Animals - Pink Floyd Album Reviews (Ft. Todd Meredith)
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 7 ก.ย. 2024
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Pink Floyd released Animals in 1977, a commentary on class warfare represented by three animals: Dogs, Sheep and Pigs (Three Different Ones AND Pigs on the Wing). The record cover is one of their most famous, but what about the music itself? Todd Meredith joins the discussion.
ToddMeredith.com
#pinkfloyd #animals #albumreview #rogerwaters #davidgilmour #dogs #pigs #sheep #pig Documentary Reissue Original Mix
Pink Floyd is without a doubt one of the greatest classic rock bands of all time. They began in the 60s with Roger Waters on bass, Nick Mason on drums, Richard Wright on organ and Syd Barrett on lead guitar and vocals. Syd penned their early singles Arnold Layne and See Emily Play. This would lead to the release of their 1967 album Piper at the Gates of Dawn, featuring classics like Astronomy Domine, Bike and the epic psychedelic instrumental Interstellar Overdrive. Their live shows were equally inventive incorporating unique light shows. However due to Syd's breakdown he would leave the band, being replaced with David Gilmour on guitar. This would become Pink Floyd's classic lineup with Roger taking more of a songwriter role, including the song Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun which would appear on their 1968 album A Saucerful of Secrets. The album was the only to feature all five band members and Syd's final composition with Floyd, Jugband Blues. Through albums like the soundtrack to More and the experimental Ummagumma, Pink Floyd was still finding their voice, focusing more on albums rather than singles, but still producing an occasional classic like Careful with that Axe Eugene. In 1970, Atom Heart Mother proved to be a success with the 23 minute instrumental and featuring Dave's song Fat Old Sun. 1971's Meddle would turn out to be an important staple for the band with the rocking opener One of these Days I'm Going to Cut You Into Little Pieces, featuring a rare spoken vocal by Nick, Roger's echoing bass line and Dave's Slide Guitar. The flip side, another 23 minute piece, Echoes, featuring Dave and Rick on vocals, is often regarded as Progressive Rock's finest moment, from the opening ping of Rick's leslie piano. They would also perform both these songs along with earlier classics Live at Pompeii. The Obscured by Clouds soundtrack appeared in 1972 with tracks like Burning Bridges and Free Four. However 1973's Dark Side of the Moon would become one of the most successful albums of all time, staying on the charts for nearly 13 years and still a best seller today. Roger's lyrics dealt with the evils of society driving one to madness, while the music was nearly one entire inter-connected piece (making it difficult to separate for a playlist or a best of / greatest hits compilation). Still standouts like Money, Time and Great Gig in the Sky are favorites among fans. Their 1975 followup Wish You Were Here, featuring the opening and closing piece Shine On You Crazy Diamond (a tribute to Syd Barrett who even showed up at the sessions), is thought to be equally great, if not greater, as Dark Side. But tensions between the band were beginning to rear their head. 1977 saw the release of Animals, notable for its famous cover designed by Hipgnosis featuring a pig flying over the Battersea Power Station. Released as punk rock was becoming popular (The Sex Pistols), the animals present the different classes, working class, aristocracy and proles. Roger became the band's main frontman and sole songwriter with Dave occasionally sharing the mic and writing credits. Tensions grew during the tour when Roger ended up spitting on a fan in Montreal and coming up with the idea for The Wall to separate himself from the audience. 1979 would see the release of The Wall, the album and later the tour and film. Another Brick in the Wall Part 2 became their best selling single and Comfortably Numb remains one of their most popular tunes. But it nearly broke up the band as Roger fired Rick for lack of output, creating a greater rift between him and Dave. 1983's The Final Cut was Roger's final album with Pink Floyd before he officially left, leaving Dave and Nick to reunite with Rick for 1987's Momentary Lapse of Reason, featuring the song Learning to Fly. Roger sued to break up the band, but failed to do so instead focusing on his solo career. The Gilmour led Floyd would produce 1994's The Division Bell, a return to form for many fans with Rick now sharing vocal and songwriting duties again. Songs included Take it Back, Coming Back to Life, Keep Talking and High Hopes. It wasn't until 2005's Live 8 concert when Dave, Nick and Rick reunited with Roger for a short set giving closure for many fans. Syd never performed with Pink Floyd again and died in 2006. Rick died in 2008. The album The Endless River was dedicated in his honor. In 2022, the release of James Guthrie's 5.1 remix from 2018 was announced.
What has to be frustrating for Dave is the fact that the sound of Pink Floyd works because of David. He is the McCartney to Water’s Lennon, and Roger’s musical vision never would have been realized in the same way without Dave.
Couldnt agree more. I personally think with Floyd that one doesnt work without the other.
The Floyd sound is a special thing, but Amused to Death is every bit as good as Animals and The Wall, and all Floyd albums except Dark Side and WYWH.
@@nectarinedreams7208 interestingly Amused to Death was written around the time The Wall was written, and yes, it is a good album, but imagine how different and more profound it would have been with the David Gilmour soundscapes.
@@CFCMahomet That was Pros & Cons of Hitchhiking. Eric Clapton was the invited artist / main guitar player.
@@CarazyDiamond you are correct, my mistake. While I love Eric’s playing there is something about Gilmour and Waters that just makes magic.
Rick totally gets a writing credit for "Sheep" in my book.
I totally agree, the intro and more, Rick deserves more credit
I enjoy pretty much all of their music, but i think their 4 album run in particular is absolutley incredible. Dark Side, WYWH, Animals, The Wall. They're all incredible albums, but also vastly different.
I’d put Meddle in that run as well
The end cascading riff to Sheep is just magnificent
That and how Rogers sustained singing notes get merged into the synthesizer sound are the two best bits
The peak of not only Pink Floyd, but music in general. I listen to this at least once a week as I’m just walking around campus, doing homework, anything. Dogs is so soaring and sorrowful, Pigs is perfectly vitriolic and groovy, and Sheep strikes the most wonderful balance between spacey soundscapes and intense hooks (and the finale is just so so powerful). Pigs on the Wing is both a wonderful intro, starting you off with one chiller, happier mindset before getting into the sad realities of life on Dogs, and after seeing all of this hatred and conflict through the rest of the album (The Dogs living miserable, lonely lives; the Pigs with their full control of society; and the class struggle between the Sheep and Dogs), it’s wonderful to have that sentiment that, yeah, society is a mess and we are stuck living in it, but finding love can be your shelter from everything and everyone who would want to oppress you. What a beautiful work of art. Beautiful beautiful beautiful.
Sir you are king of comments. It’s Floyd at there peak ..
I have to say, even though I love the lyrics on this record, I'm so drawn to Dave's guitar playing. He plays so many great long guitar solos on this record, and it really puts it up there for me.
I’m glad I’m not the only one who loves Pigs. Dogs and Sheep are amazing, but there’s something so satisfying about the composition of that song. Also the voice box in it just adds so much texture to the concept.
That ending solo is one of my favorites of all time
The instrumental section in the middle and that furious solo at the end of Pigs are some of the best moments on the album.
But Dooooogs! Man, guitars solos... One of his best guitar part ever played!
I agree that Rick should have gotten writing credit for Sheep, I also think he should have gotten credit for Dogs. The whole ambient moment in Dogs where it repeats "Stone" and he carries the next 3-4 minutes of instrumentation with his chords and minimoog lead section.
Technically those are the same chords we hear in the beginning, but certainly his atmosphere and textures add a lot to the arrangements.
Best PF album by far. Animals is a classic. The 2018 remix sounds amazing so far with Dogs.
Like choosing a favorite child, but I always go back to Animals as my favorite. So crazy how it gets ranked by those who "know" music.
Something that needs to be mentioned is the absolute confidence on this album, it seems that pink floyd is performing on a pedestal educating the whole society
This album is just so good, it’s the peak of their prog rock sounds and in my opinion (along with WYWH) the peak of Rick’s amazing synth soundscapes. For me personally, I would say that Sheep is better than Pigs. I think I just have more nostalgia because I listened to that song a lot more than Dogs and Pigs when I was a little kid, but Dogs is still better than Sheep. As for the opener and closer, I think it’s a nice way to start off the album. It’s a calm way to ease people into this one without it going on for 4 and a half minutes, but still gives the right message to really tell you what the album is gonna be about! This is my 2nd favorite Floyd album…
51 years old and it's the first time I'm anxious because of something starting in TH-cam... You did it, Curtis!
(You have a new subscriber in Portugal 🤘)
PF's darkest album. But it is iconic. Getting into it isn't easy, but it's worth. Dave's guitar work on "Dogs" is the most brilliant, revealing an intensity never heard before. David wanted Roger to express himself. Rick does a great job on this album, even if he doesn't see it himself and many believe it. The instrumental interludes in "Dogs" as well as in "Sheep" are not typical Rick. But they create exactly the mood that is indispensable from "Animals". That's what makes Rick.
You should delve into different prog rock albums after floyd mix it up a bit could prob do in the court of the crimson king or yes, doors ect
Yeah I hope that too, there's a lot of good prog albums!
@@gringerandom5872 Animals is one of 'em
Elp??
Porucpine tree
That intro of Pigs on the Wing to your video gave me goosebumps!!
Fun fact that both you and Todd missed in this review.
In 1975, the same year Wish You Were Here was released, the band bought a three-storey block of church halls at 35 Britannia Row in Islington, north London. Their deal with Harvest Records' parent company EMI for unlimited studio time in return for a reduced percentage of sales had expired, and they converted the building into a recording studio and storage facility. Its construction took up most of 1975, and in April 1976 the band started to record on Animals.
Really looking forward to this. Animals is my favourite Pink Floyd album and I'm curious on your veiws on it.
You should do reviews of live Pink Floyd eras, such as 1974 live or 1977 live tours
Animals is my third favorite Floyd album and Sheep is my favorite song off the album. Can’t wait till you talk about The Wall and the unappreciated gem, The Final Cut. Great video as always!!
For some reason the Wall has been copping a beating lately for being overblown,don’t know why. Also love the final cut,still sounds like Floyd because Dave’s guitar is still all over it
Yeah I love the Final Cut. I understand the criticism relative to their other music, but front to back, I think it is gold. I used to play it over and over.
Now the Wall review will have to be double length because of the double album :D (also The Wall is my favourite one)
The solo on dogs is heavenly and makes it one of my favorite floyd songs
Superb review! Also, Todd's dog's cameo was really cute
Janine (Todd's Dog) also makes a cameo in our Bowie video:
th-cam.com/video/oL5nV71Cn_I/w-d-xo.html
This was my first Pink Floyd album so many years ago. Dogs is still one of my favorite songs. Thanks for the review!
Stay safe
Be well
Jack
The easiest way to get more subscribers is to rank the pink floyd albums, and you did that (and you probably will at the end of this series)
That will be the last video
And we appreciate JT for doing so with the albums. Can't get enough of his words
@@JTCurtisMusic love them all mate
Hey JT I just wanted to say I had a blast at the Let It Be show I feel pretty confident that you saw me in the audience since I was jumping around like a little kid on the last day so I just wanted to say thank you and you did fantastic hope to see you next time
Rick might not have had any writing credits on Animals but damned if his fingerprints aren't all over it. This is a serious keyboard laden chunk of Floyd!
On sheep and dogs definitely, and Rick deserves much more credit. These songs were made before the great waters takeover and it shows. IMO nothing will be the same or quite as good again.
Great reviews of my favorite band. A really complex and complicated band. Shout out to Todd for the Bills hat. Go Bills!
Animals happens to be my all-time favorite Floyd album. It's one of those albums that I would play more than once in a day, without skipping a single song. It's that album where if you asked me "what single Floyd album would I keep if I was stuck on a deserted island?" This is it.
When I first heard Animals, I thought it was the greatest music I ever heard. I learned all the lyrics to each song so I could play it in my head.
You should include solo albums on this series since i always hear people talk about the bands main albums but not much is talked about the members post Floyd albums
Amazing JT. As usual, you’ve made a great vid about my favourite album of the band. 🤩🤘🏻🙏
love your reviews, i can't wait for The Wall and the Final Cut, and then hopefully Roger's solo albums
I would also love to hear him talk about Rogers solo career.
Finally someone mentioned Sheep sounding like One of These Days, I've thought this for a long time and never found anyone who actually says it
I've heard Dark Side so much, as an album and on the radio from the 80s, that I'm a little tired of it. Same with the Wall. Wish You Were Here is great, but I don't love Shine On You as much as some and that's half the album. Animals, though, I still LOVE all these years later, probably helped by the fact I don't think I've ever heard any of it on the radio. So even though I've played the album bunches of times, I've never tired of it. If anything my love for it just grows.
Hi JT! Thank you so much for making these! Pink Floyd is such a wonderful band, and for you to show appreciation and insight into how they made their sound, thank you! 😊 You're doing an awesome job!
For me "Animals" is the most visceral Pink Floyd album of all. With less overcoming soundscapes and more rock work instrumental as a live show. David's presenting guitars strongly, Rick's keyboards at right time so fine, Mason doing Compass drums, Roger's intense bass and his political lyrics blast on humanity still thinking brains blows over all songs. And the most perfect use of the sounds of dogs, pigs, sheeps, birds and angry men. This album is so fenomenal as the George Orwell books.
Can’t wait for the remix,they released dogs and it even sounds good on TH-cam.
Since you decided to review Live At Pompeii, I REALLY hope you decide to give The Wall movie its own dedicated video.
I only really cheated with Live at Pompeii since I consider it to be one of Floyd’s greatest achievements and practically every performance is what I consider to be the definitive versions of those songs. However I will be discussing The Wall live concert and movie together in a separate video. The Wall Film uses much of the same performances from the record so there’s not as much musically to discuss with the exception of the new additions (When the Tigers Broke Free).
This was a really insightful, enjoyable review of one of my favorite albums from my all time favorite band. Thank you so much.
Finished the discography. Favorite album right here.
Great job gentlemen!
Animals is PF's best. And what you say about Rick's contribution to Sheep, wow that is long overdue. It is the most sinister sounding keyboard intro in the annals of rock music.. he deserved a right in credit just for that! Yes Pigs 3DO would be forgettable without that cowbell haha!
Does anybody make headphones that are 5.1? I need to get them for this re- release!
Syd's effervescing elephant and other assorted animals in that tune, Rats, Wolfpack, Octopus, Birdie, Terrapin and probably more I cant think of now. I think I know where Roger got the idea about animals. That being said, Dogs is a tremendous recording.
We've made it to my favorite pi k floyd album. This album is truly a master piece. Everything about the album is dark and groovy at times.
It is possibly my favourite album, period .
The ring tone on my phone is the intro to Pigs (three different ones).
If someone doesn't want to hear Roger Waters' politics in his show, They don't want to hear anything but instrumentals.
Superb album, oddly I had been listening to Floyd for ages before I heard Animals but once I did it seriously caused me to re-evaluate my favourite album pecking order. Actually it's up close to the top for me, simply well-crafted and superbly executed.
Just discovered your channel and been watching your videos non stop! You should review Santana if your up for it -- one of my favorite artists from that era. Carlos Santana has such a diverse catalogue of music and everything he did was great (until the mid 1970s :)
Probably my favorite Floyd album. DSOTM and WYWH close behind, and all listened cover to cover, of course...
Just wish Gilmour's solo for Pigs on the Wing were still around! Kudos to the guy who filled in after the mistake was made...
Also, Go Bills!!
That guy's name was Snowy White.
Roger accidentally deleted Dave's guitar solo on "Pigs on the Wing" while on the Animals tour.
Animals has really grown on me and become my second favorite PF album. But, it took time to really appreciate. The bass lines throughout are superb. Did I hear right that Gilmour played bass on Pigs? My favorite part of that song.
Also, I’ve always enjoyed how Animals is almost opposite of WYWH, bookended with light short songs, but the middle is jam packed with heavy songs. Whereas, Shine On bookends WYWH. Food for thought.
Hey JT,
I love your videos, great work! Have you listened to any of the albums by King Crimson? I like especially the early ones (for instance In the Court of the Crimson King)
Great vid. Every time I watch one of your reviews I have to play the entire album. As you rightly say, you can't do a Floyd tracklist. All or nothing. Always loved this album
Definitely a good excuse to listen to the album again!
There is a soundboard recording of a 77 show in Boston with complete albums played. Wish You We're Here and Animals and it's fantastic
l'm really enjoying these reviews. I can tell you put a lot of work into them. I agree that Animals doesn't reach the same lofty heights of the previous two records but it is still a stellar album. Musically Dogs is about as good as anything they ever did. I do think that the middle section could have been trimmed. Also, some of the middle bits in Pigs and Sheep go on too long for me too. Overall it's a very different record than the previous two in that it's has a sharper edge musically and lyrically. The lyrics are powerful but are mostly full of rage and I prefer the introspective and mournful lyrics of the Dark Side and Wish You Were Here. Also, the fact that Waters is became the lead singer detracts from the record. I do like his vocals for some songs but I prefer Gilmour and Wright's vocals. Again though it's a great record and is a must have for Floyd fans.
Great review. I also consider dogs my favorite in this album. I am wondering if you will consider making a review on Roger’s amused to death?
I love the biting lyrics and the rocking nature of this album. Like Dave says "It's Pink Floyds Punk rock record."
I think this album is a perfect explanation of Waters. He's a brilliant writer. His album concepts are deep and meaningful. But he has always needed someone like Gilmour to bring his vision to life. And his understanding of politics has always been misguided. "Animal Farm" has always been a commentary on the failure of socialism, not of capitalism, as Roger would like to portray it. Trouble is that what the British understand by capitalism is not capitalism at all.
11:05 is, once again, a perfect example of how off the mark Waters is with his politics. Trump was the exact kind of president he has been calling for throughout his entire career. But when he comes along, what does Waters do? Well, he joins hands with the dogs and the pigs, becoming the charade. And whilst I perfectly agree with your friend walking out, I also agree with your remark. If you go to a Roger Waters concert, expect politics.
To me dark side and animals are tied even though I think animals is musically their greatest album I love the fact that you both have a different perspective to add in this video it works as a great balance of opinions awesome video can’t wait for the wall 👍
As for Rick Wright's contribution declining, I suspect it partly had to do with them working on pre-existing songs rather than working stuff up in the studio or on the road by jamming. I think Wright just found it easier to create under the circumstances under which earlier albums were made. Tellingly, the next album on which Wright got songwriting credits, the Division Bell, was worked up from studio jams.
If you listen to WET DREAM, his first solo album from 1978, it’s clear he’s quite capable of writing under different circumstances. Roger claims Rick was saving any ideas he had for his solo work, but obviously Rick would have wanted to share publishing on Floyd albums given their sales.
But certainly it is more difficult to hear an already completed album and go “Well where do I fit in?”
@@JTCurtisMusic I shall have to listen to that. However, I do remember him saying that he felt the collaborative atmosphere of earlier albums was the one he preferred, at least in the group setting. Clearly this was no longer the case by Animals, but as you point out, be was still contributing quite a bit at least in terms of arrangements.
@@JTCurtisMusic I also have the feeling that if they 'd been assigning credits in the same way they were earlier, Wright might have gotten a credit. He didn't actually write a song on Wish You Were Here, but he came up with a lot of bits and pieces on "Shine On" and so was credited as co-writer. In the same way he could have been co-credited for "Sheep" and "Dogs" .
@@amtlpaul I have it from some insiders that the chord sequence to "Shine On" was co-written by Rick and David. Roger of course contributed the words and may have influenced the melody, hence him singing it.
@@JTCurtisMusic Could be. I obviously wasn't there. I do know that guitar phrase came from Gilmour but beyond that I really couldn't say, except there are sections where Wright's is clearly the solo instrument so I'm assuming he composed those sections.
Sheep is by far my favourite song on the album. Wish you'd spent more time on that, but I like all of them.
Looking forward to this one, this and Wish You Were Here are my favourites
I can see that Wall video being an hour long, there is so much to talk about.
Great review, and you and Todd both make excellent points. I truly love this album, but "Dogs" is unquestionably the star of the show. It's just an absolute juggernaut of a song, musically and lyrically.
You did a very good job pulling off those few bars of dogs not just acoustically but vocally I mean you are definitely adoppelganger for what Gilmore was doing great job.
Really like your channel and I’m learning a lot about my favorite band. Do you have any info on why Snowy White’s solo from Pigs on the wing pt.1 got cut off of every version except the 8track?
My guess is it may have been for vinyl time constraints but I'm not actually sure.
@@JTCurtisMusic thanks for your reaction. I always love te fact that PF and especially Roger Waters played with Snowy White. Keep up the good work!
Animals. For me so underrated. And sheep is for me the best most relaxing and nostalgic song. The whole album just flows so well
My favourite Pink Floyd album is the one I put on.
It’s my second favourite pink Floyd album and Dogs is my absolute favourite song of all time. Everything about it is just amazing
This is my favourite album of all time.
And mine 🐄🐖🐑
First of all, as a lifelong Pink Floyd fan, in my Pink Floyd world I dub Dark Side of The Moon, Wish You Were Here and Animals as my 'Holy Trinity'. In that playlist I include Echoes as the first track, as that is the moment they gelled into the band they always knew they could be. I can't tell you how many times I have listened to this playlist all the way through (sometimes leaving it on a loop), with Pigs On The Wing Part 2 ending on a note of positivity, which cycles back to that all worldly familiar 'ping' that brings us full circle.
Unlike 99.9% of the world I discount The Wall, as it was almost completely written - and dictated - by Waters. But, in my opinion ALL Pink Floyd songs prior to The Wall were 'authored' by Gilmour, Mason, Waters and Wright. Can anyone state otherwise when you listen to their songs? I don't believe for a moment Waters dictated to the other three how to play their instruments until The Wall, of course, since his demos were almost completed tracks, as is.
Plus, with You Gotta Be Crazy and Raving and Drooling they were playing them in the later stages of the Dark Side tour - to work them out. Correct me if I'm wrong, but Waters was not playing all instruments on stage for these songs. Granted, he is a beautiful lyric writer, one of the absolute best ever, but as far as musical output for all instruments? Did he write the guitar solos or keyboard parts or the drumming throughout? No. So to me, all albums up to The Wall were written by 'Pink Floyd'
Sorry, I just had to get that out of my system.
That being said, I absolutely love this album! I don't hear any 'weaknesses' at all! All four songs (as Pigs On The Wing was originally written as one song) are brilliant. It is the perfect lead in to the anger to come throughout this album until part two ends the album on a sliver of hope. (one of my major criticisms of the 2018 remix is the fact they toned down part 2 from its original brightness to where the album ends on a bleaker note, belying the hopefulness of the lyrics.
This album contains my absolute favorite Gilmour solos: the second on Dogs at 6:57 into the song which wrenches your insides completely, and to close out Pigs (Three Different Ones), which is contains so much anger.
But still, all members shine on this album. Gilmour has stated that his memories of recording this album are happy ones. Animals is the last Pink Floyd album to give us the outstanding talents of Nick Mason and Richard Wright, as we know Nick really wasn't into recording The Wall, since Roger basically wanted to turn him into a 'standard' rock drummer, instead of letting him give his wonderful 'tribal' drumming style. Same with Richard Wright. On Animals he is allowed to still be the underlying 'sound' of Pink Floyd - the under rated and unheralded MVP (not by you, of course), having standout moments throughout the album, to where Roger ended up firing him from the band during the recording of The Wall, because not only was he going through personal issues, but Wright hated being reduced to a 'standard' rock keyboardist. So on Sheep his 'noodling' and work throughout Sheep is a perfect goodbye to the true Pink Floyd sound...
So I see Animals as the last true Pink Floyd album.
p.s, as far as the 2018 remix? I absolutely love the fact they brought forward the keyboards and drums to where you hear them more clearly so you can so appreciate the brilliance of Nick Mason and Richard Wright even more that you already do.
Sorry for the rant, good video, as always.
Can you do thick as a brick by jethro Tull it’s my favorite album… ever
Are you going to remember to mention, that from what I heard recently I had no idea for 25-30 years but apparently David gilmour did the baselines on the album.
Love Todd's dog embracing him while he was singing to him near the end.
Played that for my Jasper too.
Not a baaaaahhd review 😉 🐶
something about the end of dogs ALWAYS get me hyped up for some reason
My introduction to PF. My brother had the album, In 1977, and played it so much. I loved the pig noises at the beginning of Pigs (Three Different Ones). I was hooked.
It’s my second favorite album of all time, it’s so good
I agree with the guest. Pigs 3... Greatness all the way. This is a fantastic album. As good as any for different reasons. Disagree with guest on Sheep intro. Love it.
Gilmour should have been given a writing credit on Pigs 3DO and Wright should have had a writing credit on Sheep.
Pigs 3 Different Ones seems like it's mostly Roger's baby, but it seems like Sheep definitely emerged from their jam session at King's Cross (as did Dogs and Shine on You Crazy Diamond)
I feel like the bass line is too melodic to be a typical arrangement (way beyond what Roger usually came up with). Even though Gilmour played the bass on Sheep he used pretty much the same as Raving and Drooling but Pigs is on a whole different level. @@JTCurtisMusic
It's like Christmas when you drop an album reveiw
Good back and forth
@JTCurtis, I once listened to Animals on a road trip on a misty, cloudy morning with my father, and god, I realised how amazing this album actually is. I loved Animals very much before, but I love it now on a whole other level from that experience.
I also went to the Us + Them in Auckland, New Zealand, and the Battersea power station rising up and performing Dogs & Pigs (Three Different Ones) was one of my favourite moments in the show. Honestly, I can’t resist enjoying and accept his politics. I mean. Roger Waters is Roger Waters.
Honesty, all the songs slap, but Pigs (Three Different Ones) would be my least fav, only by a thread. Overall, Animals would be in my top 3, next to The Wall and The Dark Side Of The Moon, although this can change daily depending on my mood.
11:01 my whole life I thought this was about Nixon. Never knew it was for someone named Mary Whitehouse.
It may not be the best Floyd album, or the one with the most mainstream appeal, but it's easily my personal favourite Floyd album.
It's got a lot going for it: thematically, it's arguably Waters' most focused effort in the way that it has very clear targets in mind.
Whereas Dark Side certainly appeals to a lot of people with its ideas of modern life driving people crazy, I would say that it's mostly younger people
who latch on to that because it's so easy to feel overwhelmed by the transition from your teenage years into adulthood.
But Animals is different. It deals with politics and the class divide; things that are mostly unavoidable, whether you're interested in them or not.
And for that reason, I think it has a lot more straightforward appeal than that of their more abstract work.
And let's not forget that it includes "Dogs" which is my own favourite Floyd song of them all. That track alone pushes the album to the top spot.
I listened to this album on acid and valiums. I then new where the term mellow yellow came from.
Great review!
The 8 track version of Pigs on the Wing was pretty cool too...bridging the 2 parts together that way....
I really love your Pink Floyd album reviews.
Man, I love this album. I kinda kept myself from listening to it for a long time because frankly I was afraid the light connection to Orwell's book would come across as too on the nose. But I have it in my top 3 PF albums.
yup, animals is my favorite Floyd album
Animals is the one Pink Floyd album with a happy ending. The narrator loves and knows he is loved. This is one PF album that I always listen to start to finish. Wish You Were Here requires it, too. I am soooo tired of the Wall, I just can't get all the way through unless it's background, and I only listen to Dark Side on occasion... it requires full playback, but again... heard it so much. Division Bell is also background, but a nicer version. not so effing angry... I relisten to Final Cut more than I do The Wall. a great Roger Waters solo project...
The only criticism I have of Animals? It’s too short!! I love it so much I need a 4th theme!! Maybe “Chickens” or “Roosters”?
Seriously love this album and my want for more is exactly what a great album should leave me feeling. Less is indeed often more. Someone tell Dave that about his solos on Division Bell.
Brilliant album. Hard to pick a fav Floyd album but it’s def a top 3 for me and depending on my mood it is number 1 on many nights.
Without a doubt......it's their best album
Pink Floyd's ultimate album. The angriest and most down-to-earth Waters ever sounded, 3 EXCELLENT SUITES which do express the universal concept - WE LIVE IN A SOCIETY -. That is enough for me to rank them above Dark Side and Wish You Were Here, which had plenty of weaker moments than Animals.
-Pigs on the Wings part 1 - albeit not a masterpiece - is still a better opening track than Speak to Me.
-Dogs has got the absolute best Gilmour guitar solo (way better than Comfortably Numb).
-Pigs (3 Different Ones) has some of Waters' saltiest vocals, a quirky instrumental section and a sensational guitar outro.
-Sheep is the best suite - intro is puzzlingly idiosyncratic, Waters' vocals are among his absolute best, Wright's keyboard lines sound ominous and terrific and that outro is among the most insane stuff ever thought by mankind.
-Pigs on the Wings part 2 may be the least compelling track, but thankfully it's placed in the end, unlike Welcome to the Machine and Any Colour You Like.
Where did you find that live video of the Animals tour? It's great. Would love to see it if there is more.
overlooked. greatest.
Todd's dog. "Whu?.. is he singing to me?
I think were it not sandwiched between the most emotional Pink Floyd album and arguably the greatest rock opera ever, this album would be more discussed. I’m glad that in recent years it’s gotten the love it deserves.
It's absolutely unreal it never gets old three epic songs sheep pigs and dogs pigs on the Wing is just kind of like well shmur they say bookends but I suppose you got to have a little filler in every album especially Pink Floyd. Dave's guitar solo is in dogs are just absolutely sublime and pigs I just never seem to tire of it I can listen to it everyday or once every 3 years and I'll tell you it is the quickest 20 minute song that's ever been made you can't believe that that much time is gone by it's like time dilation has occurred. And Roger's wonderfully condescending lyrics Just always brings a smile to my face and seems to hit the bullseye.
This is my favorite Pink Floyd album -- there are no weak moments on it at all. Every song is a classic.
Roger Waters’ solo albums really demonstrate how much David Gilmour did for Roger waters. Poor old chap still can’t get over it.
WKRP in Cincinnati had a great bit on this album....RIP Dr Johnny Thunder
I mean Animals is an Album that has very fantastic lyrics but because my first language isn’t English(I’m from Iran) I just listened to it first time not knowing the concept and despite that it’s a very fantastic album not just lyrically and in terms of concept even the music alone is Goldfish worthy after I read about concept and lyrics I appreciate the Album even more but even without any concept it’s still a masterpiece