The Gunner's Dream

Pink Floyd

About The Gunner's Dream

"The Gunner's Dream" is a song from Pink Floyd's 1983 album The Final Cut. This song was one of several to be considered for the band's "best of" album, Echoes: The Best of Pink Floyd. The song tells the story and thoughts of an airman gunner as he falls to his death during a raid, dreaming of a safe world in the future, without war. It is one of the four songs on the video version of the album The Final Cut Video EP. In his lyrics, Waters references real-life events including the then very recent Hyde Park and Regent's Park bombings, and takes the refrain "some corner of a foreign field" from Rupert Brooke's poem The Soldier.  


Year:
1983
5:18
219 
#2

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Floating down
Through the clouds
Memories come rushing up to meet me now
But in the space between the heavens
And in the corner of some foreign field
I had a dream
I had a dream

Goodbye Max
Goodbye Ma
After the service
When you're walking slowly to the car
And the silver in her hair shines in the cold november air
You hear the tolling bell
And touch the silk in your lapel
And as the tear drops rise to meet the comfort of the band
You take her frail hand
And hold on to the dream

A place to stay
[Bloke:] "Oi! A real one..."
Enough to eat
Somewhere old heroes shuffle safely down the street
Where you can speak out loud
About your doubts and fears
And what's more
No-one ever disappears
You never hear their standard issue
Kicking in your door
You can relax on both sides of the tracks
And maniacs don't blow holes in bandsmen by remote control
And everyone has recourse to the law
And no-one kills the children anymore
No-one kills the children anymore

Night after night
Going round and round my brain
His dream is driving me insane
In the corner of some foreign field
The gunner sleeps tonight
What's done is done
We cannot just write off his final scene
Take heed of the dream
Take heed

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Pink Floyd

Pink Floyd were an English rock band formed in London. They achieved international acclaim with their progressive and psychedelic music. more »

59 fans

Written by: George Roger Waters

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind


14 facts about this song

Band Origin
"The Gunner's Dream" is by the British rock band Pink Floyd, known for their progressive and psychedelic music.
Album Appearance
The song appears on the album "The Final Cut," released in 1983. It's the band's twelfth studio album.
Composition
Roger Waters, the band's bassist and vocalist, solely wrote the song.
Partial Concept Album
"The Final Cut" album, including "The Gunner's Dream," is considered a partial concept album, inspired by Waters' feelings about war, given his father's death in World War II.
Song Inspiration
The lyrics are influenced by former band member Syd Barrett's mental deterioration, a key theme in many Pink Floyd songs.
Saxophone Feature
English musician Raphael Ravenscroft, famous for his saxophone solo on Gerry Rafferty's song "Baker Street," played the tenor saxophone on "The Gunner's Dream."
Unique Voices
Besides Waters, the song features the voices of Andy Bown and Michael Kamen, contributing a hauntingly beautiful layer to the narrative.
Single Region Release
The song was released as a single, but only in France, despite Pink Floyd's massive worldwide fanbase.
Depiction of War
"The Gunner's Dream" depicts a damaged RAF gunner free-falling to his death—his life flashes before his eyes as he dreams of a peaceful world without war.
Limited Live Performances
The song was infrequently performed live; however, its few live renditions were noted for their powerful emotional resonance.
Fan Favorite
Though it was not released as a global single and did not chart, "The Gunner's Dream" is known as a beloved deep cut among the Pink Floyd fan community.
Passing of the Torch
The song is considered as Waters's message passing the torch to the younger generation to keep fighting for peace and freedom, as per his father's sacrifice.
Dream Sequencing
The song has a certain dreamlike quality to it where the scenes switch between reality and imagined peace. The music composition matches this storytelling by its mixture of somber tones with moments of tranquility.
Roger Waters Solo Performances
After leaving Pink Floyd, Roger Waters included "The Gunner's Dream" in his solo tours. The song is often considered a highlight of his shows.

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