Pink Floyd's Animals album

[Led Zeppelin]

First I must thank Martov/Marsella for introducing me to this masterpiece. Now, is this album fucking genius or what? The first song I heard from it was Pigs (three different ones) and I thought that was pretty much the only good song on the album, but I was bored so I decided to listen to the others, and to my surprise they were just as great as Pigs.

Dogs and Sheeps are amazing, and the intro and outro songs Pigs On The Wing part 1 and 2 are both great as well. The only thing that I found a little annoying was the animal sounds in between the songs, but I guess that was part of the music. That is the only problem I have with Pink Floyd...sometimes they become a bit too obsessed with being "experimental" and the result is utter trash, noise pollution, posing as a masterpiece of musical brilliance.

Sorry, I can't agree with that. The earlier PF albums contain much of this crap, but there are of course some masterpieces in between them. Starting from the The Dark Side Of The Moon album I like all the others.

Anyway, if you haven't checked it out, it is highly recommended.

[Djehuti]

One of the very best PF-albums.


I love the way they deal with Thatcher:

"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."

[Leo]

Everything by Pink Floyd is unbelievably beautiful.

[Led Zeppelin]

Everything by Pink Floyd is unbelievably beautiful.

Ever heard the song "A Saucerful Of Secrets"?

Total trash. Definition of Noise Pollution.

[Leo]

I heard everything by Pink Floyd.

Could it be that you didn't understand the song?

:tongue_smilie:

[A_Ciarra]

I don't really like the musical sound of Saucer Full of Secretes much, but at the same time I LOVE the song because of what was happening to the band at that time.

The song was recorded when they were morphing from psychodelic to their brand of rock. In some way's you could say listening to Saucer Full of Secrets is like listening to a revolution! We are listening to them shift gears on that album. For me that song let's me feel where they where they were coming from, and sense where they were goin on Dark Side of the Moon etc. Witnessing some of what they were feeling and thinking... what it must have been like as a musician for them... I think that period must have been just fantastic for them.... I think they are one band that very organically, FELT every single note they played.. I almost want to say this about Jimmy Paige as well, but really I think this is what makes Pink Floyd unique (animal noises and all), but that is another topic.

Of course this is my favorite classic rock band (both early Pink Floyd and post Syd Barret) so I am easily drawn in by their music.

[Miss Mindfuck.]

Animals is my favorite Floyd album.

Pigs on the Wing 1 &2 are my favorites.
Fucking brilliant.

[Black Cross]

My favorite of their works as well. It may not have excited the senses like some of their other albums, but it has the most meaning, in my estimation.

[Wanted Man]

I haven't listened to every Pink Floyd album, but I definitely know Animals. My father has it on vinyl.

Meddle is another great album, apart from the pointless joke song "Seamus". The entire side two is occupied by a 23-minute song called "Echoes" which is absolutely brilliant.

[Random Precision]

Ever heard the song "A Saucerful Of Secrets"?

Total trash. Definition of Noise Pollution.

What the hell? Rick Wright is at the height of his creative powers in that song. That's actually one of the only songs I like on the whole album, the other being "Set the Controls". I suppose next you'll say that you don't like "Atom Heart Mother Suite" either. ;) I'm setting "Saucerful" on repeat to punish you.

But anyway, Animals is one of their best albums. It showed that the band could actually make some damn good music under Roger Waters' "dictatorship".

[Dystisis]

Often times musicians (or artists in general) incorporate parts into their works which can - out of context - be regarded as tedious usually by the constantly-over-demanding western youth of today, that are used to 3 minute "hits"... The artists usually do this with the whole picture in perspective; often the whole album. The idea is that a sense of motionlessness is needed for there to become motion, much like darkness is needed for there to be light, etc.

So the point is, that some artists probably make the songs in regards to the whole context. Therefore these pieces would be better off not judged alone, but rather judge the album they are a part of. Music in this sense is meant as an art experience (like a movie is considered one), not as something that is necessarily easy to grasp and therefore mildly entertaining while doing other things. By god, we all know we have enough music for that purpose as well, though.

[A_Ciarra]

Well said Dystisis, I agree. These moment's of "limbo" are what has been almost erased in today's music. A few bands have a touch for it, but it's virtually been all but striped at the behest of the record company heads in favor of of the quick "sound bite".

[Led Zeppelin]

Stop thinking that you're "deep" and "privileged" because you "get the song".

You don't.

You just enjoy listening to random sounds because your taste in music is crap.

[Led Zeppelin]

One of the very best PF-albums.


I love the way they deal with Thatcher:

"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."

I talked to a friend about this yesterday, and he said that it couldn't have been about Thatcher because she came to power in 1979 and wasn't even known in 1977...

[Leo]

Stop thinking that you're "deep" and "privileged" because you "get the song".

I was joking Led Zeppelin.

[bezdomni]

The first song I heard from it was Pigs (three different ones) and I thought that was pretty much the only good song on the album, but I was bored so I decided to listen to the others, and to my surprise they were just as great as Pigs.


It is hard if not impossible to fully appreciate any song by pink floyd without hearing the entire album that it was released on. This is especially the case for Animals, which ironically...I put on just a few minutes ago before I saw this thread.

Yeah, it's a fucking great album.

I have to agree with Led Zeppelin that there is a bit of crap on their earlier albums like Saucerful of Secrets and Atom Heart Mother. Although even the crappier albums have their merits and high points. I find the song Jugband Blues to be very touching, especially if you consider what was going on with the band and Syd Barrett at the time.

Also, See Emily Play is a fucking classic.

In regards to some of their more obscure, "experimental" albums (like ummagumma or atom heart mother) - even the members of pink floyd think that those albums generally suck and say that they feel embarassed for releasing them.

[Led Zeppelin]

I was joking Led Zeppelin.

I know, I was referring to Dystisis.

[Pirate Utopian]

My favorite Pink Floyd album is Dark Side Of The Moon.
But I can really dig some Syd Barrett-era stuff, it's a given that the song Saucerful Of Secrets is just noise but some songs on the similiar titled album like Coporal Clegg are quite good.

[Random Precision]

It is hard if not impossible to fully appreciate any song by pink floyd without hearing the entire album that it was released on. This is especially the case for Animals, which ironically...I put on just a few minutes ago before I saw this thread.

Yeah, it's a fucking great album.

I have to agree with Led Zeppelin that there is a bit of crap on their earlier albums like Saucerful of Secrets and Atom Heart Mother. Although even the crappier albums have their merits and high points. I find the song Jugband Blues to be very touching, especially if you consider what was going on with the band and Syd Barrett at the time.

Also, See Emily Play is a fucking classic.

In regards to some of their more obscure, "experimental" albums (like ummagumma or atom heart mother) - even the members of pink floyd think that those albums generally suck and say that they feel embarassed for releasing them.

I don't think we would have the "classic" Floyd that emerged in the seventies without their experimental stuff though. For example, Nick Mason once said something along the lines that the band's work on the songs "Saucerful of Secrets", "Atom Heart Mother Suite" and "Echoes" led them directly to Dark Side of the Moon. Most of the sounds they became famous for on DSotM along with Wish You Were Here and continuing on to Animals (although this is where they began to take a different direction with Waters at the helm) were tinkered with and developed in the earlier albums like A Saucerful of Secrets, Atom Heart Mother, and Ummagumma, although of course in a rougher form.

And the stuff on those albums isn't all bad- the lengthier pieces might be a bit of an acquired taste, but I personally think it's some of the most rewarding music they made. The organ in "Saucerful of Secrets", for example, is nothing less than sublime. You just have to listen to it a few times to see the brilliance. Of course, some of the experimentation is pure rubbish (see "Alan's Psychadelic Breakfast" on Atom Heart Mother, for example). Some of it even reaches the heights of the band's future material. I would argue that Meddle, while it came before DSotM, is the first album that contains the "Pink Floyd Sound" they are known for today. The 23-minute long "Echoes" is especially brilliant, and stands out as one of their finest compositions.

[bezdomni]

I don't think we would have the "classic" Floyd that emerged in the seventies without their experimental stuff though. For example, Nick Mason once said something along the lines that the band's work on the songs "Saucerful of Secrets", "Atom Heart Mother Suite" and "Echoes" led them directly to Dark Side of the Moon. Most of the sounds they became famous for on DSotM along with Wish You Were Here and continuing on to Animals (although this is where they began to take a different direction with Waters at the helm) were tinkered with and developed in the earlier albums like A Saucerful of Secrets, Atom Heart Mother, and Ummagumma, although of course in a rougher form.

And the stuff on those albums isn't all bad- the lengthier pieces might be a bit of an acquired taste, but I personally think it's some of the most rewarding music they made. The organ in "Saucerful of Secrets", for example, is nothing less than sublime. You just have to listen to it a few times to see the brilliance. Of course, some of the experimentation is pure rubbish (see "Alan's Psychadelic Breakfast" on Atom Heart Mother, for example). Some of it even reaches the heights of the band's future material. I would argue that Meddle, while it came before DSotM, is the first album that contains the "Pink Floyd Sound" they are known for today. The 23-minute long "Echoes" is especially brilliant, and stands out as one of their finest compositions.

Yah, that's more or less what I was trying to get at. There are some really good songs even on their obscure, more experimental albums. Saucerful of Secrets is a really good song, as are many other songs on that album (Let there be more light comes to mind).

Echoes is an absolutely brilliant song. I wouldn't dispute its greatness for a second.

What do you think of The Division Bell (post-Waters)?

[Random Precision]

Yah, that's more or less what I was trying to get at. There are some really good songs even on their obscure, more experimental albums. Saucerful of Secrets is a really good song, as are many other songs on that album (Let there be more light comes to mind).

Echoes is an absolutely brilliant song. I wouldn't dispute its greatness for a second.

What do you think of The Division Bell (post-Waters)?

Meh. I really want to hate the album in its entirety, because Roger wasn't on it, but I just gave it a listen and I can't say that I do, at least not entirely. Obviously I have a distaste for the songs directed at Waters ("Poles Apart", "What Do You Want From Me?"), but I'm forced to like (just a bit) the latter because it's the only song on the album that actually rocks. I think that all the gimmicks on the album, like the female backup vocals and Stephen Hawking's voice are really trite, and Dave does way too much unnecessary noodling to cover for his lack of ideas. Also, neither he nor his wife are lyricists up to Roger Waters' caliber, and I'm kind of ticked off by the hippy-liberal stuff in "A Great Day for Freedom" and "Take It Back". I can also see why Roger wanted to get rid of Rick so badly when I listen to "Wearing the Inside Out".

For everything bad I say about it, there is some okay material on it, like "Marooned", which is probably the best "song" from the post-Waters Floyd. "High Hopes" is alright as well. But it seems to me like most of this stuff is ripped from their better days, like "Cluster One", which is basically Shine On You Crazy Diamond Pts. 1-2 with a bunch of crackling noises at the beginning. Division Bell certainly isn't as bad as the Dave Gilmour ego trip that passed for their previous album. It's a decent album overall. But I don't expect something that's only decent from Pink Floyd.

I don't think they would have done better even if Roger had still been around. I think he was right to say that the band was "a spent force creatively" after 1985, although he of course contributed to that in no small way. I wish Gilmour, Wright and Mason had resisted the temptation to cash in twice more on old Pink, but I don't suppose we can blame them.

As you see, I could go on and on. I should have a sign on me that says "discussing Pink Floyd with this man is potentially hazardous to your health". :cool:

[Dystisis]

Stop thinking that you're "deep" and "privileged" because you "get the song".

You don't.

You just enjoy listening to random sounds because your taste in music is crap.
You misinterpreted what I wrote. I didn't mean to be offensive in my previous post. This post is meant to be offensive as fuck, though. :D

I never said anything like "deep", "priveleged" or anything like that... actually, I don't think I even hinted towards it. Therefore, those words were a product of your subconscious, your mind is telling you to quit whining and to judge albums in their entirety.

My point was that sometimes artists (not specifically Pink Floyd, they do have some meaningless songs in my opinion) use methods that, out of context, can seem pointless. But they do it to create a certain atmosphere in the long run. Nothing sucks so much as songs going nowhere, except albums going nowhere.

Also, as a general note, fuck off with that attitude.

[Djehuti]

I talked to a friend about this yesterday, and he said that it couldn't have been about Thatcher because she came to power in 1979 and wasn't even known in 1977...

Late reply, but Thatcher became the Conservative Party leader in 1975, she was quite well known in -77.

[Dean]

Meh. I really want to hate the album in its entirety, because Roger wasn't on it, but I just gave it a listen and I can't say that I do, at least not entirely. Obviously I have a distaste for the songs directed at Waters ("Poles Apart", "What Do You Want From Me?"), but I'm forced to like (just a bit) the latter because it's the only song on the album that actually rocks. I think that all the gimmicks on the album, like the female backup vocals and Stephen Hawking's voice are really trite, and Dave does way too much unnecessary noodling to cover for his lack of ideas. Also, neither he nor his wife are lyricists up to Roger Waters' caliber, and I'm kind of ticked off by the hippy-liberal stuff in "A Great Day for Freedom" and "Take It Back". I can also see why Roger wanted to get rid of Rick so badly when I listen to "Wearing the Inside Out".

For everything bad I say about it, there is some okay material on it, like "Marooned", which is probably the best "song" from the post-Waters Floyd. "High Hopes" is alright as well. But it seems to me like most of this stuff is ripped from their better days, like "Cluster One", which is basically Shine On You Crazy Diamond Pts. 1-2 with a bunch of crackling noises at the beginning. Division Bell certainly isn't as bad as the Dave Gilmour ego trip that passed for their previous album. It's a decent album overall. But I don't expect something that's only decent from Pink Floyd.

I don't think they would have done better even if Roger had still been around. I think he was right to say that the band was "a spent force creatively" after 1985, although he of course contributed to that in no small way. I wish Gilmour, Wright and Mason had resisted the temptation to cash in twice more on old Pink, but I don't suppose we can blame them.

As you see, I could go on and on. I should have a sign on me that says "discussing Pink Floyd with this man is potentially hazardous to your health". :cool:

What? Don't you like "keep talking"???

Pink floyd has always given me a feeling of warmth and meaning when I listen to the music. "The Division Bell" is different in that is is less narcotic, but I still think it has the same spirit.