Two Rogers (It Takes Two to Know...)

[Metal West]

Roger Barrett was the lead singer and songwriter for Pink Floyd. Originally, he was from Cambridge and his father died when he was young.

As a songwriter, Roger B. was certainly known for his interesting compositions. Some songs had blaring psychedelic guitar while others were simple acoustic numbers. A typical Roger B. song could be a 20 minute long epic just as easily as a one minute snippet. He wanted to add saxophones and female singers to Pink Floyd.

To many fans, though, Roger B.'s lyrics were what made him exceptional. He used unusual word choices such as "eiderdown", "baby blue" and "steel rail" in his songs. He had a song about his mother. Another song he simply lists things like what shirt he's wearing, what shoes he has on, and what his hair-do looks like. Several of his songs had themes about outer space. Often, Roger B. would use animals symbolically in his music; in fact a fair number of his songs have animals in their title.

Roger B. left the band and recorded three solo albums worth of material. In one of his solo songs he directly ridiculed popular musician Bob Dylan. Pink Floyd went on without him and was quite successful. One of their first songs after he left was about facing towards the sky and the urge to fly. Eventually, Roger B. would go on to play one final gig with his old band mate David Gilmour.

Roger Waters was the lead singer and songwriter for Pink Floyd. Originally, he was from Cambridge and his father died when he was young.

As a songwriter, Roger W. was certainly known for his interesting compositions. Some songs had blaring psychedelic guitar while others were simple acoustic numbers. A typical Roger W. song could be a 20 minute long epic just as easily as a one minute snippet. He added saxophones and female singers to a number of Pink Floyd songs.

To many fans, though, Roger W.'s lyrics were what made him exceptional. He used unusual word choices such as "eiderdown", "baby blue" and "steel rail" in his songs. He had a song about his mother. Another song he simply lists things like what shirt he's wearing, what shoes he has on, and what his hair-do looks like. Several of his songs had themes about outer space. Often, Roger W. would use animals symbolically in his music; in fact a fair number of his songs have animals in their title.

Roger W. left the band and recorded three solo albums worth of material. In one of his solo songs he directly ridiculed popular musician Andrew Lloyd Webber. Pink Floyd went on without him and was quite successful. One of their first songs after he left was about facing towards the sky and the urge to fly. Eventually, Roger B. would go on to play one final gig with his old band mate David Gilmour.

Finally, in Pink Floyd's first single Roger B. wrote "On the wall hung a tall mirror."

Years later, Roger W. wrote Pink Floyd's "The Wall" which combined biographical information from both Rogers into one persona....

[Hudini]

Roger Waters was the lead singer and songwriter for Pink Floyd. Originally, he was from Cambridge and his father died when he was young.

Originally, his name was George.

[Flying pig437]

Roger Barrett was the lead singer and songwriter for Pink Floyd. Originally, he was from Cambridge and his father died when he was young.

As a songwriter, Roger B. was certainly known for his interesting compositions. Some songs had blaring psychedelic guitar while others were simple acoustic numbers. A typical Roger B. song could be a 20 minute long epic just as easily as a one minute snippet. He wanted to add saxophones and female singers to Pink Floyd.

To many fans, though, Roger B.'s lyrics were what made him exceptional. He used unusual word choices such as "eiderdown", "baby blue" and "steel rail" in his songs. He had a song about his mother. Another song he simply lists things like what shirt he's wearing, what shoes he has on, and what his hair-do looks like. Several of his songs had themes about outer space. Often, Roger B. would use animals symbolically in his music; in fact a fair number of his songs have animals in their title.

Roger B. left the band and recorded three solo albums worth of material. In one of his solo songs he directly ridiculed popular musician Bob Dylan. Pink Floyd went on without him and was quite successful. One of their first songs after he left was about facing towards the sky and the urge to fly. Eventually, Roger B. would go on to play one final gig with his old band mate David Gilmour.

Roger Waters was the lead singer and songwriter for Pink Floyd. Originally, he was from Cambridge and his father died when he was young.

As a songwriter, Roger W. was certainly known for his interesting compositions. Some songs had blaring psychedelic guitar while others were simple acoustic numbers. A typical Roger W. song could be a 20 minute long epic just as easily as a one minute snippet. He added saxophones and female singers to a number of Pink Floyd songs.

To many fans, though, Roger W.'s lyrics were what made him exceptional. He used unusual word choices such as "eiderdown", "baby blue" and "steel rail" in his songs. He had a song about his mother. Another song he simply lists things like what shirt he's wearing, what shoes he has on, and what his hair-do looks like. Several of his songs had themes about outer space. Often, Roger W. would use animals symbolically in his music; in fact a fair number of his songs have animals in their title.

Roger W. left the band and recorded three solo albums worth of material. In one of his solo songs he directly ridiculed popular musician Andrew Lloyd Webber. Pink Floyd went on without him and was quite successful. One of their first songs after he left was about facing towards the sky and the urge to fly. Eventually, Roger B. would go on to play one final gig with his old band mate David Gilmour.

Finally, in Pink Floyd's first single Roger B. wrote "On the wall hung a tall mirror."

Years later, Roger W. wrote Pink Floyd's "The Wall" which combined biographical information from both Rogers into one persona....

ha ha.That's pretty good!
Two things
Did David play a gig with Syd after the Floyd? I didn't know that.
What's the bit quoting the line from Arnold Layne?

[Metal West]

Yeah David did play once with Syd in support of his solo albums. They played a few songs and then Syd simply quit.

The Arnold Layne bit - I just like the symmetry. Barrett writing in Pink Floyd's first single about "the wall" and how it has a large mirror. Later Waters would write "The Wall" and it would be a reflection (mirror) on the lives of both men.

I could add that the previously mentioned "baby blue" phrase also appears in both Arnold Layne and The Wall, and furthermore the line about "moonshine washing line" that Syd wrote is believed to be inspired by the washing line Waters' mother had. Of course, it does take two to know...

[danielcaux]

Oh, I thought the tall mirror on the wall was the other Roger, since he is quite tall!

Nice try, but you are cherrypicking and distorting some facts while turning your face completely away from others. For example, Syd only recorded two solo albums, while Roger has recorded four (PCOHH, KAOS, ATD, Ça-Ira. Five if we count Music From The Body too). Also, Syd never played with the band again, only with Gilmour a couple of shows. Waters played with the band in 2005, and has also played with both Mason and Gilmour separately.

[Metal West]

Oh, no doubt I cherry picked facts and took a few liberties. It was intended as a fun little exercise, that's all. It's true I didn't count Waters' opera album...sheesh cut me a little slack.

I was not aware of Waters playing with Gilmour outside of the Floyd reunion show they did. So you got me on that one.

I must contend, though, that Barrett did in fact record three albums worth of solo material. He had two official releases, and the new songs on Opel plus the few other solo tracks released over the years is enough to make a third.

[thefinalcut]

You wrote it by yourself, Metal West?
It´s outstanding ! Very interesting reading !

To many fans, though, Roger W.'s lyrics were what made him exceptional.

(...)

Finally, in Pink Floyd's first single Roger B. wrote "On the wall hung a tall mirror."

Years later, Roger W. wrote Pink Floyd's "The Wall" which combined biographical information from both Rogers into one persona....

[Meandthem]

Great parallel view, Metal - and the artistic freedoms are excused, as long as they're not more disturbing.
And welcome, by the way...

[Wolfpack]

To many fans, though, Roger B.'s lyrics were what made him exceptional. He used unusual word choices such as "eiderdown", "baby blue" and "steel rail" in his songs.

Bob Dylan sang, in 1965: "It's all over now, baby blue". (Which also is the title of that song.)
What is special about "eiderdown"?

Roger B. left the band and recorded three solo albums worth of material.

Maybe if you count 'Rhamadan', to fill up the third? CD 'Opel' has a lot of alternates takes, which don't count as unique titles.

[Roger Waters] He added saxophones and female singers to a number of Pink Floyd songs.

Barrett reportedly suggested a saxophone player in late 1967 or early 1968. An alternate, instrumental, unreleased take of 'Swan Lee' contains a saxophone solo. (If that's real.)

[thefinalcut]

Call me crazy, but I see A LOT of Syd on Roger Waters, even nowadays!