Lost Boys Calling

PFralst · Post by **PFralst** » Wed Apr 05, 2006 6:23 pm

'I hold the child
The child in the man
The child that we leave behind'

Can someone explane this wonderful metaphor by Roger Waters?
Is he holding himself as a child, or the feeling of the loss of his father?

cymbaline212 · Post by **cymbaline212** » Wed Apr 05, 2006 7:30 pm

hmm, i think he means that most people leave behind the child inside themselves but RW still has a child within himself maybe?

i've been pondering this metaphor by waters' from OBC for a while

You are the angel of death
And I am the dead man's son

The Gunner's Dream · Post by **The Gunner's Dream** » Wed Apr 05, 2006 9:31 pm

I think that one from OBC is obvious.

"You are the angel of death" is Roger laying blame

"I am the dead man's sun" refers to his father.

So it's obviously yet another reference to the death of Roger's dad in the war, which is supposedly the angel of death, or maybe the government.

monkyman · Post by **monkyman** » Tue Apr 11, 2006 3:18 pm

I think the lyric has to do with the movie (The legend of 1900).

The lead character wants to remain on the ship, which is somewhat a metaphore for him not wanting to grow up. So he holds on to the child (his youth), while the others around him let go of the child and grow up.

That's my two cents.

radiowaves · Post by **radiowaves** » Tue Apr 11, 2006 5:12 pm

I always thought that this few lines have to do with religion. To be exact, the crucifixion of Jesus. 'I' being God, holds the child (Jesus), 'The Child in the Man' (to me) represents the truth (in the catholic religion) that the child of man is within us. And the child that we left behind is the loss of innocence in forgetting your (as catholics are concernd) Religion.

I have asked myself this question since i heard this track.....what religion is Roger? This is a very spritual song.

just my opinion folks.

monkyman · Post by **monkyman** » Wed Apr 12, 2006 7:00 am

I guess we have to ask ourselves how much this song is written for the movie.
Since Ennio Morricone <sp> composed the music (which is the main theme in the movie) to which Roger Waters later added the lyrics, I'd have to say that it's 99% movie-related.
The remaining 1% would have to be Roger's influences, whether it be his relation to his father or even his relation to religion.

But I guess that's the beauty of music; every listener is free to have his or her own reflection on it. A song can be about war, but in relation to which the listener hears is, it can even become a beautiful romantic lovesong to that person!

I knew the song LBC by heart before seeing the movie. After seeing the movie the song itself got a deeper meaning to me. At first I thought it was a song about war, but I (happily) had to change that thought after seeing the movie.
For those who haven't seen The Legend of 1900, I can definitely advise it to you. It's not the best movie I have ever seen (and I've seen many and many) but it is very good indeed. No Hollywood cliches in there, just a nice arthousemovie without any really difficult themes.

PFralst · Post by **PFralst** » Wed Apr 12, 2006 5:03 pm

Or could it be as simple as; Men never really grow up?

Post by **mosespa** » Wed Apr 12, 2006 5:46 pm

Given that the last line you quote is "the child that we leave behind," I would say he's saying that we all grow up eventually.

PFralst · Post by **PFralst** » Fri Apr 14, 2006 6:03 pm

mosespa, I do believe you?re analysis is correct!
Thanks!