Pink Floyd - The Final Cut - Released Year 1983
Tracklist front / back album covers
Side one
1. "The Post War Dream" 3:02
2. "Your Possible Pasts" 4:22
3. "One of the Few" 1:23
4. "The Hero's Return" 2:56
5. "The Gunner's Dream" 5:07
6. "Paranoid Eyes" 3:40
Total length: 20:30
Side two
1. "Get Your Filthy Hands Off My Desert" 1:19
2. "The Fletcher Memorial Home" 4:11
3. "Southampton Dock" 2:13
4. "The Final Cut" 4:46
5. "Not Now John" 5:01
6. "Two Suns in the Sunset" 5:14
Total length: 22:44
Side one
1. "The Post War Dream" 3:02
2. "Your Possible Pasts" 4:22
3. "One of the Few" 1:23
4. "The Hero's Return" 2:56
5. "The Gunner's Dream" 5:07
6. "Paranoid Eyes" 3:40
Total length: 20:30
Side two
1. "Get Your Filthy Hands Off My Desert" 1:19
2. "The Fletcher Memorial Home" 4:11
3. "Southampton Dock" 2:13
4. "The Final Cut" 4:46
5. "Not Now John" 5:01
6. "Two Suns in the Sunset" 5:14
Total length: 22:44
The Final Cut is Pink Floyd’s 1983 concept album and often considered the band’s most politically charged and emotionally intense work. Serving as a quasi-sequel to The Wall, this album dives deep into themes of war, loss, and political betrayal, largely shaped by Roger Waters’ personal reflections on the Falklands War and his father’s death in World War II.
The album blends progressive rock with poignant lyrics and cinematic soundscapes, marking the last Pink Floyd album featuring Waters before his departure.
Concept and Themes
Focuses on the horrors and aftermath of war, especially the impact on individuals and society.
A sharp critique of political leaders and the futility of conflict.
Themes of grief, disillusionment, and lost innocence run throughout.
Personal and political emotions are intertwined, making the album deeply introspective.
Fun Facts about The Final Cut
🎸 The album was almost entirely written by Roger Waters, with minimal input from other band members.
🎧 Features sound effects and orchestral arrangements, enhancing the cinematic feel.
🎤 Tracks like “The Fletcher Memorial Home” directly criticize world leaders, including Margaret Thatcher and Ronald Reagan.
🎹 The Final Cut was the last Pink Floyd album to feature keyboardist Richard Wright as a session musician.
🥁 Despite mixed initial reviews, the album has gained recognition for its lyrical depth and emotional power.
🎙️ Waters originally intended The Final Cut to be a soundtrack for a film adaptation of The Wall, but the project never materialized.
Why The Final Cut Matters
A profound anti-war statement wrapped in the band’s signature progressive rock style.
Offers a deeply personal glimpse into Roger Waters’ psyche and political views.
Marks the end of an era for Pink Floyd, bridging The Wall and the post-Waters years.
A must-listen for fans interested in music that challenges and provokes thought.
The Final Cut stands as a powerful, if sometimes overlooked, chapter in Pink Floyd’s legacy—essential for understanding the band’s evolution and Waters’ artistic vision.
The Final Cut (subtitle: A Requiem for the Post War Dream by Roger Waters) is the twelfth studio album by English rock band Pink Floyd, released on 21 March 1983 in the United Kingdom and on 2 April in the United States through Harvest and Columbia Records. It comprises unused material from the previous Pink Floyd record, The Wall (1979), alongside new material recorded throughout 1982.
The Final Cut was the last Pink Floyd album to feature founding member Roger Waters, who departed in 1985. It is also the only Pink Floyd album not to feature founding member and keyboardist Richard Wright, who was fired during the Wall sessions. The recording was plagued by conflict; guitarist David Gilmour felt many of the tracks were not worthy of inclusion, but Waters accused him of failing to contribute material himself. Drummer Nick Mason's contributions were mostly limited to sound effects.
Waters planned the album as a soundtrack for the 1982 film adaptation of The Wall. With the onset of the Falklands War, he rewrote it as a concept album exploring what he considered the betrayal of his father, who died serving in the Second World War. Waters provided lead vocals for all but one track, and he is credited for all songwriting. The album was accompanied by a short film released in the same year.
