On Monday, Roger Waters shared a new studio version and video for the song, “The Gunner’s Dream”. The track originally appeared on the 1983 Pink Floyd album, The Final Cut, the last to feature Waters.
The black-and-white video opens with the ominous statement, “I had a dream.” The repeated phrase found throughout the song takes on added meaning as Rogers shared the song on January 18th, Martin Luther King Jr. Day in the United States. In a lengthy statement attached to the video, Waters pointed out that it was “Dr. King’s name day.” Also included in this lengthy manifesto are Waters’ thoughts on Stanislav Petrov, what the songwriter would do if he ran the world, and plenty about nuclear weapons.
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Rogers said of the song and a host of other topics,
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”. 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.
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. 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.
Watch Roger Waters’ new performance video for “The Gunner’s Dream”.
Roger Waters – “The Gunner’s Dream”
[Video: Roger Waters]
[H/T Rolling Stone]