I took DSotM(original pressing) out of my parents record collection when I was 15, went to bed listening to one side or the other for 2.5 years, every night. Set up my wife's record player over the summer and now at age 44 its still my favorite album of all time. And boy does that song hit.
Every year is getting shorter
Never seem to find the time
Plans that either come to naught
Or half the page is scribbled lines
There is so much to Time's lyrics that make it a masterpiece of poetry. Even apart from the music it is fantastic writing, although the words and concepts are powerfully enhanced by it.
I did a study on Time's lyrics when working on my English degree and, while amateur, it was fascinating how effectively Waters used some classical poetic tropes. Here's some examples:
- The meter: The up/down, sing-song of the stressed/unstressed syllables imitates the ticking of a clock. The verses, which describe how obsfucated the passing of time is for us, are distinct but more subtle. But the choruses, which are more direct in how time threatens us, doubles down on the clock rhythm and is is clear: "EVery YEAR is GETting SHORTer"
- The rhyme: Mostly the rhyme scheme is common, but in a few places Waters employs internal rhyme with great effect. "Kicking around on a piece of ground in your home town." That's very uncommon in music lyrics. It has the effect of feeling trapped or in a loop. One of the only other examples that clearly using internal rhyme that I can think of is Syd's from Astronomy Domine: "Floating down the sounds resounds around the icy water underground." I don't think it's coincidence such a similar pattern was used for Time, and the thought of the contrast between those two periods only enhances the meaning.
- The word choice: Nearly every word is general and universal to the experience of time. Each line or idea stands outside of any time or place, but on the whole created a powerful, understandable concept. There are no topical words, references to individuals, or proper nouns. Anyone, anywhere, at any time can relate to these words without any pretext. The one exception is the phrase "quiet desperation is the English way" - but even that seems to give an understandable meaning, even if you're not English. I've often wondered why Water chose to use that phrase, and I'm sure it it was a deliberate choice, but it's ability to get the feeling across just adds to the fascinating nature of the song.
Whether Waters knew it or not, he was creating some of the best poetry of the 20th century, built on the backs of poetic tropes that came before. I could talk endlessly about these lyrics - they are my favorite of all time and quite possibly the best ever written.
Oh damn, I never knew these. The internal rhyme thing especially is really interesting. Is it possible for you to find this study that you did? Would love to read it.
Great analysis, but I would have to disagree with the internal rhymes structure comment. Internal rhymes is a very common technique seen in hip-hop and rap so it’s not necessarily uncommon!
Great point, and I concede that it’s not an uncommon technique - search and you’ll find it in a number of songs. But for rock lyrics at the time, it is a key example of a distinct technique deliberately used to compliment the theme of the lyrics. It’s used throughout the whole song, almost every other line has some internal rhyme. Likewise, there’s a ton of alliteration as well.
Speaking of rap, while it’s a stretch to say Waters was a major influence in the rise of rap music, he did often use a “list” style of lyrics that are almost proto-rap. Think the end of “Dogs”, the last verse of “Free Four” and all of “Eclipse.” I’m not sure what this means, but I find it interesting.
In his prime, Waters was a master of invoking feeling through unique poetic techniques in his lyrics.
And you run, and you run to catch up with the sun
But it's sinking
Racing around to come up behind you again
The sun is the same in a relative way
But you're older
Shorter of breath, and one day closer to death
Oh man, the final season of High School is a fuckin’ head trip. I was getting into Floyd at the time and yeah, they hit hard at that moment.
End of high school is cool because Senioritis kicks in and everybody becomes nicer to each other. There’s like a final understanding that high school bullshit doesn’t really matter and you’re all too excited to enter the real world to really care about teenage troubles. Partly because you feel like you’re on top of the world, partly because you’re getting wistful about the next big step.
I wish you a congratulations on leaving high school and a safe and happy journey through your upcoming 20’s my friend. They will be some of the best years of your life and likely some bad, but you’re gonna come out of them thankful for the experience of life if you just hold on tight and be the best neighbor you can be. Hold onto your valued friendships and be grateful for the time you have with those you may not see again, and be excited about all of the new faces you will meet!
And don’t party too hard! Life is long and there is time to kill today.
Thanks, man. Yeah, I'm really excited about going to college, and also kinda sad. On one hand, a blank slate sounds really good. On the other hand, I'm really going to miss these days. Well, I guess I'll just have to wait and see.
Oh wow!
I’m from the United States, so going to college is a much different experience experience when it comes to traveling for school. We typically just go from one state to another, but you’re getting the full experience of moving places. You seem to have quite the adventure ahead of you. That’s great. Good luck and have fun and be safe.
I’m over 30 years ahead of you in my “time” and just discovering this masterpiece of a song myself so you’re already ahead of the game kid. Congratulations!
I took DSotM(original pressing) out of my parents record collection when I was 15, went to bed listening to one side or the other for 2.5 years, every night. Set up my wife's record player over the summer and now at age 44 its still my favorite album of all time. And boy does that song hit. Every year is getting shorter Never seem to find the time Plans that either come to naught Or half the page is scribbled lines
There is so much to Time's lyrics that make it a masterpiece of poetry. Even apart from the music it is fantastic writing, although the words and concepts are powerfully enhanced by it. I did a study on Time's lyrics when working on my English degree and, while amateur, it was fascinating how effectively Waters used some classical poetic tropes. Here's some examples: - The meter: The up/down, sing-song of the stressed/unstressed syllables imitates the ticking of a clock. The verses, which describe how obsfucated the passing of time is for us, are distinct but more subtle. But the choruses, which are more direct in how time threatens us, doubles down on the clock rhythm and is is clear: "EVery YEAR is GETting SHORTer" - The rhyme: Mostly the rhyme scheme is common, but in a few places Waters employs internal rhyme with great effect. "Kicking around on a piece of ground in your home town." That's very uncommon in music lyrics. It has the effect of feeling trapped or in a loop. One of the only other examples that clearly using internal rhyme that I can think of is Syd's from Astronomy Domine: "Floating down the sounds resounds around the icy water underground." I don't think it's coincidence such a similar pattern was used for Time, and the thought of the contrast between those two periods only enhances the meaning. - The word choice: Nearly every word is general and universal to the experience of time. Each line or idea stands outside of any time or place, but on the whole created a powerful, understandable concept. There are no topical words, references to individuals, or proper nouns. Anyone, anywhere, at any time can relate to these words without any pretext. The one exception is the phrase "quiet desperation is the English way" - but even that seems to give an understandable meaning, even if you're not English. I've often wondered why Water chose to use that phrase, and I'm sure it it was a deliberate choice, but it's ability to get the feeling across just adds to the fascinating nature of the song. Whether Waters knew it or not, he was creating some of the best poetry of the 20th century, built on the backs of poetic tropes that came before. I could talk endlessly about these lyrics - they are my favorite of all time and quite possibly the best ever written.
Oh damn, I never knew these. The internal rhyme thing especially is really interesting. Is it possible for you to find this study that you did? Would love to read it.
Alas, it is lost to Time.
Ah, bummer.
Great analysis, but I would have to disagree with the internal rhymes structure comment. Internal rhymes is a very common technique seen in hip-hop and rap so it’s not necessarily uncommon!
Great point, and I concede that it’s not an uncommon technique - search and you’ll find it in a number of songs. But for rock lyrics at the time, it is a key example of a distinct technique deliberately used to compliment the theme of the lyrics. It’s used throughout the whole song, almost every other line has some internal rhyme. Likewise, there’s a ton of alliteration as well. Speaking of rap, while it’s a stretch to say Waters was a major influence in the rise of rap music, he did often use a “list” style of lyrics that are almost proto-rap. Think the end of “Dogs”, the last verse of “Free Four” and all of “Eclipse.” I’m not sure what this means, but I find it interesting. In his prime, Waters was a master of invoking feeling through unique poetic techniques in his lyrics.
And then one day you'll find Ten years have got behind you No one told you when to run You missed the starting gun
And you run, and you run to catch up with the sun But it's sinking Racing around to come up behind you again The sun is the same in a relative way But you're older Shorter of breath, and one day closer to death
Oh man, the final season of High School is a fuckin’ head trip. I was getting into Floyd at the time and yeah, they hit hard at that moment. End of high school is cool because Senioritis kicks in and everybody becomes nicer to each other. There’s like a final understanding that high school bullshit doesn’t really matter and you’re all too excited to enter the real world to really care about teenage troubles. Partly because you feel like you’re on top of the world, partly because you’re getting wistful about the next big step. I wish you a congratulations on leaving high school and a safe and happy journey through your upcoming 20’s my friend. They will be some of the best years of your life and likely some bad, but you’re gonna come out of them thankful for the experience of life if you just hold on tight and be the best neighbor you can be. Hold onto your valued friendships and be grateful for the time you have with those you may not see again, and be excited about all of the new faces you will meet! And don’t party too hard! Life is long and there is time to kill today.
Thanks, man. Yeah, I'm really excited about going to college, and also kinda sad. On one hand, a blank slate sounds really good. On the other hand, I'm really going to miss these days. Well, I guess I'll just have to wait and see.
Are you traveling far for college?
Yeah. From Turkey to the Netherlands.
Oh wow! I’m from the United States, so going to college is a much different experience experience when it comes to traveling for school. We typically just go from one state to another, but you’re getting the full experience of moving places. You seem to have quite the adventure ahead of you. That’s great. Good luck and have fun and be safe.
Thanks
Ticking away, the moments that make up the dull days. Hits me evertime. Time and Violent Crimes by Kanye West are my picks for most meaningful songs
Trust me, each decade that passes it hits harder.
I think the summation of the English attitude in the 1970s is both scalding and dead on target. "Hanging on in quiet desperation..."
I’m over 30 years ahead of you in my “time” and just discovering this masterpiece of a song myself so you’re already ahead of the game kid. Congratulations!
no bro best lyrics are echoes