The Final Cut is the tenth studio album by English rock group Pink Floyd. It was released in March 1983 by Harvest Records in the UK, and several weeks later by Columbia Records in the US. A concept album, The Final Cut is the last of the band's releases to feature bassist, main vocalist, and primary composer Roger Waters, and is the only Pink Floyd record on which he is credited for the writing and composition of every song. Most of the lyrics are sung by Waters; lead guitarist David Gilmour provides vocals on only one of the album's 12 tracks.
The Final Cut was originally planned as a soundtrack album for the band's 1982 film The Wall, but with the onset of the Falklands Conflict it was changed by Waters to be a critique of war, and also what he considered the betrayal of his father. The album echoes the rock opera style used by that of its predecessor, The Wall, and was recorded in eight studios across the UK, from July to December 1982. The packaging was designed by Waters, and reflects the content of the album. A short film based on the album was later released.
As with most of Pink Floyd's discography, a range of session musicians were employed as contributors, but its production was dominated by increasing tensions between Waters and his band-mates—particularly Gilmour. Following its release each member of the band concentrated on solo projects, but Waters then announced that he had left the group, and later attempted to keep Gilmour and drummer Nick Mason from using the Pink Floyd name. Gilmour has since expressed his dislike for much of The Final Cut, which has sometimes been regarded as a Waters solo release. None of the album's songs have been performed in concert by the band—although some have been performed by Waters during his solo tours.
Background
The Final Cut was originally planned as a soundtrack album for the 1982 film, Pink Floyd The Wall.[11] Under its working title Spare Bricks, it would have featured songs from The Wall added unchanged, or simply re-recorded for the film. Examples included "When the Tigers Broke Free" and "Bring the Boys Back Home". Waters also planned to record a small amount of new material for inclusion on the album which would have further expanded The Wall's narrative.[11][12][13]
As a result of the Falklands Conflict however Waters changed direction, and began writing new material. A socialist at heart, he saw Margaret Thatcher's response to the invasion of the islands as jingoistic and unnecessary, and he dedicated the new album—provisionally titled Requiem for a Post-War Dream—to his father (who had died in World War II). This new creative direction prompted arguments between Waters and Gilmour. "Your Possible Pasts", "One of the Few", "The Final Cut", and "The Hero's Return" were pieces of music from The Wall which had initially been set aside for Spare Bricks. Although Pink Floyd had often re-used older material in their work, on this occasion Gilmour felt that these songs were not good enough for a new album. He wanted to write new material, but Waters remained doubtful as lately, Gilmour had contributed little to the band's lyrical repertoire.[11]
I'm certainly guilty at times of being lazy, and moments have arrived when Roger might say, "Well, what have you got?" And I'd be like, "Well, I haven't got anything right now. I need a bit of time to put some ideas on tape." There are elements of all this stuff that, years later, you can look back on and say, "Well, he had a point there." But he wasn't right about wanting to put some duff tracks on The Final Cut. I said to Roger, "If these songs weren't good enough for The Wall, why are they good enough now?"
The album's working title was changed to The Final Cut, which was a reference to Shakespeare's Julius Caesar: "This was the most unkindest cut of all".[15] "When the Tigers Broke Free" was issued as a single on 26 July 1982 with "Bring the Boys Back Home" on the B-side.[16][nb 1] The label on both sides of the single listed the tracks as taken from the forthcoming Final Cut album; however, neither song was included.
Concept and storyline
The Final Cut is an anti-war concept album that also features rock opera elements. Waters' lyrics explore what he regards as the betrayal of fallen British servicemen—such as his father—who during World War II sacrificed their lives in the spirit of a post-war dream. This 'dream' was that their victory would usher in a more peaceful world,[12] in which its leaders would no longer be so eager to resort to solving disputes by war. The album's lyrics are critical of Thatcher, whose policies and decisions Waters regarded as an example of this betrayal. She is referred to as "Maggie" throughout the album.
With the exception of the introductory track, "The Post-War Dream", the first side of the album is a short rock opera about the mental plight of a World War II veteran. The protagonist becomes an abusive schoolteacher, and over the course of five consecutive tracks ("Your Possible Pasts", "One of the Few", "The Hero's Return", "The Gunner's Dream" and "Paranoid Eyes") his post-war life is examined in detail, focusing on a depression brought about by a post-traumatic stress disorder. He becomes disconnected from his wife and is haunted by the memory of the death of his fellow soldiers, including the last words of a gunner heard over an intercom. In a desire to regain control of his life, he plays out his frustrations on the schoolchildren he is responsible for. This character had previously appeared on Pink Floyd's previous album, The Wall, where he is referred to as having abused the story's protagonist while at school. In The Wall's narrative, specifically the song "The Happiest Days of Our Lives", he has a "psychopathic" wife, who regularly beats him. This is touched upon and explained further in "The Hero's Return" as a sense of alienation the veteran feels towards his wife and surroundings. The rock opera portion of the album ends with "Paranoid Eyes", in which the veteran turns to alcohol, and chooses to hide his true feelings from the rest of the world.[17]
The second half of the album deals with various war-related issues. While "Southampton Dock" is a lament to returning war heroes, and also those soldiers heading out to a certain death,[17] "Not Now John" addresses the ignorance of society toward political and economical problems.[18] "Get Your Filthy Hands Off My Desert" deals with Waters' feelings about war and invasion, and "The Fletcher Memorial Home" reflects his fantasy of gathering together political leaders such as Leonid Brezhnev, Menachem Begin, and Margaret Thatcher, and executing them all.[19] The album's title track reveals Waters' deepest intimacies; the lyrics deal with the aftermath of a man's isolation and sexual repression, as he attempts suicide, and struggles to reconnect with the world around him. The album ends with "Two Suns in the Sunset", a song that portrays a nuclear holocaust, the final result of a world obsessed with war and control.[17][19]
Recording
Michael Kamen (a contributor to the orchestral sections of The Wall) mediated between Waters and Gilmour, and also performed the role traditionally occupied by the now absent Richard Wright. Kamen was a classically trained pianist who played the harmonium, and who also conducted the National Philharmonic Orchestra. James Guthrie was employed as the studio engineer, and surprisingly, Mason was helped by Ray Cooper, and replaced by Andy Newmark on "Two Suns in the Sunset" when the former was unable to perform the complex timing changes required of him. Mason was also responsible for the repeated reprises of the 'Maggie, what have we done?' chorus.[20] Baker Street's Raphael Ravenscroft was hired to play the saxophone (most previous Floyd albums tend to make repeated use of particular musicians). Recording took place in the latter half of 1982, in a then unprecedented eight studios, which included Gilmour's home studio at Hookend Manor, and Waters' Billiard Room Studios at East Sheen.[21][22] The other venues were Mayfair Studios, Olympic Studios, Abbey Road Studios, Eel Pie Studios, Audio International, and RAK Studios.[16]
While Waters and Gilmour initially worked together, playing the video game Donkey Kong in their spare time, the tension within the band grew worse. The two eventually chose to work separately. Andy Jackson (co-engineer) worked with Waters on the vocals, and Guthrie worked with Gilmour on the guitars. They would occasionally meet to discuss the work that had been completed so far. While this methodology was not itself unusual, Gilmour began to feel the strain, sometimes barely maintaining his composure. Kamen too felt pressured; Waters had never been a confident vocalist, and on one occasion, after repeated studio takes, Waters noticed him writing on a notepad. Losing his temper, he demanded to know what Kamen was doing, only to find that the pianist had been writing "I Must Not Fuck Sheep" repeatedly.[22][23]
Mason's contributions were almost entirely limited to recording sound effects for the experimental Holophonic system, an audio processing technique used to add an enhanced three-dimensional effect to the recordings (The Final Cut is the second album to feature this technology).[24] An example of this technology is featured on "Get Your Filthy Hands Off My Desert," in which the sound effect of an explosion was processed so that it would appear to surround the listener. The use of this technique expanded on Pink Floyd's long interest in using sound effects combined with advances and innovations in audio recording technology. Sound effects from earlier Floyd albums are also evident; the wind from Meddle is re-used, as are parts of The Dark Side of the Moon, Wish You Were Here, Animals, and The Wall.[25]
After months of poor relations, and following a final confrontation, Gilmour's name as producer was removed from the credit list—reflecting what Waters felt was his lack of song-writing contributions. Waters later admitted that he was also under significant pressure, and that early in the production of The Final Cut he believed he would never record with either Gilmour or Mason again. Although he issued a vague threat to release the album as a solo record, Pink Floyd were contracted to EMI, and such a move was unlikely.[22] Mason kept himself distant, by now having marital problems of his own with wife Lindy (he would later remarry).[26]
Packaging
Poppies are a recurring theme on the album's artwork
Hipgnosis—designers of most of Pink Floyd's previous artwork—had by this time disbanded, but as with The Wall Storm Thorgerson was passed over for the cover design. Waters designed the cover, using photographs taken by his brother-in-law, Willie Christie.[26] The front cover shows a Remembrance Day poppy and four World War II medal ribbons laid out on a black fabric background. From left to right the medals are the 1939–45 Star, the Africa Star, the Defence Medal, and the Distinguished Flying Cross.[27] The Remembrance Day poppy is a recurring theme in the design of the album. The artwork also features various images of a lone soldier in a field. The interior gatefold featured three photographs. The first depicts a hand outstretched, holding three poppies with a soldier standing in the middle of a field far off in the background. The second photograph was identical to the cover of the "Not Now John" single. The third depicts a nuclear explosion—viewed from inside a car—referencing "Two Suns in the Sunset". The album lyrics are printed in full, on the gatefold. The picture labels on side one of the vinyl disc depicts a poppy field. Side two depicts a soldier stabbed in the back, lying face down on the ground near a poppy field. A dog is seen sitting beside him. The back cover features a photograph of a soldier standing upright and holding a film canister, with a knife protruding from his back[17] (the film canister and knife may also reflect Waters' tumultuous relationship with Alan Parker).[19]
Release and reception
The Final Cut was released in the UK on 21 March 1983, and reached No.1 in the UK album charts,[nb 2] something that both The Dark Side of the Moon and The Wall had failed to do. It was less successful upon its US release on 2 April, peaking at No.6 on the Billboard album charts.[28][nb 3] "Not Now John" was released as a single and reached the UK Top 30, with its chorus of "Fuck all that" bowdlerised to "Stuff all that".[29] Despite its success, the album received mixed reviews. Melody Maker declared it to be "… a milestone in the history of awfulness …", but Rolling Stone's Kurt Loder viewed it as "… essentially a Roger Waters solo album … a superlative achievement on several levels."[7][17] Robert Christgau wrote "… it's a comfort to encounter antiwar rock that has the weight of years of self-pity behind it …" and awarded the album a C+ rating.[10]
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[The Final Cut] is very good, but it's not personally how I would see a Pink Floyd record going.
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It achieved Gold and Platinum status in the US in May 1983, and went double Platinum on 31 January 1997.[30] The Final Cut was however the lowest-selling Pink Floyd studio album since 1971's Meddle in the US, and worldwide. Gilmour later claimed that this relative commercial "failure" supported his assertion that much of the material on the album was "weak".[31]
In 1983 the album was released on Compact Disc. In 2004, a remastered and repackaged CD was released by EMI in Europe and on Capitol Records in the US, including an extra song, the previously released "When the Tigers Broke Free".[nb 4] A remastered version was made available in 2007 as part of the Oh, by the Way boxed set. It was packaged in a mini-replica of the original gatefold LP sleeve. "When the Tigers Broke Free" was also included in this version.
Film
A short film based on a selection of the album's songs was released in 1983,[nb 5] produced by Waters, and directed by his brother-in-law Willie Christie. It features four tracks from the album: "The Gunner's Dream", "The Final Cut", "The Fletcher Memorial Home", and "Not Now John".[33] Waters is shown revealing his innermost secrets to a psychiatrist named A. Parker-Marshall.[34] Alex McAvoy stars in the film, reprising his role as the abusive schoolteacher from The Wall. However, unlike in both The Wall and the Final Cut, the schoolteacher is shown in a contemporary 1983 setting, as his son is shown to be fighting in the Falklands Conflict.
Legacy
Following the release of The Final Cut, each member of the band turned to separate solo projects. Gilmour recorded About Face in 1984, and used it to express his feelings on a range of topics, from the murder of John Lennon, to his relationship with Waters—who also began touring his new solo album, The Pros and Cons of Hitch Hiking.[35] Mason released his second solo album Profiles in August 1985.[36]
Waters eventually announced that he had left the band, and that he believed that Pink Floyd was a "spent force".[37][38] Waters applied to the High Court to prevent the Pink Floyd name from ever being used again.[36] His lawyers discovered that the partnership had never been formally confirmed, and Waters returned to the High Court in an attempt to gain a veto over further use of the band's name. Gilmour's team responded by issuing a press release affirming that Pink Floyd would continue to exist, however he later told a Sunday Times reporter that "Roger is a dog in the manger and I'm going to fight him …".[39]
Waters wrote to EMI and Columbia declaring his intention to leave the group, asking them to release him from his contractual obligations. With a legal case pending, Waters dispensed with O'Rourke, and employed Peter Rudge to manage his affairs.[36] He later contributed to the soundtrack for When the Wind Blows,[40] and then recorded his second solo album, Radio K.A.O.S..[41]
The Final Cut is sometimes viewed as a de facto Waters solo record, due to the combination of Pink Floyd's partial breakup, and Waters' lyrical dominance on the project. The personal quality assigned to the lyrics are related to Waters' struggle to reconcile his despair at the changing social face of Britain, and the loss of his father in World War II. Despite this, Gilmour's guitar solos on "Your Possible Pasts" and "The Fletcher Memorial Home" are sometimes considered equal to his best work on The Wall.[17][42]
Track listing
All songs written and composed by Roger Waters.
Personnel
- Pink Floyd
- Additional musicians
- Production
Notes
- ^ UK EMI Harvest HAR 5222 seven inch single), US Columbia AS 1541 (promotional 12 inch single, US Columbia X18-03142 (seven inch single)
- ^ UK EMI Harvest SHPF 1983 (Vinyl Album)
- ^ US Columbia QC 38243 (Vinyl Album)
- ^ Harvest 7243 576734 2 6 (EMI) [eu] / EAN 0724357673426, UK EMI Harvest 576 7342[32]
- ^ UK: Video Music Collection PM0010 (VHS PAL Video EP)
References
- Footnotes
- ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas, The Final Cut - Overview, allmusic.com, http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:7adnvwpva9ik, retrieved 2009-09-22
- ^ Twist, Carlo, The Final Cut, blender.com, http://www.blender.com/guide/back-catalogue/52752/final-cut.html, retrieved 2009-09-22
- ^ Diver, Mike (2004-05-01), Pink Floyd: The Final Cut: Remastered, drownedinsound.com, http://drownedinsound.com/releases/3671/reviews/9535-, retrieved 2009-10-27
- ^ Ott, Chris (2004-06-03), Pink Floyd - The Final Cut, pitchforkmedia.com, http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/record_review/20885-the-final-cut, retrieved 2009-09-22
- ^ Schabe, Patrick (2004-08-04), Pink Floyd: The Final Cut, popmatters.com, http://www.popmatters.com/music/reviews/p/pinkfloyd-finalcut.shtml, retrieved 2009-10-27
- ^ Q: 275, January 1995
- ^ a b Loder, Kurt (1983-04-14), Pink Floyd — The Final Cut, rollingstone.com, http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/pinkfloyd/albums/album/107472/review/5943392/the_final_cut, retrieved 2009-09-04
- ^ Burns, Todd (2003-09-01), On Second Thought: Pink Floyd – The Final Cut, stylusmagazine.com, http://www.stylusmagazine.com/articles/on_second_thought/pink-floyd-the-final-cut.htm, retrieved 2009-10-27
- ^ Uncut: 112, May 2004, "4 stars out of 5 - Waters is uncompromisingly, grimly realistic as he rages at the causes and effects of war."
- ^ a b Christgau, Robert (1983), "Consumer Guide Album", The Village Voice (robertchristgau.com), http://www.robertchristgau.com/get_album.php?id=5685, retrieved 2009-09-22
- ^ a b c Blake 2008, pp. 294–295
- ^ a b Mason 2005, p. 264
- ^ Grein, Paul (1982-09-18), Pink Floyd's Next Album Will Have 'Wall' Tie-In, Billboard, p. 11, 44, http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=OyQEAAAAMBAJ, retrieved 2009-09-22
- ^ Blake 2008, p. 295
- ^ Schaffner 1991, p. 238
- ^ a b Povey 2007, p. 237
- ^ a b c d e f Blake 2008, p. 299
- ^ DeGagne, Mike, Not Now John - Song Review, allmusic.com, http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=33:4a5gtq4zpuf6, retrieved 2009-09-22
- ^ a b c Schaffner 1991, p. 242
- ^ Schaffner 1991, p. 239
- ^ Schaffner 1991, p. 240
- ^ a b c Blake 2008, pp. 296–298
- ^ Mason 2005, p. 268
- ^ Mabbett, Andy; Miles Mabbett (1994), Chris Charlesworth, ed., Pink Floyd: The Visual Documentary, Omnibus Press, ISBN 0-7119-4109-2
- ^ Schaffner 1991, p. 241
- ^ a b Mason 2005, p. 273
- ^ Povey 2007, p. 349
- ^ Povey 2007, pp. 348–349
- ^ a b Blake 2008, p. 300
- ^ US Certifications database, riaa.com, http://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?table=SEARCH, retrieved 2009-03-28
- ^ Povey 2007, p. 230
- ^ Pink Floyd - The Final Cut (album), ultratop.be, http://www.ultratop.be/en/showitem.asp?interpret=Pink+Floyd&titel=The+Final+Cut&cat=a, retrieved 2009-09-25
- ^ Povey 2007, p. N/A
- ^ Schaffner 1991, p. 244
- ^ Blake 2008, pp. 302–309
- ^ a b c Blake 2008, pp. 311–313
- ^ Schaffner 1991, pp. 262–263
- ^ Jones, Peter (1986-11-22), It's the Final Cut: Pink Floyd to Split Officially, Billboard, p. 70, http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=9SQEAAAAMBAJ, retrieved 2009-09-22
- ^ Schaffner 1991, p. 271
- ^ Schaffner 1991, p. 263
- ^ Schaffner 1991, pp. 264–266
- ^ Schaffner 1991, pp. 238–239
- Bibliography
- Blake, Mark (2008), Comfortably Numb — The Inside Story of Pink Floyd, Da Capo Press, ISBN 0306817527
- Mason, Nick (2005), Philip Dodd, ed., Inside Out - A Personal History of Pink Floyd (Paperback ed.), Phoenix, ISBN 0753819066
- Povey, Glenn (2007), Echoes, Mind Head Publishing, ISBN 0955462401, http://books.google.com/books?id=qnnl3FnO-B4C
- Schaffner, Nicholas (1991), Saucerful of Secrets (1 ed.), Sidgwick & Jackson, ISBN 0283061278
External links
