The song lyrics were written by the band Van Halen, as they were asked to write a song for the 1979 movie "Over the Edge" starring Matt Dillon. The movie (and the lyrics, although more obliquely) are about bored, rebellious youth with nothing better to do than get into trouble. If you see the movie, these lyrics will make more sense. It's a great movie if you grew up in the 70s/80s you'll definitely remember some of these characters from your own life. Fun fact, after writing the song, Van Halen decided not to let the movie use it.
Come in here, dear boy, have a cigar, you're gonna go far
You're gonna fly, you're never gonna die
You're gonna make it if you try, they're gonna love you
Well, I've always had a deep respect and I mean that most sincere
The band is just fantastic, that is really what I think
Oh, by the way, which one's pink?
And did we tell you the name of the game, boy?
We call it riding the gravy train
We're just knocked out, we heard about the sell-out
You gotta get an album out, you owe it to the people
We're so happy we can hardly count
Everybody else is just green, have you seen the chart?
It's a hell of a start, it could be made into a monster
If we all pull together as a team
And did we tell you the name of the game, boy?
We call it riding the gravy train
You're gonna fly, you're never gonna die
You're gonna make it if you try, they're gonna love you
Well, I've always had a deep respect and I mean that most sincere
The band is just fantastic, that is really what I think
Oh, by the way, which one's pink?
And did we tell you the name of the game, boy?
We call it riding the gravy train
We're just knocked out, we heard about the sell-out
You gotta get an album out, you owe it to the people
We're so happy we can hardly count
Everybody else is just green, have you seen the chart?
It's a hell of a start, it could be made into a monster
If we all pull together as a team
And did we tell you the name of the game, boy?
We call it riding the gravy train
Lyrics submitted by Demau Senae, edited by Mellow_Harsher
Have a Cigar Lyrics as written by Roger Waters
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Roger Waters had/has a very cynical and bitter sense of humour, which is great. I think it's quite funny that the whole punk movement despised Pink Floyd for being old dinosaurs or whatever they saw them as. The Floyd were a whole lot more subtle than the punks in saying f*** off to the System they were meant to symbolise.
Very well noticed and im impressed with how right you are
Actually, I'm a punk fan, but I do love Pink Floyd.
the record company and money hungry industry people are shmozing the artist.,, doesn't even know them, "oh by the way, which one's pink?"
I picture some sleezy guy with a cigar wrapping his greasey, filthy arm around an unsure and on-the-rise rockstar, explaining to him how they can make it big while the filthy pig's suit and body crawls with insects and rot.
Just what I picture.
Satirical piss-take on the music industry.
However, there are references to the mean record company, "We're just knocked out, we heard about the sell out. You gotta get an album out, you owe it to the people. We're so happy we can hardly count." EMI insisting that they should "ride the gravy train" (capitalise on the situation at hand as long as one can) and get another album out. Pink Floyd did give them another great album, and Waters included this a surpise 'gift' for EMI! Only Waters can write things with so much of depth and subtlety!
pete townshend and jim morrison are maybe the only ones who rival waters during the same time, oh and jimmy page and robert plant from zeppelin
Even though it's not Roger singing, Hats Off To Roy Harper for doing a really great job with this. It still sounds like Pink floyd even w/o roger or dave singing. Duh, cuz of the instruments and lyrics but many times with different vocalists you can't tell.
Roger had a sore throat when they were planning on recording this song, so they got roy harper. i just wonder why dave couldn't sing it?
Dave said he wasn't "feeling up to it". He couldn't give that harsh cynical sound in his voice and Roy was recording in the next room and wanted to give it a try.
@AeroLed286 David refused to sing the song, according to him, "it did not look relaxed in his voice ampliture" or something. I think I read this in on one of the Pink Floyd books I own. By the way, they didn't get Roy Harper to sing it. He was recording his album in Abbey Road at the same week, he saw what was happening and offered to help. In exchange, Gilmour played guitar and sang for one of his songs in his album.
@AeroLed286 had no clue that featured roy harper
That cover version is horrible. It does PF wrong.
Yes, I think this album is about Syd, and the record companies.
Tis song is clearly about the record company being complete A$$holes and not even knowing who they are as long as they get their cash, with all do respect to roger waters he is stingy and fell for the record compainies tricks on purpose because as much as he loved playing music he also wanted the money. Think about it he continued making dozens of their greatest hits albums abd EVEN SEWED David Gilmour for the rights to 75% the profit of Pink floyds new albums! whast up with that as much as he was making fun of the sytem he went along with them for a while
Fuck, I love Pink Floyd. If you didn't see their comeback performance at Live 8, I strongely suggest that you download it. DO IT! Pink Floyd is so much better than Fall Out Boy.
I beg to differ brn2, that line has to be understood in conjuction with the earlier three lines. The line represents the inner struggle in the band in a subtle way. He even says, "... it (the success/albums/band) can be made into a monster, if we all put together as a team"