Pink Floyd, the pioneers of progressive rock, has a discography open to interpretation. For decades, fans and music nerds have debated the true meanings of many of their songs due to their subtlety and abstract lyrics. Some songs are so mysterious that even the band members have no idea what they are about.
Pink Floyd is known for their incredible lyricism. The lyrics are frequently used to explore philosophical and political themes. Layers of complex arrangements and metaphors sometimes disguise them. Following Syd Barrett’s departure in 1968, Roger Waters took over as the band’s primary songwriter. Waters’ lyrics frequently contain profound social and political musings. His staunch political activism and outspoken left-wing views have made the songwriter well-known. Some of these have sparked controversy in recent years, much to the dismay of the rest of Pink Floyd.
However, one of the group’s most bizarre efforts occurred after Waters left the group in 1985. A Momentary Lapse of Reason was Pink Floyd’s first album without Roger Waters, with guitarist David Gilmour writing the songs. Throughout its production, Waters made it clear that he despised the making of the album. He even started a legal dispute over the ownership of the Pink Floyd band name.
Gilmour’s songwriting generally fell short. Granted, by 1980s mainstream standards, it was fairly acceptable. But Gilmour’s abilities paled in comparison to those of Roger Waters and Syd Barrett. However, A Momentary Lapse of Reason served as a commercial rebirth for the group. It reached number three on the UK album charts.
Unlike much of their previous work, A Momentary Lapse of Reason was not a concept album. Musicians outside the band contributed tracks, producing a haphazard mix for the record. It was as well as material written by Gilmour for his solo projects. The results were divisive among Floyd fans. Gilmour himself admitted that he lost his way because he deliberately wrote the song to be surreal.
Gilmour said of the album’s sixth track, ‘Yet Another Movie‘, “It’s a more surrealistic effort than anything I’ve attempted before. I’m not even sure what it all means. The song fails to make an impact. It was possibly due to its nonsensical lyrics, despite appearing at every Floyd gig from 1987 to 1989. Originally recorded as an instrumental track, the lyrics were added later. It was along with sound clips from the films Casablanca and One-Eyed Jacks.
Without Waters, Pink Floyd released two more albums after A Momentary Lapse of Reason, but they had little impact. Gilmour recently reformed the band for the single ‘Hey, Hey, Rise Up!‘. Waters was highly critical of the protest against Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. He claimed that it was akin to the “content-less waving of the blue and yellow flag“.
