The Final Cut

[Intro]

“…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…”

[Verse]

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?

[Outro]

Should we shout? Should we scream?

“What happened to the post war dream?”

Oh, Maggie, Maggie, what did we do?

[Verse 1]

They flutter behind you, your possible pasts

Some bright-eyed and crazy, some frightened and lost

A warning to anyone still in command

“Ranks! Fire!”

Of their possible future, to take care

In derelict sidings the poppies entwine

With cattle trucks lying in wait for the next time

[Chorus]

Do you remember me? How we used to be?

Do you think we should be closer?

(Closer, closer, closer, closer, closer, closer, closer)

[Verse 2]

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.”

[Chorus]

Do you remember me? How we used to be?

Do you think we should be closer?

(Closer, closer, closer, closer, closer)

[Guitar Solo]

[Verse 3]

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

[Chorus]

Do you remember me? How we used to be?

Do you think we should be closer?

(Closer, closer, closer, closer, closer, closer, closer)

25 ContributorsTranslationsNederlandsOne of the Few LyricsThis song describes the actions of a survivor of World War Two, as part of the Anti-War concept.

It also introduces a musical motif (the melody that Waters sings) that would come back towards the end of the… Read More 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 lay down and die

[Verse 1]

It was just before dawn one miserable morning in black Forty-Four

When the forward commander was told to sit tight, when he asked that his men be withdrawn

And the Generals gave thanks as the other ranks held back the enemy tanks for a while

And the Anzio bridgehead was held for the price of a few hundred ordinary lives

[Verse 2]

And kind old King George sent Mother a note when he heard that Father was gone

It was, I recall, in the form of a scroll with gold leaf and all

And I found it one day in a drawer of old photographs hidden away

And my eyes still grow damp to remember his Majesty signed with his own rubber stamp

[Verse 3]

It was dark all around, there was frost in the ground when the Tigers broke free

And no one survived from the Royal Fusiliers Company C

They were all left behind, most of them dead, the rest of them dying

And that's how the High Command took my daddy from me

[Verse 1]

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 and mope about

And even now part of me flies

Over Dresden at angel's one five

Though they’ll never fathom it, behind my sarcasm

Desperate memories lie

[Verse 2]

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

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

[Outro]

But the burning in my heart

The memory smolders on

Of the gunner's dying words

On the intercom

[Verse 1]

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 tear drops rise to meet the comfort of the band

You take her frail hand

And hold on to the dream!

[Saxophone Solo]

[Verse 2]

(“Oi!”) A place to stay, Enough to eat (“Over here, Morris! Get back! Get back, John!”)

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

No one kills the children anymore

Night after night

Going round and round, my brain

His dream is driving me insane

[Outro]

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

28 ContributorsTranslationsNederlandsParanoid Eyes LyricsThe song, written and sung by Roger waters (like most tracks on the Final Cut), Tells how war veterans struggle to live in an ordinary society following the potential trauma that can be inflicted on them.Button your lip and don't let the shield slip

Take a fresh grip on your bulletproof mask

And if they try to break down your disguise with their questions

(Hello Kenna, how are you tonight?)

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

(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!)

[Intro]

(Oi! Get your filthy hands off my desert!)

(What'd he say?)

[Verse]

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

[Verse 1]

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

[Verse 2]

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. Begin and friend

Mrs. Thatcher, and Paisley (Hello Maggie!)

Mr. Brezhnev and party

(Scusi dov'è il bar?)

The ghost of McCarthy,

And the memories of Nixon

And now, adding colour (Da questa parte)

A group of anonymous Latin-American meat packing glitterati

Did they expect us to treat them with any respect?

[Bridge]

They can polish their medals and sharpen their smiles,

And abuse themselves playing games for a while

Boom boom, bang bang, lie down you're dead

[Guitar Solo]

[Verse 3]

Safe in the permanent gaze of a cold glass eye

Their favourite toy

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?

(Goodbye!)

Now the final solution can be applied

[Verse 1]

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 hand on heart to sheathe 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 rails

She bravely waves the boys goodbye again

[Verse 2]

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

[Verse 1]

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 priest hole

And if I'm in I'll tell you (what's behind the wall)

*Shot* (Yahoo!)

[Verse 2]

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?

[Verse 3]

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?

[Guitar Solo]

[Verse 4]

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

[Outro]

“Hello? Listen, I think I'm going insane."

"Okay, listen, it's a- Hahahaha!”

[Verse 1: David Gilmour & Choir]

Fuck all that, we've got to get on with these

Fuck all that, fuck all that

Got to compete with the wily Japanese

There’s too many home fires burning and not enough trees

Fuck all that

So fuck all that, we've gotta get on with these

Gotta get on with these

[Verse 2: Roger Waters & Choir]

Can’t stop, lose job

Mind gone, silicon

Stroll on, what bomb?

Get away, pay day

Make hay, break down

Need fix, big six

Click, click

Hold on, oh no

Bingo!

Bingo!

[Bridge: Roger Waters]

Make 'em laugh

Make 'em cry

Make 'em dance in the aisles

Make 'em pay

Make 'em stay

Make 'em feel okay

[Verse 3: David Gilmour & Choir]

Not now John, we've got to get on with the film show

Gotta get on, gotta get on

Hollywood waits at the end of the rainbow

End of the rainbow

Who cares what it’s about as long as the kids go

As long as the kids go

So, not now John, we've gotta get on with the show

(Gotta get on with the show)

Gotta get on, gotta get on

[Guitar Solo]

[Verse 4: David Gilmour & Choir]

Gotta get on, gotta get on, gotta get on

Hang on John I've got to get on with this

Gotta get on, gotta get on

I don’t know what it is, but it fits on here like-- tsss

Come at the end of the shift, we’ll go and get pissed

But not now John, I've gotta get on with this

Gotta get on with this, gotta get on

[Bridge: Roger Waters]

Hold on John, I think there’s something good on

I used to read books but...*unintelligible gurgling and hissing*

It could be the news or some other abuse

Could be reusable shows

[Verse 5: Roger Waters & Choir]

Fuck all that, we've gotta get on with these

(Doo, doo, wah)

Got to compete with the wily Japanese

(Gotta get on, gotta get on)

No need to worry about the Vietnapeace

(Doo, doo, wah)

Got to bring the Russian Bear to his knees

(Gotta get on)

Well, maybe not the Russian Bear, maybe the Swedes

(Doo, doo, wah)

We showed Argentina, now let’s go and show these

(Gotta get on, gotta get on)

Make us feel tough and wouldn't Maggie be pleased?

(Doo, doo, wah)

Na, na, na, na, na, na, na

(Na, na, na, na, na, na, na!)

One, two, Free Four!

(One, two, Free Four!)

Not now John, we've got to get on

[Outro: Roger Waters & Choir]

S'cusi, dov'è il bar? (What?)

(Gotta get on)

Se parakalo, pou einai to bar?

(Not now John, we've got to get on)

S’il vous plaît, où est le bar? (Say it in English, fairy!)

(Gotta get on, gotta get on)

Oi, where’s the fucking bar John? (Oh, now you’re talking!)

(Rule Britannia! Britannia rules the day)

Down! Go, Maggie!

Hammer, Hammer, Hammer, Hammer, now!

[Verse 1]

In my rearview 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

[Verse 2]

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

[Verse 3]

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

[Verse 4]

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

[Saxophone Solo]

"…and now the weather. Tomorrow will be cloudy with scattered showers spreading from the east…

With an expected high of 4000 degrees Celsius"