The Final Cut

1- The Post War Dream Written by: Waters Running Time: 3:03 Rating: ***** Comments:  This song opens up this unique and deeply touching album.  It begins softly, with a few sound effects and background voices, and then goes into the lyrics.  This album has the most touching lyrics of any Pink Floyd album, or any album I've ever heard.  This song is all lyrics, starting softly, and then after asking "what have we done?" to Margaret Thatcher, it gets louder and intense, in just one of many highly emotional moments on this brilliant work of art. Lyrics: 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 tv? 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?

2- Your Possible Pasts Written by: Waters Running Time: 4:22 Other Versions: [partly] The Wall (film) Rating: **** Comments:  This is the weak link of the first half, but it's a great song, with a very powerful refrain, and a strong instrumental.  The lyrics are among the most haunting on the album. Lyrics: 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 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?

3- One Of The Few Written by: Waters Running Time: 1:22 Rating: ***** Comments:  The only word to describe this song is "haunting."  The message is similar to "Another Brick In The Wall part 2" but it is said in a much softer, less blatant manner.  It's soft melody is so soft, yet so strong at the same time. Lyrics: when you're one of the few to land on your feet what do you do to make ends meat? (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 lay down and die

4- The Hero's Return Written by: Waters Running Time: 2:57 Rating: ***** Comments:  One of the most sudden transition's in all of Pink Floyd's works comes between this and the previous track.  In an instant, you are taken from the soft melody to the loud and fast rhythm of this spectacular song.  Told from the point of view of the embittered veteran, this gets inside of the mind that has been tortured from memories of the war.  Together with the following track, this is one of the most emotional pieces of music ever written. Lyrics: jesus, jesus, what's it all about? trying to clout these little ingrates into shape when i was their age, all the lights were out there was no time to wine and 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 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 and 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 smoulders on of the gunner's dying words on the intercom...

5- The Gunner's Dream Written by: Waters Running Time: 5:05 Rating: ***** Comments:  This piece of music has the power to move you to tears.  It's so beautiful that it makes your skin tingle all over.  The lyrics are among the greatest ever written, and Roger sings them with such passion, the emotion is almost indescribable. The part where he sings "...and hold on to the dream" and then the saxophone comes howling in is one of the single most powerful moments in the history of music.  I can't listen to it without shivvering.  These brilliant lyrics have a clear and simple meaning, and it delivers it so powerfully that it can hardly be described. Lyrics: floating down through the clouds memories come rushing up to meet me now but in the space between the heavens and the corner of some foreign field i had a dream, i had a dream goodbye max, goodbye 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 teardrops rise to meet the comfort of the band you take her frail hand... ...and hold on to the dream a place to stay, enough to eat somewhere old heros shuffle safely down the street where you can speak out loud about your doubts and fears and what's more, no one ever dissappears 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 no one kills the children anymore night after night, going round and round my brain this dream is driving me insaaaaane... 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

6- Paranoid Eyes Written by: Waters Running Time: 3:43 Rating: *** Comments:  These are beautiful lyrics, but the music is weak, and the message is hardly a strong one.  This begins a string of weak links in an otherwise brilliant album.  It is a nice song, however, but it's just not nearly as good as some of the other masterpieces around it. Lyrics: button your lip, and don't let the shield slip and seek 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 your 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 behind petrified eyes 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 behind brown and mild eyes

7- Get Your Filthy Hands Off My Desert Written by: Waters Running Time: 1:16 Other Versions: In The Flesh Rating: *** Comments:  This is just a "cute" little song to help the along the flow of the album.  It serves as a lead-in to the next song, which is a poke at political leaders.  It's amusing, but by no means a work of art. Lyrics: brezhnev took afghanistan and bagin too beruit galtieri took the union jack and maggie, over lunch one day took a cruiser with all hands apparently to make him give it back

8- The Fletcher Memorial Home Written by: Waters Running Time: 4:12 Rating: *** Comments:  The is the major weak link in this album.  The lyrics serve no other purpose than to criticize world leaders and other famous imbossils.  The music and lyrics are both weak, and most of the things that are alluded to have long since become yesterday's news.  The best part of this song is the instrumental, but other than that, it's not worth much. Lyrics: 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 everyday on closed circuit tv, to make sure they're still real it's the only connection they feel ladies and gentlemen, please welcome reagan and haig mr. bagin and friend mrs. thatcher, and paisley mr. brezhnev and party the ghost of mccarthy, and the memories of nixon and now, adding colour a group of anonymous latin american meat-packing gliterati did they expect us to treat them with any respect? they can polish their medals and sharpen their smiles and abuse themselves, playing games for awhile boom boom, bang bang, lie down you're dead safe in the permanent gaze of a cold, glass eye 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

9- Southampton Dock Written by: Waters Running Time: 2:08 Other Versions: In The Flesh Rating: **** Comments:  This is a short and beautiful song, the perfect transition into the last few tracks.  The lyrics are simple and touching, and the music is the same.  The only problem is that it does not stand well on its own.  But from where it is on the album, it is a wonderful piece. Lyrics: they disembarked in forty-five and no one spoke and no one smiled there were too many spaces in the line and gathered at the cenotaph all agreed with hand on heart to sheath the sacrificial knives 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 when the fight was over we spent what they had made, but in the bottom of our hearts we felt the final cut...

10- The Final Cut Written by: Waters Running Time: 4:48 RANKING: #11  ****** Comments:  This is one of the most beautiful songs ever written, and one of the best songs by Pink Floyd.  The lyrics are the best of any Pink Floyd song, and the music reaches down to the level of your soul.  This song expresses its message so poetically and perfectly.  The first lines make up the most beautiful and poetic verse that has ever been written, and it touches my soul deeply every time I hear it.  The emotion and passion that lie between every line of this magnificent song is one that almost everybody at some point or another has felt.  Personally, this song is the best expression of how I feel all the time.  It takes depression and puts it to a beautiful melody, and is sung with so much passion.  This is a true and touching work of art. Lyrics: 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 spiralling 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 priest-hole 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 newfound 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, 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 ought to bear my naked feelings thought i ought to 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

11- Not Now John Written by: Waters Running Time: 5:02 Rating: ***** Comments:  In sharp contrast to the previous track, this song describes anger as opposed to depression, and it does so with incredible power.  This is the fastest song on the album, and the closest thing to traditional rock n' roll.  It is also the only song David Gilmour sings on, so with all other things considered, this can basically be considered a Roger Waters solo album.  In my opinion, he never topped the brilliance of this album.  This particular song is just a nice break from the slow and heavy former tracks, and is one of the most powerful fast songs ever recorded. Lyrics: fuck all that, we've got to get on with these got to compete with the wily japanese there's too many homefires burning, and not enough trees so fuck all that, we've got to get on with these can't stop, lose job, mind gone, silicon stone, one more, get away, pay-day make hay, break down, need fix, pick six click click, hold on, oh no, bingo! make 'em laugh, make 'em cry make 'em dance in the aisles make 'em pay, make 'em stay make 'em feel o.k. 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 got to get on with the show hang on john, i've got to get on with this 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 not now john, i've got to get on with this hold on john, i think there's something good on i used to read books, but ... ...... ..... could be the news, or some other amusement could be reusable shows fuck all that, we've got to 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? nah nah nah nah nah nah nah one two three four... s'cusi dov il bar? se para collo pouine toe pare s'il vous plait ou est el bar? oi', where's the fucking bar, john?

12- Two Suns In The Sunset Written by: Waters Running Time: 5:20 Rating: ***** Comments:  A beautiful and powerful ending to this beautiful and powerful album.  This song has so many meanings, ranging from fear of nuclear holocaust to equality in death.  The majority of the melody is easy, except for one extremely powerful verse that describes death as a metaphor for the end of the world.  The beauty of the saxophone at the end is topped only by certain tracks from other Pink Floyd albums.  This song is Waters's final contribution to Pink Floyd, and it is a memorable one.  All in all, another piece of art in an album filled with them. Lyrics: in my rearview mirror, the sun in going down sinking behind bridges in the road 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 keep 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... could be the human race is run like the moment when the breaks lock and you slide towards the big truck you stretch the frozen moments with your fear and you'll never hear their voices 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

Released: 1983 by Columbia Records Running Time: 43:19 Ranking: #7 out of 14 studio albums Album Highlight: The Final Cut Album Weak Point: Paranoid Eyes Average Song Rating: **** Comments:  This is the most brilliant masterpiece of lyrics that has ever been made into an album.  Roger Waters is at his peak in the level of genius behind his words on the songs of this album, in particular the tear-jerking "The Gunner's Dream" and the breath-taking "The Final Cut".  There are a few weak links in the middle of this album, but the brilliance of the first few tracks and the last few combined make this album one of the most emotional and powerful albums ever made.