Sheep

The song is about "sheep" going with the flow until they finally realize the rut that they're in (being led to the slaughter) and decide to do something about it (they learn karate). The "pigs" essentially charade as a "good shepherd", when in reality, they're anything but that. In the end, the sheep attack the "shepherd", and once that happens, everything falls apart (the dogs die, etc.), and they march onto freedom.

At the end they're told to stay off the road - in other words, if you want to have a long/good life, then don't join the rat race.

It's a song that fits well for any strict political or corporate culture. It's not really about religion - they just use the Psalm intro since it fits so well with what the elite want to be come: the "shepherd" that controls everything, even the dogs, even though in reality a shepherd is supposed to watch over the flock and keep it away from harm, not abuse it. False messiahs in suits.

This is about people who are "sheep-like" and follow everyone else blindly. In this song the sheep rebel against their opressers, the Dogs. Cool little poem there by Rog.

Two corrections to the lyrics:

1. The opening line is "Harmlessly passing..." not "Hopelessly passing..."

2. Despite what the actual lyric sheet says, the vocoded section quite clearly says "judo" not "karate".

The rise of the commoners against the dictatorial (is that a word?) tyrants who selfishly take disgusting advantage of the people, to a point that it is anmost like devouring them, while deifying themselves as to justify the horrible acts of injustice they commit every day. The people excitedly take charge against the "Lord" (the deified leaders) as they "march cheerfully out of obscurity into the dream", a dream of freedom and equality, with leaders no longer selfishly exploiting the people. Once the people have taken over, they establish a new world order. But, ironically and sadly enough, a NEW tyranny is esablished ("You better stay home and do as you're told, get out of the road if you want to grow old", almost EXACTLY like the situation that they fought so adamantly and sacrificed so much to abolish.

A theme is that history repeats itself, be it good or bad...

Brilliant...one of the greatest pieces of music of all time.

I read somewhere that this album is about Roger Waters views on society. The sheep represent the lower class workers. The dogs represent higher class business men. I'm not sure if they have the same meaning on this song, though. The pigs represent the upper class, rich people.

'into the valley of steel' I think represent the slaughterhouse, which from a human perspective would be the factories.

Can't think of many more interpretations, but great song though.

you'd better watch out! there may be dogs about.

this album is not based around, modeled after, or even inspired by ANIMAL FARM. like dark side of the rainbow (or dark side of oz, whatever you decide to call it) it's just a coincidence. roger waters did notice the similarities, but they were already recording. the subject was pretty much the same. except ANIMAL FARM was, i think, about eastern communism, and ANIMALS was about western capitalism. but the metaphors still apply to all animals.

Not to be too much of a jackass, but if you think Dark Side of the Rainbow is "just a coincidence," then you are "just an idiot"

Start it on the third roar of the lion during the MGM thing.

The clocks go off the exact monent you see the witch lady for the first time on her bike. They march down the yellow brick exactly to the beat of Money (exactly). The lady sings during the tornado, then the song dies down when the tornado is over with lol. All that stuff. Come on now, use some common sense.

Direct allusion to Animal Farm. Love George Orwell - genius. Love Pink Floyd- genius. Axtually, in the book, "Another Brick in the Wall" it says PF loved George Orwell. But then, PF never gave their stamp of approval the book, so you never know. It makes perfect sense that this song is directed at religion, but I don't think that was Pink Floyd's intent. It is my opinion that the whole "heil hitler" crock is absolute and undilluted crap. And unless I am very mistaken, Pink Floyd recoils at the mention of The Wizard of Oz and The Dark Side of the Moon having similarities. I've tried it, just for laughs, and I didn't find anything too spectacular or earth-shattering.

Direct allusion to Animal Farm. Love George Orwell - genius. Love Pink Floyd- genius. Axtually, in the book, "Another Brick in the Wall" it says PF loved George Orwell. But then, PF never gave their stamp of approval the book, so you never know. It makes perfect sense that this song is directed at religion, but I don't think that was Pink Floyd's intent. It is my opinion that the whole "heil hitler" crock is absolute and undilluted crap. And unless I am very mistaken, Pink Floyd recoils at the mention of The Wizard of Oz and The Dark Side of the Moon having similarities. I've tried it, just for laughs, and I didn't find anything too spectacular or earth-shattering.