I didn’t much get into Pink Floyd’s Animals as much as their other albums. But, come to find out, it’s one of the most politically fueled – as much as The Final Cut.
Though I’ve been listening to Pink Floyd since high school (I graduated in 1989), I got my real introduction to this album at a Roger Waters concert in 2017. It ended up being an amazing anti-Trump rally. It was amusing to see right-wing fans of Pink Floyd and Roger Waters walk out of the concert they had paid for. Waters played some amazingly fitting music from his new album (Is This the Life We Really Want?) and from classic Pink Floyd. Take a look at the lyrics of Pigs (Three Different Ones) (released in 1977) and see if it doesn’t strike a chord about the world today.
Pigs (Three Different Ones) by Pink Floyd
Big man, pig man
Ha, ha, charade you are
You well heeled big wheel
Ha, ha, charade you are
And when your hand is on your heart
You’re nearly a good laugh
Almost a joker
With your head down in the pig bin
Saying ‘Keep on digging’
Pig stain on your fat chin
What do you hope to find
Down in the pig mine?
You’re nearly a laugh
You’re nearly a laugh
But you’re really a cry
Bus stop rat bag
Ha, ha, charade you are
You fucked up old hag
Ha, ha, charade you are
You radiate cold shafts of broken glass
You’re nearly a good laugh
Almost worth a quick grin
You like the feel of steel
You’re hot stuff with a hatpin
And good fun with a hand gun
You’re nearly a laugh
You’re nearly a laugh
But you’re really a cry
Hey you, White House
Ha, ha, charade you are
You house proud town mouse
Ha, ha, charade you are
You’re trying to keep our feelings off the street
You’re nearly a real treat
All tight lips and cold feet
And do you feel abused?
You got to stem the evil tide
And keep it all on the inside
Mary you’re nearly a treat
Mary you’re nearly a treat
But you’re really a cry
(OK, so I have to come clean – I did take some liberties with that last verse. “White House” was originally “Whitehouse” – a reference to Mary Whitehouse, a right-wing Christian fundamentalist British politician. But I like it this way, too.)