Sheep (song)
Sheep is a song by the
British band
Pink Floyd. It was released on the album
Animals in
1977.
History
\nDuring their tour in 1974 Pink Floyd played three new songs in the first half of the shows, followed by the whole of the Dark Side of the Moon album. Those three new songs were You Gotta Be Crazy (which would later become Dogs), Shine On You Crazy Diamond and Raving And Drooling.
During performances of Raving And Drooling a recording of a DJ at BBC Radio called Jimmy Young was played after being cut up and reassembled in random order. This was Waters' idea of a man "raving and drooling" (or being insane). The lyrics of the song at this point were quite different from the ones that were to become "Sheep" [1].
Both You Gotta Be Crazy and Raving And Drooling were originally planned to be on the album following the tour (Wish You Were Here), but the plans were changed and they both ended up in different forms on Animals.
Meaning
\nSheep can be seen as a kind of mini-Animal Farm. The sheep themselves of course represent the exploited masses, who in the first verse are peacefully grazing - unaware that they are soon to be brought to a slaughterhouse.
In the second verse the awful truth suddenly dawns on them and with "terminal shock in their eyes" they realise that they're being led into the "valley of steel".
In the final verse they revolt against the Dogs and because of their strength in numbers overpower and kill them.
Psalm 23
\nIn the middle of the song the 23rd psalm is parodied. Originally (during live shows) this was performed by Nick Mason, but on the album this was done by an anonymous roadie.
Credits
\n*Music - Roger Waters, David Gilmour\n*Lyrics - Roger Waters
Recorded
April,
May and
July 1976 at the band's own Britannia Row Studios,
Islington,
London.
External Links
\n*The original "Raving And Drooling" lyrics\n*
The final lyrics at Song365
Category:Pink Floyd
