Poles Apart

I've heard that the first verse is about Syd but I don't see it. The entire song seems to be about Waters and his narcissistic vision of himself. Starting off with the legal struggles for the name of Pink Floyd. Waters and his camp felt HE was Pink Floyd. But the court said otherwise. The verse starting out with "hey you" is clear to me he is talking about Waters. Again, it seems clear throughout the rest of the song Gilmore is lamenting the loss of a stubborn bandmate that can't get over himself to put the past behind him and reconcile with the remaining band members.

In the first stanza I believe David creates a paradox betwen the two Rogers, Waters and Roger (Sid) Barrett. Sid being carefree and aloof and Roger being focused, egotistical.

"And did you see it was all going to be so right for me" again paradox speak. David taking Sids spot now taking Rogers spot as the bands leader.

The Golden Boy reference fits Sid in a pleasent way and Roger in a demeaning way. Loosing the light Sids (spark) and Rogers light (fight) for ownership.

Hey you... did you ever realise what you'd become (Sid drug addiict) (Roger Egomaniac) Neither realized it.

Final note. The carnival music? I'm sure we've all heard the term, "Media Circus" which I think this most private matter had become.

My thoughts... Please reply I'd love to know your thoughts on this and more. Matt

And did you see that it wasn't only me you were running from (Sid from Stardom) (Roger from the other group members)

Did you know all the time but it never bothered you anyway (Sid brain damaged) (Roger blind rage)

The rain fell slow, down on all the roofs of uncertainty (Outcome of the legal battle)

I thought of you and the years and all the sadness fell away from me (The legal battle was finally over David was happy that monitary issues would be rightly paid to those parties involved.

And did you know...

I never thought that you'd lose that light in your eyes

(Figured Roger would never give up the fight for the name Pink Floyd) (Again reflecting back at Sid)

i dont know a lot about the band members and the story behind the song, but I interpret these lyrics my way. i had a best friend not too long ago and when i hear this song, i can only think of him and how our friendship ended poorly.

"Why did we tell you then You were always the golden boy then And that you¹d never lose that light in your eyes" he used to believe he was better by himself and he was very confident, because his family would support him no matter how he acted, he believed he was better than anybody who went against his own beliefs.

"Did you know... it was all going to go so wrong for you And did you see it was all going to be so right for me" these lyrics are very important, they illustrate how people can be wrong about the decisions they take, the values they believe in. in this case, the person this song is written about was clearly wrong and stubborn, leading to his fall. the way it is written says a lot about the writer's feelings. he did not hate the person this song is directed too, they are sad at the thought that the person they wrote this song for is suffering of their stubbornness.

"Hey you... did you ever realise what you'd become And did you see that it wasn't only me you were running from" my old best friend would always compare me to him, and sometimes he would make me feel like my existence was brothering him, because i would always be better than him. he would demonize me a lot but i dont think he did it on purpose, i believe he did it because he had issues within his own mind. the fact that he chose to put all the blame on me only proves that he was unable to admit to himself who he really is.

"The rain fell slow, down on all the roofs of uncertainty I thought of you and the years and all the sadness fell away from me And did you know... I never thought that you'd lose that light in your eyes" these last lines are very powerful. they discuss the results of stubborn behavior. without realising, the person becomes stuck in a misery they don't want to leave, because they believe it's better for them. the values they believe in are making them worse. and as time goes on, the ugliness of an unhonest behavior becomes ugliness on the outside. still to this day, when i see my old best friend in the street, i feel terrible about myself and the way he treated me, but also about the way he must feel and the internal struggle he probably went through during our friendship-breakup. what shocks me the most is that he did not change physically, proving that he is stuck in the place he was when we used to be friends

i hope my comment is not too disturbing, it's very personal and i understand if people feel awkward while reading this. and english is not my first language, sorry if some sentences sound weird.

Acoording to Polly Samson who helped write the lyrics, the first part of the song is about Syd Barret and the second part is about Roger Waters

I think most of the songs on "The Division Bell" are specifically about the band or can at least be easily applied to the band.

I agree. Losing the light in his eyes is a cross reference to Shine On You Crazy Diamond which is also about Syd. "Now there's a look in your eyes/ Like black holes in the sky"

I read that a few songs on the Division Bell refer to Waters.

I read that a few songs on the Division Bell refer to Waters.

I think, like some of you, that this references both Barret and Waters, and how different they were in both their running of the band and their personality. The first stanza seems to be about Barret, and the econd seems to be about Waters. What gets me is the third stanza. It's pure poetry; I only wish I knew who the "you" was. I think it's targeted for both Barrett <i>and</i> Waters. Both "And that you'd never lose that light in your eyes" and "Leading the blind while I stared out the steel in your eyes" show how they lost that lust that propelled the band... which led to the las tline "I never thought that you'd lose that light in your eyes."

I'm open for suggestions. I think I have the first stanza figured out, but the second and third stanzas are confusing me right now. Any ideas?

the first verse is definitely referring to syd coz i don't think gilmour would ever call waters 'golden boy'. besides, syd was the golden boy of the band as he kinda started it and was the creative genius behind it in the beginning and later he was the source of inspiration.

as for the second verse, i'm not too sure if it refers to waters or not. i dunno whether he means that waters is leading the blind because, that doesn't make sense. when he was in the band, they were at the peak of their success. i dunno, i'm totally conused after the 1st verse.

the last part might mean that gilmour is totally uncertain abt his feelings becoz well... after waters left the band they did get the freedom but it was never the same again. he's not sure if it was good or not. but he does acknowledge that the best times was when waters was there.

any suggestions, anyone??