Pink Floyd!!

[sgt.null]

Is This the Life We Really Want?

When We Were Young : I hate this opening. I hate the lyrics. I hate what little music there is. Its ugly. I have no idea why Roger started with this. I find no redeeming value in it.

Null Rating : 0 out of 10.

Deja Vu : should have opened with this. First, his current band is outstanding.

Roger Waters – vocals, acoustic guitar, bass guitar
Nigel Godrich – keyboards, guitar, sound collages, arrangements
Gus Seyffert – guitar, keyboards, bass guitar
Jonathan Wilson – guitar, keyboards
Roger Joseph Manning, Jr. – keyboards
Lee Pardini – keyboards
Joey Waronker – drums
Jessica Wolfe – vocals
Holly Laessig – vocals
David Campbell – string arrangements

Throughout this song and others on the album there are echoes of past Floyd and Roger songs. Enough to elicit a warm sense of familiarity, but not too much to bludgeon you with. As I grow older, Roger's lyrics resonate even more with me. His chuckle after "I believe I could have done a better job" let's us in on the joke. The instrumentation is warm, organic. Contrast this with Kaos.
I love that Roger still uses the voice strain to emphasize emotion and his own human limits. It allows us to be him, the singer, the observer. Roger still, sadly has to rail against war. This song works by itself and as a continuation of a life long theme of his work.

Null Rating : 10 out of 10.

The Last Refugee : sounds like a song from Amused to Death. The music swells at the right time, and allows the drums to lead the song. I really like Roger's meter on this song. It doesn't sound standard, almost like jazz at times. The lyrics are poetic and moving. The song's minor key evoking a familiar sadness. The backing female vocals give nice depth.

Null Rating : 10 out of 10.

Picture That - I also hear shades of Welcome to the Machine but even more I hear Sheep. another list song is always welcome. I usually don't like cursing in the lyrics, but it seems appropriate here. I like aggressive Roger.

Null Rating : 7 out of 10.

Broken Bones -

Could've been born in Shreveport
Or he could've born in Tehran
It don't much matter wherever you're born
Little babies mean us no harm
They have to be taught to despise us
To bulldoze our homes to the ground
To believe their fight is for liberty
To believe their god will keep them safe and sound

Almost an inversion of Wish You Were Here , as you stated with the clearing of the throat and the acoustic intro. I like the contrast of the strings and too brief electric guitar. Roger does the almost lullaby perfectly when he sings.

Null Rating : 7 out of 10.

Is This the Life We Really Want - a true reflection on how miserable modern life can be. Almost spoken word. The bizarre rant about ants I really enjoyed. A true lust song. This would be at home on Amused.

Null Rating : 7 out of 10

Bird In A Gale - it took a few listens to appreciate. Its obviously a reworking of Careful With That Axe, Eugene. But after a few go around I really got into the lyrics...

Are you blowing like a bird in a gale?
Does the pain of your loss seep into your feathers like rain?
Do the bars of your cage feel low or cold to the touch?
Were my caresses too gentle?
Did I love you too much?

The dog is scratching at the door
The boy is drowning in the sea
Can I crash out on your floor?

The loon is howling at the sea
Can I crash out on your floor?
Is there room in the story for me?

They are outside what I expect from Roger. Very avant garde.

Null Rating : 8 out of 10.

The Most Beautiful Girl - the most abstract lyrics from Roger that I can recall. The Steel Rails first appearance is Syd Barrett's If It's In You. Then Roger used them in Wish You Were Here. Its hard to gage the entire meaning of the song. I enjoy the feel of the song. I love the ending with the female vocals.

Null Rating : 7 out of 10

Smell the Roses - sounds as if Have A Cigar if it were on Animals.I love the aggressive sound. A lot of muscle went into the track. Great lyrics, great imagery in those lyrics. I deducted 1 point for the middle section, Roger loves that sort of thing much more than I do.

Null Rating : 9 out of 10

Wait for Her - the lyrics come from a poem by Mahmoud Darwish.
Stunningly beautiful. The sparse musical arrangement allows the poem to take center stage. It has become one of my favorite Roger songs.

Null Rating : 10 out of 10

Oceans Apart - a beautiful song. I'm glad Roger kept it short and simple.

She was always here in my heart
Always the love of my life
We were strangers, oceans apart
But when I laid eyes on her a part of me died

Null Rating : 10 out of 10

Part of Me Died - using the music of Wait for Me. Roger finds another hopeful ending to one of his albums. The 3 songs if the ending minisuite are perfect.

Null Rating : 10 out of 10

Album Rating : 7.9 out of 10.

Without the first song : 8.6 out of 10.

[sgt.null]

Lay Down Jerusalem (early Deja Vu)
https://youtu.be/3kLXs4mlYA0

[Verse 1]

If I had been God
I would have rearranged the veins in the face to make them more resistant to alcohol and less prone to aging
If I had been God
I would have sired many sons and I would not have suffered the Romans to kill even one of them
If I had been God
With my staff and my rod
If I had been given the nod
I believe I could have done a better job

[Verse 2]

And if I were a drone
Patrolling foreign skies
With my electronic eyes
For guidance
And the element of surprise
I would be afraid
To find someone home
Maybe a woman at a stove
Baking bread
Making rice
Or just boiling down some bones
If I were a drone

[Verse 3]

Lay down Jerusalem
Lay your burden down
Jerusalem
Lay your burden down
Lay down Jerusalem


[Verse 4]

The temple's in ruins
The bankers get fat
The buffalo's gone
And the mountain tops flat
The trout in the streams are all hermaphrodite
You lean to the left but you vote to the right
Lay down
And under my Gulf Stream, in circular pools
There's ninety-nine cents' worth of drunkards and fools
Lay down

[Verse 5]

And if I were a Muslim
And you were a Jew
If I were a Mennonite
And you were an Hindu
Would we exchange
The weight of these chains
Chains of belief
And the carnage on the trains to turn over a new leaf

[Verse 6]

If I had been god
I would not have chosen anyone
I would have laid an even hand
On all my children everyone
Would have been content
To forgo Ramadan and Lent
Time better spent
In the company of friends
Breaking bread and mending nets

[Chorus]

Splish splash hallelujah
Splish splash hallelujah
Splish splash
Splish splash hallelujah

[Pre-Chorus 1]

There were ten in the pool
Some black some white
One yellow one drown
Then it was nine

[Chorus]

Splish splash
Splish splash hallelujah
Splish splash hallelujah
Splish splash hallelujah

[Pre-Chorus 2]

There were nine in the pool
The gamble laid
And Cain killed Abel
And then here was eight

[Chorus]

Splish splash
Splish splash hallelujah
Splish splash
Splish splash hallelujah
Splish splash
Splish splash hallelujah

[Pre-Chorus 3]

Eight different stairways
All leading to heaven
And the fox got the chicken
And then there was seven

[Chorus]

Splish splash
Splish splash hallelujah
Hallelujah
Splish splash hallelujah
Splish splash hallelujah

[Pre-Chorus 4]

Seven women all taking
Their kids to the Styx
One slipped on a stone
And then there were six

[Chorus]

Splish splash
Splish splash hallelujah
Splish splash hallelujah
Splish splash
Splish splash hallelujah

[Pre-Chorus 5]

Six pilgrims went under
To get baptized
One never come up
And then there was five

[Chorus]

Splish splash hallelujah
Splish splash hallelujah
Hallelujah
Splish splash
Splish splash hallelujah

[Pre-Chorus 6]

Now five is a number
That spanks of the devil
One took his own life to
Keep things level

[Chorus]

Splish splash
Splish splash hallelujah
Thank you brother
Splish splash hallelujah
Splish splash hallelujah

[Pre-Chorus 7]

With four you can make up
Two tag teams
Ding dong seconds gone
And then there were three

[Chorus]

Splish splash hallelujah
Splish splash hallelujah
Yeah, splish splash
Splish splash hallelujah

[Pre-Chorus 8]

Three fish in a pool
As a general rule
Is one two many
And the there were two

[Chorus]

Splish splash
Splish splash hallelujah
Splish splash hallelujah
Splish splash hallelujah

[Pre-Chorus 9]

There were two in the bed
And the little-one said roll over
You’re dead
Splish splash hallelujah
You’re dead
Splish splash hallelujah
Splish splash hallelujah

[Chorus]

Splish splash hallelujah
Splish splash hallelujah
Splish splash hallelujah
Splish splash hallelujah

[Verse 7]

The champion sits on his golden throne
In his echoing empty magnificent home
Looking out over the field of bones
The last one standing stands alone

[Chorus]

Splish splash hallelujah
Splish splash hallelujah
Splish splash hallelujah

[Verse 8]

The champion sits on his golden throne
In his echoing empty magnificent home
Looking out over the field of bones
The last one standing stands alone
Lay down

[sgt.null]

The Child Will Fly
https://youtu.be/XaXWE4Xsuc4

It features performances by vocalists Gustavo Cerati, Pedro Aznar and Shakira,” Roger Waters shares, “and also Eric Clapton, Gerry Leonard, David Mansfield, (guitars) Steve Gadd (drums), Caro Baptista (percussion), Deborah Resto, Doris Eugenio, and Sophia Ramos (backing vocals), Lorraine Cohen (trumpet), Emily Hope Price (cello) and Hagai Izraeli who plays the hauntingly beautiful conch shell in D major in the intro.”

The former Pink Floyd visionary later notes that the vocals of opera tenor Alek Shrader also appears in the clip.

Info
https://cosmicmagazine.com.au/news/roge ... c-clapton/

[StevieG]

Wow. That early version of Deja vu is really interesting. It would have been quite a different song. I'll listen to the next one soon.

[sgt.null]

I can see why it was shortened. But its nice to have the original.

[StevieG]

Here's a great version of Deja Vu - the live one from Us and Them.

Has some of the "Lay down Jerusalem" additions.

Deja Vu

The crowd reaction says it all.

Get through this one without emotion!

[sgt.null]

July 6th, 2017

Roger Waters, Toyota Center, Houston, TX, USA

Tour: Us + Them Tour

Set 1:

Speak to Me

Breathe

One of These Days

Time

Breathe (Reprise)

The Great Gig in the Sky

Welcome to the Machine

When We Were Young

Déjà Vu

The Last Refugee

Picture That

Wish You Were Here

The Happiest Days of Our Lives

Another Brick in the Wall, Part 2

Another Brick in the Wall, Part 3

Set 2:

Dogs

Pigs (Three Different Ones)

Money

Us and Them

Smell the Roses

Brain Damage

Eclipse

Vera

Bring the Boys Back Home

Comfortably Numb

[sgt.null]

May 1st, 2012

Roger Waters, Toyota Center, Houston, TX, USA

Tour: The Wall Live

Set 1

Outside the Wall

In the Flesh?

The Thin Ice

Another Brick in the Wall, Part 1

The Happiest Days of Our Lives

Another Brick in the Wall, Part 2

The Ballad of Jean Charles de Menezes

("Another Brick in the Wall Part 2" reprise)

Mother

Goodbye Blue Sky

Empty Spaces

What Shall We Do Now?

Young Lust

One of My Turns

Don't Leave Me Now

Another Brick in the Wall, Part 3

The Last Few Bricks

Goodbye Cruel World

Set 2

Hey You

Is There Anybody Out There?

Nobody Home

Vera

Bring the Boys Back Home

Comfortably Numb

The Show Must Go On

In the Flesh

Run Like Hell

Waiting for the Worms

Stop

The Trial

Outside the Wall

[sgt.null]

November 20th, 2010

Roger Waters, Toyota Center, Houston, TX, USA

Tour: The Wall Live

Set 1

In the Flesh?

The Thin Ice

Another Brick in the Wall, Part 1

The Happiest Days of Our Lives

Another Brick in the Wall, Part 2

Mother

Goodbye Blue Sky

Empty Spaces

What Shall We Do Now?

Young Lust

One of My Turns

Don't Leave Me Now

Another Brick in the Wall, Part 3

The Last Few Bricks

Goodbye Cruel World

(Pink Floyd song)

Set 2

Hey You

Is There Anybody Out There?

Nobody Home

Vera

Bring the Boys Back Home

Comfortably Numb

The Show Must Go On

In the Flesh

Run Like Hell

Waiting for the Worms

Stop

The Trial

(Pink Floyd song)

Outside the Wall

[sgt.null]

May 4th, 2008

Roger Waters, Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, The Woodlands, TX, USA

Tour: The Dark Side of the Moon Live

First Set

In the Flesh

Mother

Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun

Shine On You Crazy Diamond (Parts I-V)

Have a Cigar

Wish You Were Here

Southampton Dock

The Fletcher Memorial Home

Perfect Sense (Parts 1 and 2)

Sheep

Set 2 : The Dark Side of the Moon

Speak to Me

Breathe

On the Run

Time

Breathe (Reprise)

The Great Gig in the Sky

Money

Us and Them

Any Colour You Like

Brain Damage

Eclipse

Encore:

The Happiest Days of Our Lives

Another Brick in the Wall, Part 2

Vera

Bring the Boys Back Home

Comfortably Numb

[sgt.null]

May 8th, 1988

Pink Floyd Sullivan Stadium, Foxborough, MA, USA

Tour: A Momentary Lapse of Reason

Set 1

Shine On You Crazy Diamond (Parts I-V)

Signs of Life

Learning to Fly

Yet Another Movie

Round and Around

A New Machine, Part 1

Terminal Frost

A New Machine (Part 2)

Sorrow

The Dogs of War

On the Turning Away

Set 2

One of These Days

Time

On the Run

The Great Gig in the Sky

Wish You Were Here

Welcome to the Machine

Us and Them

Money

Another Brick in the Wall, Part 2

Comfortably Numb

Encore:

One Slip

Run Like Hell

[Menolly]

May 8th, 1988

Pink Floyd Sullivan Stadium, Foxborough, MA, USA

Tour: A Momentary Lapse of Reason

Saw this one, November 1987 at The Orange Bowl in Miami

May 1st, 2012

Roger Waters, Toyota Center, Houston, TX, USA

Tour: The Wall Live

Saw this one in Tampa, FL in late 2011. It was Beorn's first major concert.

July 6th, 2017

Roger Waters, Toyota Center, Houston, TX, USA

Tour: Us + Them Tour

Pretty sure this is the tour I saw at the Tacoma Dome with SD.

[StevieG]

I was at The Wall show. Spectacular. I have watched the Us and Them show on TV. I imagine that would have been stunning. Brain Damage and Eclipse were two of the many highlights for me.

[StevieG]

So, on to Ca Ira. I have to admit, I’ve never quite made it through this one. But I’ll try and listen to it properly to give it a worthy review.

[StevieG]

I think I'll do this one in stages. It's taking a while to get my thoughts together, so I'll start and then add to it until it's done.

[Skyweir]

Interested to read your review

[StevieG]

Ca Ira



Released: September 2005

StevieG rating: Coming Soon!

Ca Ira started as a musical project that Waters wrote for his friends, Etienne Road-Gil and Nadine Dalahaye. They wrote the libretto in French and Roger wrote the music. Later, from around 1989, Roger rewrote it in English.

This is an opera in 3 acts. As far as I can tell, it loosely follows the events of the French revolution. This is not really my genre, but there are some surprises in the course of this opera - some bits of music that you suddenly realise are taken from some of Roger's previous work.

Overall I find the opera a bit wordy, not giving enough space to the music. It starts well, and then I find it a little hard to stay with. However, there are some great moments.

Act 1
Act 1 has 5 scenes.

The Gathering Storm

StevieG rating: 3/10

It's an intro. Nothing much happens.


Overture

StevieG rating: 6/10

Has a great intro, with the strings. Then changes pace into the trumpet solo. There are some sound effect which I imagine relate to the visual opera. Overall it keeps my interest. And we end with birds!


Act 1, Scene 1: A Garden in Vienna 1765

StevieG rating: 6/10

The tenor comes in to introduce this scene.


Madamme Antoine, Madame Antoine

StevieG rating: 6/10

Marie Antoinette? It's an interesting array of voices. There's the soprano who sounds impressive, and then there are the younger voices which sound a lot different.


Act 1, Scene 2: Kings Sticks and Birds

StevieG rating: 6/10

Throughout, the singing is first class, the music is impressive. It just doesn't always grab me. This is one such song. It finishes strongly, swells nicely.


Honest Bird, Simple Bird

StevieG rating: 7/10

I love the soprano's voice. There are some "Roger" lyrics in here, which don't really fit what I'd expect in an Opera. It transitions really nicely in the next track.


I want to be King

StevieG rating: 7/10

Has quite a bit going on. The music swells and subsides.


Let Us Break All the Shields

StevieG rating: 8/10

Great interplay between the Tenor and Baritone. The music is wonderful in this track. This ends "Scene 2".


To be continued...

[Skyweir]

Very impressed StevieG seems a reasonable overview.

[sgt.null]

I'm going to wait for the entire opera and then respond. Great work so far Stevie.

[Cord Hurn]

I really respect Roger for straying outside of his comfort zone and doing an opera.