Pink Floyd - Animals

[kitkat]

That is true....however, when you do agree my point...in part or in total...that is when you become more aligned with the truth.

[mosespa]

I notice you didn't capitalize your usage of the word...so, thanks; but I'll forego your "truth" in favor of my "Truth."

[Hogtown]

You cut throat dogs. Go bury your bone.

[mosespa]

Oddly enough, I think I've just arranged a booty call for Sunday-after-next with a woman I haven't seen since I graduated high school twenty years ago.

Thank you, Facebook.

[506am]

To me, the musical end of Pink Floyd isn't all that special.

Don't get me wrong...I'm extremely fond of the music and the sound...but it's my opinion that it's not terribly hard at all for someone to duplicate a reasonable approximation of the Pink Floyd sound (if you will.)

You only need to know two things:

1. How to play the instruments

and

2. When NOT to play them.

The lyrics and concepts that give that sound meaning, shape and form, however...that's much more difficult to approximate.

What then of every guitarist Roger has enlisted since Pros & Cons who have all tried... and failed miserably, to replicate the sound of David Gilmour's Strat? They know the songs... all they have to do is play what Dave wrote/created... yet nobody can.

Knowing how to play an instrument and playing an instrument like Gilmour does are two entirely different things. Another thing is David's ability to be perfectly in sync with whatever mood Roger was aiming for. As you listen to each Floyd album you will notice that Dave's guitar is an extension of whatever the theme/mood is. He was the perfect guitarist for Roger and the proof is right there on each album. So I see it that it was David, as well as Rick, who brought life to the lyrics and concepts.

That said... Animals is a great record. Perhaps it is from personal experience, but these songs remind me of certain people. Yes... that can be frustrating, constantly being reminded of idiots and ***holes, but Roger's lyrics not only hit the nail on the head here, they drive that nail home with a resounding thud!

Dogs:

You have to be trusted, by the people that you lie to...
So that when they turn their backs on you
You'll get the chance to put the knife in...

Pigs (Three Different Ones):

You f***ed 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 hat pin...
And good fun with a hand gun
You're nearly a laugh...
You're nearly a laugh...
But you're really a cry...

Sheep:

Harmlessly passing your time in the grassland away...
Only dimly aware of a certain unease in the air
You better watch out...
There may be dogs about...
I've looked over Jordan and I have seen
Things are not what they seem...

What do you get for pretending the dangers not real?
Meek and obedient you follow the leader
Down well trodden corridors, into the valley of steel
What a surprise!
A look of terminal shock in your eyes...
Now things are really what they seem
No! This is no bad dream...


I agree that this album has been under-looked, especially by the band themselves. If Gilmour would have played Dogs on his Island tour... what a treat that would have been. I've been fortunate enough to see Roger play roughly half the album... Pigs (Three Different Ones) in 1987 and Pigs On The Wing/Dogs in 1999. I also have a good deal of ROIO's from the tour as well as quite a few from when these were songs that were being worked on. {Raving & Drooling, etc...}

Though Roger didn't know it at the time, this album is the perfect prelude to The Wall. And while the results were wonderful musical adventures, it's rather sad to think that after Dark Side/Wish Roger was so preoccupied with such dark, depressing themes.

Animals is, unfortunately, overlooked and mostly forgotten when people talk about the best Pink Floyd records. But it stands up there with the rest in its own way. It's dark... it can be depressing... but it's also very, very good.

[Mad_Mat]

On my first listen, I wasn't into it...... But that was a LONG time ago.
I think you need one or two listens of the album to know what you have coming and then it's awesome from there out!

A nice surprise was later getting some RoIO's, they just blew me away!

[wiped]

Possibly my favourite PF album ....

[Steph22]

Nice to see Animals getting such Love!
57% of people on this forum say it is the best! It has always been my favorite PF album. Very dark and moody, but hey isn't that PF in a nutshell? Briliance in all facets of lyrics, music, mood, production. Dogs has to be my favorite song on the album, However I love the opening organ to Sheep! Not a weak spot in the whole thing.

[seamusz]

I love Animals, but it seems to be one that I only feel the urge to listen to once a year or so...

[Tbonetyler]

Favorite. Especially sheep.

[MikeWaters]

My favourite album by Pink Floyd.

Sheep has the most beautiful Fender Rhodes intro (thank you Rick!), powerful drumming (especially when they make the drums sound like they're being sucked out of a vaccum or something at the beginning --- I've always wondered how they did that), brilliant lyrics and vocals, and that AMAZING guitar outro.

One of my favourite songs of all time

[Tbonetyler]

My favourite album by Pink Floyd.

Sheep has the most beautiful Fender Rhodes intro (thank you Rick!), powerful drumming (especially when they make the drums sound like they're being sucked out of a vaccum or something at the beginning --- I've always wondered how they did that), brilliant lyrics and vocals, and that AMAZING guitar outro.

One of my favourite songs of all time

Are you talking about the weird noises before the drum beat? Also in Echoes...? I always wondered.

[Idisaffect]

've always wondered how they did that

It's backwards.

[Faint]

I'm probably didn't understood this album yet... So 3/5 for now...

[dearboy]

January 1977: I remember standing outside the record store waiting for it to open just so I could get a copy before any of my college buddies. The clerk was just cracking open the first box when I arrived. I bought (and still have) the very first copy sold in Peterborough Ontario.