Pigs (Three Different Ones) (Live) [Ziggo Dome, Amsterdam, Netherlands - 2018/06/23]

Song Meaning

Roger Waters' "Pigs (Three Different Ones)" is less a song than a sustained, serrated attack. This live rendition, resurrected from the Ziggo Dome in Amsterdam, keeps the blade sharp. The song meaning isn't buried deep; it's plastered across the lyrics in broad, unflattering strokes. Waters isn't subtle. He's hunting 'pigs' – figures of authority, hypocrisy, and societal control. The repetition of "Haha, charade you are" isn't just a catchy hook; it's a sneering indictment of the performative nature of power. The 'pigs' are putting on a show, and Waters wants to rip the curtain down. He sees through their well-heeled facades, their carefully constructed images. The genius, if that's the right word for such a visceral piece, lies in the specificity of the attack, followed by its generalization. The verses target different archetypes. The 'big man, pig man' evokes capitalist greed and bloated self-importance. The 'rat bag,' dripping with 'cold shafts of broken glass,' feels like a personal venomous portrait of a cruel, possibly sexually repressed, woman. Then comes 'Whitehouse,' a clear jab at Mary Whitehouse, a British social activist known for her conservative views on media. The 'house-proud town mouse' line drips with contempt for her attempts to control public expression and 'keep our feelings off the street.' Ultimately, "Pigs" isn't just about specific figures; it's about the *type* of person who seeks to dominate and control. The repeated line, "You're nearly a laugh, but you're really a cry," reveals the underlying tragedy. These 'pigs,' for all their power, are deeply insecure and fundamentally unhappy. They are figures of ridicule, yes, but also objects of pity. They are trapped in their own prisons of control. The extended guitar solo serves as a cathartic release, a scream of frustration against the forces of oppression. Even decades later, Waters's rage feels potent, relevant, and disturbingly prescient.