The memories of a man in his old age
Are the deeds of a man in his prime.
You shuffle in gloom of the sickroom
And talk to yourself as you die.

Life is a short, warm moment
And death is a long cold rest.
You get your chance to try in the twinkling of an eye:
Eighty years, with luck, or even less.

So all aboard for the American tour,
And maybe you'll make it to the top.
And mind how you go, and I can tell you, 'cause I know
You may find it hard to get off.

You are the angel of death
And I am the dead man's son.
And he was buried like a mole in a fox hole.
And everyone is still in the run.

And who is the master of fox hounds?
And who says the hunt has begun?
And who calls the tune in the courtroom?
And who beats the funeral drum?

The memories of a man in his old age
Are the deeds of a man in his prime.
You shuffle in gloom in the sickroom
And talk to yourself till you die.



Lyrics submitted by Demau Senae

Track duration: 02:29

"Free Four" as written by Roger Waters

Lyrics © T.R.O. INC.

Lyrics powered by LyricFind


Free Four song meanings
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17 Comments

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  • 0
    General Comment:This song almost has the quality of the happy song sung at the end of Monty Python's Life of Brian where the singers are being crucified.

    The lyrics are amazingly bleak, but the music is so upbeat. Delicious.
    Flag Pirtyfool22on July 20, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I've read somewhere that Roger had written this as a respond to everyone who asked him about how he felt about his dead father. "I'm a dead man's son"
    Flag Ashtray-girlon April 04, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Fantastic!
    Flag Themactatoron February 10, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:i love this song
    Flag sambennallickon January 02, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:That's right. Don't be fooled by the title.

    At the beginning, it goes: "One, two, FREE FOUR!!!" like everybody else said.

    Very interesting indeed.
    Flag Grind838on August 26, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Such a fun song.
    Flag inpraiseoffollyon August 25, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I find it really funny that this song sounds almost IDENTICALLY to "Spirit In the Sky" by "Norman Greenbaum".
    Flag ZOMBAIDon June 21, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Both More and Obscured by Clouds took me a long time to get into, and I still don't think that I fully appreciate them. However, off of Obscured, this song is my favorite. I avoided for a long time because I don't generally like catchy songs. That is probably all that keeps this song from being five stars.
    Of course, I also don't like Metal/Heavy Metal/whatever the Nile Song is, yet I enjoy the Nile Song (though it is a bit grating). I don't generally enjoy blues, but I enjoy Seamus. Pink Floyd has found ways to take genres that aren't my favorite and make me enjoy their interpretations.

    By the way, this song is about death. Possibly the best concept anyone ever had for a song. (except for the concept of Echoes, whatever that might be)
    Flag inpraiseoffollyon April 12, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:agreed. i love the album obscured by clouds. listened to it recently
    Flag heyjude55on April 02, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:It's actually "One, two, FREE FOUR!"
    But of course it stands for "Three, four!"
    It's just a pun
    Flag reptileon March 07, 2006   Link

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