landmarks
the poppies
During the First World War, the fields of Flanders were dug over. Not by farmers, but by trench digging, shell and mortar fire, etc. Now it is a curious thing, but the seeds of the red poppies found in Europe can lay in the ground for years without germinating, and then grow after the ground has been disturbed. Consequently, sometime after the battles, the sites of devastation were transformed into a blaze of color.
The poppy has become a symbol of that time. Every November, when Americans celebrate Veterans Day, the British have Remembrance Day. Poppy wreaths are laid at the memorial to the Unknown Soldier, etc. A national charity collects money for veterans by selling artificial poppies -- wearing a poppy shows that you remember and that you gave. The same thing happens in the US, for Memorial Day.
It does also have something to do with morphine. Poppies are also a symbol of relief from life's pain, and have been since long before WWI.
IN FLANDERS FIELDS by John McCrae
In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place: and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved, and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
WE SHALL NOT SLEEP, THOUGH POPPIES GROW
IN FLANDERS FIELDS.
the medals
Four English WWII service medals are shown on the cover of The Final Cut:
The one on the bottom right, yellow-green background with black and red stripes, is a Defence Medal, for 3 years service.
The middle one with a gold background and black, red and blue stripes is an Africa Star, for service in the North African campaign.
The leftmost one, blue with a red stripe, is a 1939/45 Star, for at least 6 months service between 1939 and 1945.
The one with purple and white diagonal stripes is the Distinguished Flying Cross, "for acts of courage, valour or devotion to duty while flying". For officers.
"the few"
The song "One Of The Few" refers to a speech by Winston Churchill delivered August 20th, 1940 at the House of Commons, in which he described the Royal Air Force fighter-pilots as "the few". You can read the whole text on the Churchill Center website.
eric fletcher waters
The album is dedicated to Eric Fletcher Waters, Roger's father, who died in 1944 during the Anzio battle in Italy. He gave his name to the song "The Fletcher Memorial Home"
falklands war
The Falklands Warwas a major source of inspiration for Roger Waters when he wrote The Final Cut.
The Falklands War or the Malvinas War (Spanish: Guerra de las Malvinas), was an armed conflict between Argentina and the United Kingdom over the Falkland Islands, also known in Spanish as the Islas Malvinas, between March and June of 1982. The Falklands consist of two large and many small islands in the South Atlantic Ocean east of Argentina, whose ownership had long been disputed.
Argentina was in the midst of a devastating economic crisis and large-scale civil unrest against the military junta that was governing Argentina in the period leading up to the war. The government, headed by President General Leopoldo Galtieri, decided to play off long-festering nationalistic sentiment by launching what it thought would be a quick and easy war to reclaim the Falkland Islands. The ongoing tension between the two countries over the islands increased on 19 March when 50 Argentines landed on the British dependency of South Georgia and raised their flag, an act that is seen as the first offensive action in the war. On 2 April, Galtieri ordered the invasion of the Falkland Islands, triggering the Falklands War.
Though initially surprised by the Argentine attack on the South Atlantic islands, Britain launched a naval task force to engage the Argentine navy and air force, and deployed Royal Marines on the ground. After heavy combat, the British eventually prevailed and the islands remained under British control, although as of 2005, Argentina has still not relinquished its claim to the Falkland Islands. The political effects of the war were strong in both countries. The Argentine loss prompted even larger protests against the military government, which prompted its downfall, while a wave of patriotic sentiment swept through the United Kingdom, bolstering the government of British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. The war has played an important part of the culture of both countries, and has been the subject of several books, movies, and songs, although due to the low number of casualties on both sides it is not seen as a truly major event in either countries' individual histories.
holophonics
The Final Cut made use of a special encoding process that allows the simulation of "three-dimensional" sound, called "holophonics". This was also adopted by Roger Waters for his "Pro's and Cons" album; while on "Amused to Death", he used a somewhat similar mixing process called QSound, also used on "Pulse". It was then only the second record ever to feature this recording technique created by Hugo Zucacarelli through which quadrophonic sound could be simulated on stereo equipment by encoding into the recording process the dimensions of the human skull. For instance, the missile that lauches 'GetYour Filthy Hands Off My Desert' is said to blast off in front of the listener, pass overhead and explode behind. Regarding other sound experiments, the wind from Meddle, the footsteps, clocks and madcap laugh from Dark Side Of The Moon, the radio babble and party noise from Wish You Were Here, the howling hounds from Animals, and the nightmare sreams and megaphone voices from The Wall are all recycled on The Final Cut
dresden
Mentioned in the song "The Hero's Return", Dresden is a German town bombed during the WWII.
the gunner's dream
The lyrics found in The Gunner's Dream are based on an IRA terrorist attack that took place in London, July 1982. Two bombings occured that day, one in Hyde Park, one in Regents Park. In Hyde Park, as the Household Cavalry marched past a parked sedan, a bomb hidden inside exploded. Four Cavalrymen and seven horses died, 22 guards and civilians were injured. Less than two hours later, on a bandstand in Regents Park, the band of the Royal Green Jackets was giving a concerts when a bomb underneath the stage exploded. Six bandsmen died, 24 other bandsmen and four civilians were injured.
