Amused To Death

Amused To Death is Rodger Waters fifth studio album since leaving Pink Floyd. It was recorded between the years of 1988 and 1992. Like most other Waters works, it is a concept album.

Background

The album was inspired by the Neil Postman novel Amusing Ourselfs To Death. The album, explores how people come to watch a lot of TV and how we are sucked into the mass media. It goes on to critisize the First Gulf War ("The Bravery Of Being Out Of Range" and "Perfect Sense"). It also talks about the protests for democracy in China in Tienamin Square ("Watching TV").

Track Listing

1. The Ballard Of Bill Hubbard (4:20)

2. What God Wants, Part I (6:00)

3. Perfect Sense, Part I (4:16)

4. Perfect Sense, Part II (2:50)

5. The Bravery Of Being Out Of Range (4:43)

6. Late Home Tonight, Part I (4:00)

7. Late Home Tonight, Part II (2:13)

8. Too Much Rope (5:47)

9. What God Wants, Part II (3:41)

10. What God Wants, Part III (4:08)

11. Watching TV (6:07)

12. Three Wishes (6:50)

13. It's A Mirical (8:30)

14. Amused To Death (9:06)

Total Time-72:45

BBC 1

The BBC would not air the first single of the album, "What God Wants, Part I" because of it's "touchy" lyrics. Waters was outraged. The song "What God Wants" is a song that deals with what Waters claims to be the hypocracy of a dogmatic religion, when dealing with things such as materialism and war. He explains the religion as not having people come volunterally, but rather, due to submission. This song is also very confusing due to it's wording, with the subject of it's real topic up for interpritation.

Charts

1. "Amused To Death"-UK, 8th Place (1992)

2. "Amused To Death"-Billboard (North America), 21st Place (Billboard 200)

3. "What God Wants, Part I"-Billboard (North America), 2nd Place (Billboard Mainstream Rock)

Singles

1. Side A-What God Wants, Part I Side B-Three Wishes

2. Side A-What God Wants, Part I Side B-What God Wants, Part III

External links

• Song-by-song analysis of the album