Nov 22, 2022·edited Nov 22, 2022Liked by Jeff Norman
My life was also deeply affected by Pink Floyd.
Like you, I didn't really know much about Pink Floyd during my high school and college years. I liked "We don't need no education" (Another Brick in the Wall) but that was about all I knew.
I became better acquainted with Pink Floyd in Russia, or really, the Soviet Union.
In 1991-1992, I was working in Leningrad as a television consultant and journalist, and I was there when the Soviet Union was undone. I hate to use the word "collapse" because I believe that outside forces manufactured the coup and the breakup. But back then, I didn't know these things because I was still in my 20's and hadn't figured the world out yet (do we ever, really?). Anyway, I had a friend in Moscow who was at that time attending Moscow State University. When I was in Moscow, we hung out at MSU and watched "The Wall."
The Russian students loved that film, and later, I watched "The Wall" again with my friend. Obviously, the "wall" coming down reminded us all of the Berlin Wall coming down, and the fall of the USSR, but it was so much deeper than that. Too much to get into here, maybe I will write my own article. Anyway, my Soviet friend made tapes of Pink Floyd for me, which I listened to during lonely nights in Leningrad. 30-odd years later, my friend is now a diplomat with the Russian Foreign Ministry and I am semi-retired, after a career in journalism. We both still love Pink Floyd and Roger Waters and think he is as prescient and aware as he always was.
You've probably seen "The Wall." It also includes that song "When the Tigers Broke Free."
Anyway, this was too long. Like I said, I should write an article!
I want to thank you for your efforts to stop the lie that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction which was the motivating force for our going to war in 2003. Saw you at the Cinema Arts, on Long Island and you convinced many people of the lie. It motivated me to become active in the anti-war movement, but of course we couldn't compete with Bush/Cheney and the neocon lies, and an American press willing to go along, but it's good to look back and feel you were on the right side of a war that destroyed so many lives. Too bad we never learn, no matter the destruction, no matter the millions dead.
Thank you. Stand with Russia !! It fights for all of us against the rise of the “left” fascism in the US and against Nazi-dominated US puppet regime in Ukraine.
It's really strange how interconnected the world is. My parents and my brother were in Hafar al-Batin when the First Gulf War broke out, and the city was attacked by Scuds. My parents sent me off to India because they were told a war zone was no place for a two year old. It's incredible your job was to track and count the scud missiles.
Connecting the dots For those of us Who knows squat about military operations or arms control, Nor too familiar with Roger Waters work, . .
But all too familiar with the WMD lies Manufactured by the Bush regime, Happily stenographed by corporate media, . . .
For which over a million Iraqis, many of them children, Paid the price.
We're now in 2022, With a sequel to the Bush regime, Headed by one former senate chairman of the foreign relations committee, One Joseph robinette Biden, Who led manufactured senate committee hearings with fake WMD testimonies.
With such extensive experience in fakery, In 2022, Biden now leads the charge engaging Russia in a proxy war, Under a False pretext of "democracy" ," sovereignty" And "unprovoked aggression".
Except this time, for the neoliberal establishment, They pretend as If There is NO WMD To worry about, In the form of several thousand nuclear warheads possessed by both sides.
Roger and Scott reminds us that, Once again, it is our children who will Continue to pay the price.
Bravo, thanks so much. I too was haunted by the Final Cut and listened to it over and over on vinyl and on cd. The music and the whispering anger of Roger's voice was so haunting. As crazy as I loved the record, I was never able to grasp the meaning of the gunner's dream until I read your incredible piece. Or more precisely, the meaning never hit me as hard as through your interpretation. It never occurred to me that the opening stanza was the gunner falling to his death!
What the hell is this? If you want to search your soul:
First search your soul for the big lie that you have swallowed all your brainwashed life;
The lie that WW2 was the only war in human history won by the good guys.
The fact is the evil ones of WW2 were Stalin, Churchill and FDR.
The good ones were the gentle loving happy German people and the vegetarian dog lover and pacifist named Adolph; who revealed the Truth about Jews. Now stinking jews own and control your Federal Reserve and Wall street and the city of London and all the national banks of the west, and the WEF and the World Bank and big pharma and big tech and mass media and Hollywood... and you're too ignorant to know any of this.
That was poignant and amazing!!. wow
It's good that you put that talk from the church into print, it's the most emotional talk you ever gave (that I have seen). Thank you for doing this.
Deborah L. Armstrong was inspired by this article to share her thoughts and feelings about Pink Floyd's music. Read it here: https://www.scottritterextra.com/p/rock-and-roll-and-russia
My life was also deeply affected by Pink Floyd.
Like you, I didn't really know much about Pink Floyd during my high school and college years. I liked "We don't need no education" (Another Brick in the Wall) but that was about all I knew.
I became better acquainted with Pink Floyd in Russia, or really, the Soviet Union.
In 1991-1992, I was working in Leningrad as a television consultant and journalist, and I was there when the Soviet Union was undone. I hate to use the word "collapse" because I believe that outside forces manufactured the coup and the breakup. But back then, I didn't know these things because I was still in my 20's and hadn't figured the world out yet (do we ever, really?). Anyway, I had a friend in Moscow who was at that time attending Moscow State University. When I was in Moscow, we hung out at MSU and watched "The Wall."
The Russian students loved that film, and later, I watched "The Wall" again with my friend. Obviously, the "wall" coming down reminded us all of the Berlin Wall coming down, and the fall of the USSR, but it was so much deeper than that. Too much to get into here, maybe I will write my own article. Anyway, my Soviet friend made tapes of Pink Floyd for me, which I listened to during lonely nights in Leningrad. 30-odd years later, my friend is now a diplomat with the Russian Foreign Ministry and I am semi-retired, after a career in journalism. We both still love Pink Floyd and Roger Waters and think he is as prescient and aware as he always was.
You've probably seen "The Wall." It also includes that song "When the Tigers Broke Free."
Anyway, this was too long. Like I said, I should write an article!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_5DRKZI1Ow
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
And 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
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
I want to thank you for your efforts to stop the lie that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction which was the motivating force for our going to war in 2003. Saw you at the Cinema Arts, on Long Island and you convinced many people of the lie. It motivated me to become active in the anti-war movement, but of course we couldn't compete with Bush/Cheney and the neocon lies, and an American press willing to go along, but it's good to look back and feel you were on the right side of a war that destroyed so many lives. Too bad we never learn, no matter the destruction, no matter the millions dead.
Thank you for this very moving commentary. The songs of our past often tell a truer and more valuable story than the official histories.
Thank you. Stand with Russia !! It fights for all of us against the rise of the “left” fascism in the US and against Nazi-dominated US puppet regime in Ukraine.
Thank you, Scott. "Wow!", that the only word I can say.
It's really strange how interconnected the world is. My parents and my brother were in Hafar al-Batin when the First Gulf War broke out, and the city was attacked by Scuds. My parents sent me off to India because they were told a war zone was no place for a two year old. It's incredible your job was to track and count the scud missiles.
Thank you Scott.
For putting this together.
Connecting the dots For those of us Who knows squat about military operations or arms control, Nor too familiar with Roger Waters work, . .
But all too familiar with the WMD lies Manufactured by the Bush regime, Happily stenographed by corporate media, . . .
For which over a million Iraqis, many of them children, Paid the price.
We're now in 2022, With a sequel to the Bush regime, Headed by one former senate chairman of the foreign relations committee, One Joseph robinette Biden, Who led manufactured senate committee hearings with fake WMD testimonies.
With such extensive experience in fakery, In 2022, Biden now leads the charge engaging Russia in a proxy war, Under a False pretext of "democracy" ," sovereignty" And "unprovoked aggression".
Except this time, for the neoliberal establishment, They pretend as If There is NO WMD To worry about, In the form of several thousand nuclear warheads possessed by both sides.
Roger and Scott reminds us that, Once again, it is our children who will Continue to pay the price.
Congrats for your power of morality
Bravo, thanks so much. I too was haunted by the Final Cut and listened to it over and over on vinyl and on cd. The music and the whispering anger of Roger's voice was so haunting. As crazy as I loved the record, I was never able to grasp the meaning of the gunner's dream until I read your incredible piece. Or more precisely, the meaning never hit me as hard as through your interpretation. It never occurred to me that the opening stanza was the gunner falling to his death!
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.
Wow! Thanks!
Thanks.
What the hell is this? If you want to search your soul:
First search your soul for the big lie that you have swallowed all your brainwashed life;
The lie that WW2 was the only war in human history won by the good guys.
The fact is the evil ones of WW2 were Stalin, Churchill and FDR.
The good ones were the gentle loving happy German people and the vegetarian dog lover and pacifist named Adolph; who revealed the Truth about Jews. Now stinking jews own and control your Federal Reserve and Wall street and the city of London and all the national banks of the west, and the WEF and the World Bank and big pharma and big tech and mass media and Hollywood... and you're too ignorant to know any of this.
A wonderful and very personal story. Thank you for sharing.
"Is there anybody out there?"
Yes, there are!