could listen to the song beginning to the end without keeping out of the chair ».
« The Last Days of Pink Floyd », Uncut, June 2004.
They flutter behind you your possible pasts
Some bright-eyed and crazy, some frightened and lost
A warning to anyone still in command
Of their possible future, to take care
In derelict sidings the poppies entwine
With cattle trucks lying in wait for the next time
Do you remember me? How we used to be?
Do you think we should be closer?
She stood in the doorway, the ghost of a smile
Haunting her face like a cheap hotel sign
Her cold eyes imploring the men in their MACs
For the gold in their bags or the knives in their backs
Stepping up boldly one put out his hand
He said, “I was just a child then, now I’m only a man.”
Do you remember me? How we used to be?
Do you think we should be closer?
By the cold and religious we were taken in hand
Shown how to feel good and told to feel bad
(Tongue tied and terrified we learned how to pray
Now our feelings run deep and cold as the clay)
Strung out behind us the banners and flags
Of our possible pasts lie in tatters and rags
Do you remember me? How we used to be?
Do you think we should be closer?
ONE OF THE FEW (Roger Waters) • « The Final Cut » (1983)
Roger Waters: Lead vocals, harmony vocals, acoustic guitar, bass guitar, sound effects; Michael Kamen: Oboe, synthesizers.
One of the tracks eliminated from "The Wall" project. Its first title, Teach, betrays the importance of this track within the 1979 double album, as it was supposed to represent the anxieties of the main character: the teacher. The song's title refers to Churchill's famous statement that never in history have the lives of so many depended on so few. He was referring to the Royal Air Force aviators who intercepted, sometimes at the cost of 'Roaming', the V2 rockets launched by the German army.
Roger Waters:
«(This song includes) some material left over from The Wall that pertained to the teacher character, so we understand that he was actually ex-RAF and had his own problems. The teacher from The Wall is this man. It has something to do with The Wall and it gives him a raison d’être if you like. It explains some of his feelings that didn’t get explained in The Wall, where it was a very thinly sketched character who didn’t have any real reason for being this kind of horrible person to everybody, as he was. Well I’m giving him a reason now, that’s all»
Cited in «The Final Cut - A history of Pink Floyd 1982-1983», Vernon Fitch, 2014.
When you’re one of the few to land on your feet
What do you do to make ends meet?
«teach»
Make 'em mad, make 'em sad, make 'em add two and two
Or make 'em me, or make 'em you, make 'em do what you want them to
Make 'em laugh, make 'em cry, make 'em lie down and die
THE HERO’S RETURN (Roger Waters) • « The Final Cut » (1983) | Produced by Roger Waters, James Guthrie & Michael Kamen.
Roger Waters: Lead vocals, guitars, bass guitar; David Gilmour: Electric guitar, lap-steel guitar, Fender VI; Nick Mason: Drums; Michael Kamen: Piano, Plectrum piano, synthesizer.
An additional verse was cut from the album but was added to the single version.
Jesus, Jesus, what’s it all about?
Trying to clout these little ingrates into shape
When I was their age all the lights went out
There was no time to whine or mope about
And even now part of me flies over
Dresden at angels one five
Though they’ll never fathom it behind my
Sarcasm desperate memories lie
Sweetheart sweetheart are you fast asleep? Good
‘Cause that’s the only time that I can really speak to you
And there is something that I’ve locked away
A memory that is too painful
To withstand the light of day
When we came back from the war
The banners and flags hung on everyone’s door
We danced and we sang in the street and
The church bells rang
But the burning in my heart
The memory smolders on
Of the gunners dying words on the intercom
THE GUNNER’S DREAM (Roger Waters) • « The Final Cut » (1983) | Produced by Roger Waters, James Guthrie & Michael Kamen.
David Gilmour: Electric guitar, acoustic guitar; Roger Waters: Lead vocals, VCS3, bass guitar; Nick Mason: Drums; Michael Kamen: Piano, electric piano; Andy Bown: Hammond B3 organ; Raphael Ravenscroft: Saxophone; Ray Cooper: Perscussion; The National Philharmonic Orchestra: Strings & brass sections.
This track was considered for the 2000 compilation «Echoes - The best of Pink Floyd» but was eventually rejected. La phrase « Maniacs don’t blow holes in bandsmen by remote control » est une référence à un événement qui se produisit pendant l’enregistrement de l’album lorsque l’IRA fit exploser une bombe lors d’un concert du groupe The Royal Green Jackets en Juillet 1982 tuant au passage six personnes. Le prénom Max désigne ici un soldat fictif archétypal.
Floating down, through the clouds
Memories come rushing up to meet me now
But in the space between the heavens
And in the corner of some foreign field
I had a dream
I had a dream
Good-bye Max
Good-bye Ma
After the service, when you’re walking slowly to the car
And the silver in her hair shines in the cold November air
You hear the tolling bell
And touch the silk in your lapel
And as the tear drops rise to meet the comfort of the band
You take her frail hand
And hold on to the dream!
A place to stay
«Oh! A real one …»
Enough to eat
Somewhere old heroes shuffle safely down the street
Where you can speak out loud
About your doubts and fears
And what’s more no-one ever disappears
You never hear their standard issue kicking in your door
You can relax on both sides of the tracks
And maniacs don’t blow holes in bandsmen
by remote control
And everyone has recourse to the law
And no one kills the children anymore
And no one kills the children anymore
Night after night
Going round and round my brain
His dream is driving me insane
In the corner of some foreign field
The gunner sleeps tonight
What’s done is done
We cannot just write off his final scene
Take heed of the dream
Take heed
Roger Waters :
« Je ne sais pas pourquoi j’ai utilisé le nom Max, c’est un nom étrange. C’est très intéressant car c’est un nom juif, non ? Mais cela sonne également comme le Baron Richtofen étrangement … ou peut-être parce qu’il y avait un film qui s’appelait « The Blue Max » qui parlait des pilotes de combat de la première Guerre Mondiale. Je ne dis pas que cela vient de là mais … je n’en sais rien. Tu vois, quelquefois, quand j’écris des chansons, je le fais dans un parfait état de passivité consciente (…) et les mots, les noms et les choses viennent quelquefois (…) » [11]
« Which one’s Pink? », Phil Rose, 2000.
PARANOID EYES (Roger Waters) in « The Final Cut » (1983)
David Gilmour: Acoustic guitars; Roger Waters: Lead vocals, bass guitar; Nick Mason: Voices; Andy Bown: Hammond B3 Organ; Michael Kamen: Piano, synthesizers; Ray Cooper: Perscussion; Henry Lowther: Trumpet; The National Philharmonic Orchestra: Strings & brass sections; Laura Boisseau: Voices.
This track was considered for the 2000 compilation «Echoes - The best of Pink Floyd» but was eventually rejected. Le terme Brown and Mild est une référence à un mélange de boissons alcolisées que buvaient les soldats pour se donner du courage.
Button your lip andon’t let the shield slip
Take a fresh grip on your bullet proof mask
And if they try to break down your disguise with their questions
You can hide, hide, hide
Behind paranoid eyes
You put on our brave face and slip over the road for a jar
Fixing your grin as you casually lean on the bar
Laughing too loud at the rest of the world
With the boys in the crowd
You can hide, hide, hide
«I’ll tell you what, I’ll give you three blacks, and play you for five»
Behind petrified eyes
«Ta! You was unlucky there son»
You believed in their stories of fame, fortune and glory
Now you’re lost in a haze of alcohol soft middle age
The pie in the sky turned out to be miles too high
And you hide, hide, hide
«Time gentleman!»
Behind brown and mild eyes
«Oi!»
GET YOUR FILTHY HANDS OFF MY DESERT (Roger Waters) in « The Final Cut » (1983)
Roger Waters: Lead vocals, backing vocals, acoustic guitar, bass guitar; The National Philharmonic Orchestra: Strings section.
Roger Waters:
« Il est évident que je vais me faire taper sur les doigts à cause de cela. Pour qui se prend-il, celui-là, de quel droit critique-t-il ? Dieu merci, il nous reste dans ce pays le droit de dire ce que nous voulons dire. Le fait que vos opinions vont devenir des paroles de chanson ne doit pas obliger à les édulcorer – pas plus que lorsqu’on les exprime dans un pub »
« La solution finale », Rock’n Folk, Avril 1983.
Roger Waters:
« Get Your Filthy Hands Off My Desert”. It’s rooted in the experience of being forced to go through the Falklands campaign, clinging to Margaret Thatcher’s filthy coat tails. Sorry! Is there anyone more divisive in post-war history than Margaret Thatcher? Blair, obviously. They’re a lovely couple»
«The protest singer», Uncut, January 2016
«Hoi, Get your filthy hands off my desert ! What he say?»
Brezhnev took Afghanistan
Begin took Beirut
Galtieri took the Union Jack
And Maggie, over lunch one day
Took a cruiser with all hands
Apparently, to make him give it back
THE FLETCHER MEMORIAL HOME (Roger Waters) in « The Final Cut » (1983) | Produced by Roger Waters, James Guthrie & Michael Kamen.
David Gilmour: Acoustic guitar, electric guitar; Roger Waters: Lead vocals, bass guitar, voices; Nick Mason: Drums; Michael Kamen: Piano; Ray Cooper: Percussion; The National Philharmonic Orchestra: String & brass sections; James Guthrie: Voices ; Hugo Zuccarelli: Voices.
Fletcher was the second name of the Roger Waters’ father.
Take all your overgrown infants away somewhere
And build them a home, a little place of their own
The Fletcher Memorial Home
For Incurable Tyrants and Kings
And they can appear to themselves every day
On closed circuit T.V
To make sure they’re still real
It’s the only connection they feel
Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome, Reagan and Haig
Mr. Begin and friend, Mrs. Thatcher, and Paisley
«Hello Maggie!»
Mr. Brezhnev and party
«Scusi dov’è il bar?»
The ghost of McCarthy,
The memories of Nixon.
«Who’s the bald chap?Goodbye!»
And now, adding colour
A group of anonymous Latin-American meat packing glitterati
Did they expect us to treat them with any respect?
They can polish their medals and sharpen their smiles,
And amuse themselves playing games for awhile
Boom boom, bang bang, lie down you’re dead
Safe in the permanent gaze of a cold glass eye
With their favourite toys
They’ll be good girls and boys
In the Fletcher Memorial Home for colonial
Wasters of life and limb
Is everyone in?
Are you having a nice time?
Now the final solution can be applied
SOUTHAMPTON DOCK (Roger Waters) in « The Final Cut » (1983)
Roger Waters: Lead vocals, acoustic guitar, bass guitar, VCS3, voices; Michael Kamen: Harmonium, piano; The National Philharmonic Orchestra: String & brass sections.
La chanson a été écrite après que Waters a assisté à la télévision anglaise au départ des troupes britanniques, soit 3000 hommes, le 8 Avril 1982 pendant le conflit des Falkland.
Roger Waters :
« J’ai toujours aimé Southampton Dock. C’est un tout petit truc, mais j’aime bien cette image de Margaret Thatcher, tous ces drapeaux de l’union jack (…) »
«The Man Behind Pink Floyd’s The Wall », Greg Knot, 1999.
They disembarked in 45 and no-one spoke and no-one smiled
There were too many spaces in the line gathered at the cenotaph
All agreed with the hand on heart to sheath the sacrificial Knifes
But now:
She stands upon Southampton dock
With her handkerchief and her summer frock clings
To her wet body in the rain
In quiet desperation knuckles white upon the slippery reins
She bravely waves the boys goodbye again
And still the dark stain spreads between
Their shoulder blades
A mute reminder of the poppy fields and graves
And when the fight was over
We spent what they had made, but
In the bottom of our hearts we felt the final cut
THE FINAL CUT (Roger Waters) in « The Final Cut » (1983) | Produced by Roger Waters, James Guthrie & Michael Kamen.
David Gilmour: Electric guitar, acoustic guitar, backing vocals; Roger Waters: Lead vocals, bass guitar; Nick Mason: Drums; Michael Kamen: Piano, electric piano, synthesizers, harmonium, backing vocals; Ray Cooper: Percussion; The National Philharmonic Orchestra: String & brass sections; James Guthrie: Voices.
From a demo written ten years earlier (according to James Guthrie), it was one of the last songs written for the album, probably in September. It is also the most direct reference to « The Wall » with an orchestration that recalls some parts of Comfortably Numb (composed by the same man, Michael Kamen). This is also evident in the lyrics where the end of one of the sentences, covered by the deafening sound of a detonation, ends like this: « … and if I'm there, I'll tell you what's behind the wall » (the bolded stanza was the one almost inaudible).
The Final Cut refers to the fact that the character (reminiscent of Pink from "The Wall", behind her wall) "never had the nerve to make the final cut" with her razor. The final cut also represents the director's right of review of his film.
Through the fish-eyed lens of tear stained eyes
I can barely define the shape of this moment in time
And far from flying high in clear blue skies
I’m spiraling down to the hole in the ground where I hide
If you negotiate the minefield in the drive
And beat the dogs and cheat the cold electronic eyes
And if you make it past the shotguns in the hall
Dial the combination, open the priesthole
And if I’m in I’ll tell you … what’s behind the wall
There’s a kid who had a big hallucination
Making love to girls in magazines
He wonders if you’re sleeping with your new found
faith
Could anybody love him
Or is it just a crazy dream?
And if I show you my dark side
Will you still hold me tonight?
And if I open my heart to you
And show you my weak side
What would you do?
Would you sell your story to Rolling Stone?
Would you take the children away
And leave me alone?
And smile in reassurance
As you whisper down the phone?
Would you send me packing?
Or would you take me home?
Thought I oughta bare my naked feelings
Thought I oughta tear the curtain down
I held the blade in trembling hands
Prepared to make it but just then the phone rang
I never had the nerve to make the final cut
«Hello? Listen, I think I’ve got it. Okay, listen its a- Hahahaha!»
NOT NOW JOHN (Roger Waters) in « The Final Cut » (1983)| Produced by Roger Waters, James Guthrie & Michael Kamen.
David Gilmour: Electric guitar, acoustic guitar, lead vocals, backing vocals; Roger Waters: Lead vocals, bass guitar; Nick Mason: Drums; Andy Bown: Hammond B3 organ; James Guthrie: Synthesizers; Doreen Chanter, Irene Chanter: Backing vocals.
« John » is a common nickname given in England to designate someone (like « Jack » in the US or « Coco » in France). At the very end of the song, you can hear Roger singing « Rule Britannia! Britannia rules the waves » and « Hammer! Hammer! Hammer! Hammer! Now! » which are all references to the song Waiting for the Worms. The last stanza is an allusion to the conflicts linked to the production of the film and in particular to its very stormy relationship due to Parker's artistic opinions to which Gilmour had agreed to the great dismay of Waters.
The final sound delirium that concludes the song is supposed to represent the behavior of the crowd during the last stormy concerts of the 1977 tour. The line « Where's the bar ? » sung in different languages is there to show that the only concern of any stadium audience is to be entertained rather than to listen to the band play live.
This is the only song of the album that features Gilmour's vocals.
Roger Waters :
« C’est une chanson étrange, celle-là. Une chanson très schizophrénique en raison de ce personnage au premier plan qui est très irrité par toutes ces pleurnicheries et ces lamentations sur les Malouines et tout ça et qui ne veut plus en entendre parler – et là, il y a un peu de moi. Et puis il y a cette autre voix qui ressasse derrière la première et répète « faites-mes rire, faites-les pleurer, faites-les danser dans les travées » et tout çà. C’est une chanson étrange mais ce que dit le première voix est très direct : «Au diable tout cela, il faut vivre avec !» ».
« La solution finale », Rock’n Folk, Avril 1983.
Fuck all that, we've got to get on with these
Got to compete with the wily Japanese
There’s too many home fires burning and not enough trees
So fuck all that, we've gotta get on with these
Can’t stop, lose job
Mind gone, silicon
Tsar bomb, what bomb?
Get away, pay day
Make hay, break down
Need fix, big six
Click, click
Hold on, oh no
Bingo!
Make them laugh, make them cry
Make them dance in the aisles
Make them pay, make them stay
Make them feel okay
Not now John, we've got to get on with the film show
Hollywood waits at the end of the rainbow
Who cares what it’s about as long as the kids go
So, not now John, we've gotta get on with the show
Hang on John I've got to get on with this
I don’t know what it is, but it fits on here like …
Come at the end of the shift, we’ll go and get pissed
But now now John, I've gotta get on with this
Hold on John, I think there’s something good on
I used to read books but...
It could be the news, or some other amusement
Could be reusable shows
Fuck all that, we've gotta get on with these
Got to compete with the wily Japanese
No need to worry about the Vietnamese
Got to bring the Russian Bear to his knees
Well, maybe not the Russian Bear, maybe the Swedes
We showed Argentina, now let’s go and show these
Make us feel tough and wouldn't Maggie be pleased?
Na, na, na, na, na, na, na
One, two, Free Four!
Scusi dov'è il bar? «What ?»
Se para collo pou eine toe bar?
S’il vous plait où est le bar? «Say it in English!»
Oi, where’s the fucking bar John? «Oh, now you’re talking!»
«Oh! Rule Britannia! Britannia rules the day»
Down! Go, Maggie!
Hammer, Hammer, Hammer, Hammer, now!
TWO SUNS IN THE SUNSET (Roger Waters) in « The Final Cut » (1983) | Produced by Roger Waters, James Guthrie & Michael Kamen.
David Gilmour: Electric guitar; Roger Waters: Lead vocals, acoustic guitar, bass guitar; Andy Newmark: Drums; Andy Bown: Hammond B3 organ; Michael Kamen: Piano, synthesizer, Vocoder; Raphael Ravenscroft: Saxophone; Harry Waters, India Waters: Voices; Richard Millard: Voices.
The song was played occasionally during the 2017-2018 « Us + them » tour and became one of the encore of the « It’s not a drill » tour
Waters :
« J’ai eu cette pensée en conduisant un soir : nous sommes tous là à débattre de la possibilité d’accidents – ou, comme je le dis dans la chanson, que quelqu’un devienne si furieux qu’il finisse pas appuyer sur le bouton. La chanson parle du moment prècis où cela arrive, vous savez quand c’est arrivé et que c’est la fin ; tout le monde est mort et c’est la fin du monde, vous ne reverrez plus jamais vos enfants, votre femme et tous ceux que vous aimez. C’est la fin. C’est très facile de dire : « Oh oui, il peut y avoir un accident et l’holocauste peut se produire » sans ressentir ce que ça pourrait être. Voilà pourquoi la chanson dit « et le pare-brise fond tandis que mes larmes s’évaporent» ».
« La solution finale », Rock’n Folk, Avril 1983.
Roger Waters :
« here was something strange about it . Obviously, it describes a nuclear war the remnants ol all that paranoia about nuclear war from the 60’s and it’s that idea that it may be at the end of life, one may
have that king of realisation that you could have when you are alive, and you go,‘ Hold on a minute, maybe this is what I should do ».
«The last days of Pink Floyd», Uncut, June 2004.
Roger Waters :
«Andy Newmark played drums on that. Rhythmically, there are some 5/4 timings thrown in so the downbeat changes from bar to bar and it s confusing for Nick. His brain doesn't work that way. That s why he didn't play on Mother on The Wall, there are other session players on the record, but no guitar players.
«The last days of Pink Floyd», Uncut, June 2004.
Nick Mason:
«I was going to play on it [Two Suns in the Sunset]; and then they more or less said 'Let's not get too precious about this — let Andy Newmark do it the way you want it done' rather than me spend weeks trying to get it absolutely stylistically right. It still doesn't seem that important to me»
In my rear view mirror the sun is going down
Sinking behind bridges in the road
And I think of all the good things
That we have left undone
And I suffer premonitions, confirm suspicions
Of the holocaust to come
The rusty wire that holds the cork that keeps the anger in
Gives way and suddenly it’s day again
The sun is in the east
Even though the day is done
Two suns in the sunset, hmph
Could be the human race is run
Like the moment when the brakes lock
And you slide towards the big truck (“Oh no!”)
You stretch the frozen moments with your fear [scream]
And you’ll never hear their voices ("Daddy, Daddy!")
And you’ll never see their faces
You have no recourse to the law anymore
And as the windshield melts and my tears evaporate
Leaving only charcoal to defend
Finally I understand
The feelings of the few
Ashes and diamonds, foe and friend
We were all equal in the end
«… and now the weather. Tomorrow will be cloudy with scattered showers spreading from the east … With an expected high of 4000 degrees Celsius»
THE FLETCHER MEMORIAL HOME (Roger Waters)
Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome, Reagan and Haig
Mr. Begin and friend, Mrs. Thatcher, and Paisley
« Hello Maggie! »
Mr. Brezhnev and party
« Scusi dov’è il bar? »
The ghost of McCarthy,
The memories of Nixon.
« Who’s the bald chap? Goodbye! »
And now, adding colour
A group of anonymous Latin-American meat packing glitterati
Did they expect us to treat them with any respect?
They can polish their medals and sharpen their smiles,
And amuse themselves playing games for awhile
Boom boom, bang bang, lie down you’re dead
Safe in the permanent gaze of a cold glass eye
With their favourite toys
They’ll be good girls and boys
In the Fletcher Memorial Home for colonial
Wasters of life and limb
Is everyone in?
Are you having a nice time?
Now the final solution can be applied
SOUTHAMPTON DOCK (Roger Waters)
They disembarked in 45 and no-one spoke and no-one smiled
There were too many spaces in the line gathered at the cenotaph
All agreed with the hand on heart to sheath the sacrificial Knifes
But now:
She stands upon Southampton dock
With her handkerchief and her summer frock clings
To her wet body in the rain
In quiet desperation knuckles white upon the slippery reins
