Pink Floyd – Take Up Thy Stethoscope and Walk

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  My Interpretation:I do not know if anybody noticed, but I think the last rhyme (realize, realize, realize...) contains a hidden message: Real eyes realize real lies! ;-)
  
  Of course, this is so understandable if you consider the time in which the song was written...

  Flag crazymikeon December 29, 2012   Link

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  General Comment:To Lucifer Sam!. Roger Waters wrote the lyric to this song. Not Syd Barrett

  Flag Opethfanatic89on September 23, 2008   Link

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  General Comment:My own thoughts on this one - in Comfortably Numb, Roger Waters says "when I was a child I had a fever". I'm assuming if you're reading this you're a PF fan and know the rest of those lyrics, which basically describe a fever so intense it led to hallucinations. I believe this song is an allusion to the same childhood illness that Waters expereinced, with its hallucinatory lines about jesus and pain. Gold is Lead makes me think of alchemy, a nice 'trippy' subject matter...I'm kind of surprised no one else picked up on that, its the most obvious connection between lead and gold. Anyway, my theory is that Waters, attempting to write something 'trippy' in line with Barret's songs, called on what was his only psychedelic experience at the time, a childhood fever (Waters has stated that he didn't try psychedelic drugs until the 70s). The Doctor in the song prefigures the doctor in Comfortably Numb, although there are obvious differences. Anyway that's my explanation - this song is about the same childhood fever that we hear about on The Wall.

  Flag rawbeeron September 12, 2008   Link

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• -1
  General Comment:Syd Barrett is so fucking cool. It's almost impossible to decihper his lyrics cause i doubt he knew what he was reallly talking about. I mean Syd was a smart guy but too much acid can really mess with your mind.

  Flag Lucifer Sam!on August 21, 2008   Link

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• +1
  General Comment:I'm not sure if anyone hit this by the title is an obvious reference to the parable of Jesus healing the cripple. He pretty much tells a guy to "pick up thy mat and walk." however since it is now stethoscope the doctor is being healed.

  Flag Kleachon July 28, 2008   Link

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• 0
  General Comment:I'm not sure if anyone hit this by the title is an obvious reference to the parable of Jesus healing the cripple. He pretty much tells a guy to "pick up thy mat and walk." however since it is now stethoscope the doctor is being healed.

  Flag Kleachon July 28, 2008   Link

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  General Comment:one of my favourites
  i could still listen to it for daze 8^)
  
  btw...
  
  very true away666
  
  the song IS about overcoming a serious mental illness.
  
  and
  
  the lyric 'gold is lead' means not being able to differentiate between the two
  
  spoons means medicine
  or some kinda drug assortment depending on how you view the patient
  
  the lyrics are written in a series of the patients progress in the song until he can finally see
  
  REAL EYES!
  haha

  Flag moghead1on May 27, 2008   Link

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• +1
  General Comment:my interpretation...
  
  I'm in bed, aching head
  gold is lead
  choke on bread
  underfed
  gold is lead
  jesus bled
  pain is red
  dark doom
  
  he seems to be talking about dark times here, perhaps suffering from depression. the person doesn't appreciate the great things in life, hence.. gold is lead, dark doom
  
  gruel ghouls, greasy spoons
  used spoons, June Bloom
  
  this part seems to be about the transition out of that depressive episode, going from something horrible like gruel ghouls to june bloom. metaphorically, the flowers are coming out finally!
  
  music seems to help the pain
  seems to contemplate the brain
  Doctor kindly tell your wife that I'm alive
  flowers thrive
  realise
  realise
  realise!
  
  music can help one get through tough times. as for the doctor tell your wife line... i think its just a way of saying don't worry about me anymore i've figured things out, i've realized i need to appreciate life now instead of worrying and dwelling on the bad things.
  
  to me, the title, "take up thy stethoscope and walk," has the same type of meaning too: stop looking for problems within yourself (take up thy stethoscope), get up and live your life (walk) because its a beautiful thing

  Flag away666on May 25, 2008   Link

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• 0
  General Comment:i dont understand u guys, this song is really great =)
  used it in a theater show in the high school, which was wonderful aswell.

  Flag aldrrian lunsfelton March 24, 2008   Link

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  General Comment:The only reason why people are giving this song such bad reviews is because it's different.

  Flag Lateralus518on November 30, 2007   Link

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