Roger Waters has unveiled a new recording of Pink Floyd’s 1984 The Final Cut track ‘The Gunner’s Dream.’
The track arrives with a brand-new music video. The luscious, black-and-white footage captures Waters playing the piano solo and singing in his home studio, indispersed with footage of his fellow bandmates at their respective studios.
The track chronicles the final thoughts of an airman gunner falling to his death during a raid as he envisions a world without war. Roger Waters drew inspiration from a number of real-life events like the bombings of Hyde Park and Regent’s Park.
“Last night I watched the 2013 documentary film The Man Who Saved the World. The man’s name is Stanislav Petrov. The year before Stanislav saved the World in the year 1982 I wrote a song ‘The Gunner’s Dream,’” Rogers shared in an Instagram post. “It’s weird to think that had Stanislav not been in the right place at the right time none of us would be alive, no one under the age of 37 would have been born at all.”
He continued, “It is acknowledged by all but the cretins amongst us that nuclear arms have no value. It is also acknowledged that they are a ticking bomb and we ignore them at our peril,” he continued. “Accidents happen. The Stanislavs of this world are a rare breed. We’ve been extraordinarily lucky.
“If I ruled the world, I would heed the words of the wise. I would get rid of nuclear weapons. First thing tomorrow morning. On Dr. King’s name day. Of course no one can rule the world. The world cannot be ruled. It can only be loved and respected and shared. If we’re still here in the morning.”
Check out ‘The Gunner’s Dream’ by Pink Floyd as performed by Roger Waters:
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