Momma loves her baby
And daddy loves you too.
And the sea may look warm to you babe
And the sky may look blue
Ooooh baby
Ooooh baby blue
Oooooh babe.

If you should go skating
On the thin ice of modern life
Dragging behind you the silent reproach
Of a million tear-stained eyes
Don't be surprised when a crack in the ice
Appears under your feet.
You slip out of your depth and out of your mind
With your fear flowing out behind you
As you claw the thin ice.



Lyrics submitted by Demau Senae

Track duration: 02:30

"The Thin Ice" as written by Roger Waters

Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.

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The Thin Ice song meanings
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  • 0
    General Comment:I'm picturing someone leaving home on bad terms, carrying the heavy burden of disapproval, unprepared for the cold world that awaits. The safety net of forgiveness is replaced by thin ice, ready to drop you at a single misstep. The illusory world of the child cracks and you descend into a cold reality.

    Side note: the lyrics "If you should go skating on the thin ice of modern life" remind me of Jethro Tull's "Skating away on the thin ice of a new day".
    Flag ScubaSteve84on September 16, 2011   Link
  • 0
    Song Meaning:this is just my interpretation, of course...

    first verse summed up: everything looks beautiful, easy and peaceful

    "if you should go skating on the thin ice of modern life": if you just walk around in denial and pretend nothing is wrong in this world today with an unstable misconception that everything is perfect..."dragging behind you the silent reproach of a million tear stained eyes": the phrase, "put it all behind you", comes to my mind so it would mean ignoring all of the people around you who do have to deal with tragedy. "don't be suprised when a crack in the ice appears under your feet": a little sarcastic tone like don't be suprised when one day you just ignore so many problems that they pile up and all of the sudden...BAM: "you slip out of your depth and out of your mind with your fear flowing out behind you" : you slip out of the perfect little reality that you have created and finally have to deal with all of your problems and fears at once "as you claw the thin ice". I'm guessing the word "claw" would just simply imply a desperate attempt.
    Flag hazelwelchon August 14, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:My best guess?

    I think that reproach is about when youre young and irresponsible. You do a lot of dumb things like any other youth. Ideally, you will learn from your mistakes.

    However, if you do not make the necessary amends it can come back and bite you in the bum. Your questionable acts can add up and become cumbersome to the point of being overwhelming.

    Thats all Ive got. My best guess.
    Flag Gormoon January 14, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:BTW, I am still amused almost daily (I live in University of Texas town!) to see college students (and even high school age) acting like they already a grasp on the reality of what life is about. But on the other hand, I envy their innocence and naivity.
    I have a neighbor that was so gung ho about getting a masters degree in social work -a champion for the people! I wasn't going to be the one to crush her dream. As time went on she had more and more exposure to those who were perfectly happy to be drunks, drug addicts, homeless, and "breeding" for more government funding, she has, for the most part, seen the world as it really is. There is a sector of society who are perfectly happy being drunk, on drugs, homeless, pregnant for the ump-teenth time w/o a clue who the father is, or all of the above. Now that she has her own child, her rose coloured glasses have been put away in a long forgotten drawer. She sees the world as it is, and I'm so happy I wasn't the one to tarnish what her reality was while racking up the student loans for a low paying, thankless job. Amen.
    Flag dolcel123on August 11, 2010   Link
  • 0
    My Interpretation:Skating on thin ice...didn't any of your parents use this phrase on you? To me skating on thin ice is taking chances and doing things (as a young, naive person who believes they are immortal)with the belief (disallusion) there will be no real consequences...you are young, therefore, "untouchable". Then the day comes when your world crashes down around you (a crack in the thin ice) and you come to the realization you are mortal and there is a price to pay for all actions in life. You "slip out of your depth and out of your mind with the fear flowing behind you..." This is the day when you wake up and the world as you know it is not reality and life as you know it is a complete mystery. You "claw through the thin ice" trying to find some sort of connection or truth of what you knew was fact just a moment before. Of course the million tear stained eyes of those who love you, have been there, and can do nothing but let you learn the hard (painful) reality of life on your own.
    I am probably way off on my interpretation, but bottom line" the song is about life and growning pains. It's a hard lesson when we realize the world doesn't revolve exclusively around us.
    Thirty years later I still remember the moment it all came clear to me-I was stunned, lost, and very afraid.
    Of course I got over it, but have many fond memories of a kama kazi lifestyle with no consequences, no fear...awesome part of life!
    And BTW, the movie "The Wall" was written around the album, not he other way around.
    Flag dolcel123on August 11, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I think the "tear stained eyes" are in reference to all of the traumas in Pink's life, the bricks in his wall. Heaving this along breaks the shield defending him from life's hardships and he falls into insanity.
    Flag torkillallon July 05, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:The song is about the death of Roger Waters' father in the war. If you have this in mind when you listen to the song it all makes sense. He felt like his life fell apart when his father died, thus the ice breaking beneath him.
    Flag Geoff330on April 28, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:When i first started to really get into pink floyd back in middle school i was mesmorized by this song. It his hard and still does. Its also one of my top 3 favorite scenes in the wall when he is in the pool and the scenes is like spinning. I love it. It means things are not as they seem life isnt' as easy as it seems when you are so much younger. I could really relate to it because i was getting into so much trouble and my parents had the tear staind eyes. I hurt them so bad. Sometimes intentionally but i kept going until i lost it. A crack in the ice appeared all of a sudded i can't get back up and they aren't there to help me anymore."as you claw the thin ice" I was so scared and unhappy with myself and i was exposed and scared "fear flowing out behind you" i couldnt hide my problems anymore. I let my shit get sloppy as my dad would say.
    Flag Crazy_Diamond_89on April 26, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Great way to start the concept.
    Very well put.
    Flag Tepesson October 03, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:One more thing to add, is that that is the literal meaning. Pretty much everything I said could be interpreted as things to happen inside of his head too. Where the crack in the ice is him going crazy and etc.
    Flag Winduon February 20, 2007   Link

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