Speak to Me- Breathe (Breathe in the Air) - On the Run

Breathe, breathe in the air
don't be afraid to care
leave but don't leave me
look around, choose your own ground
for long you live and high you fly
and smiles you'll give and tears you'll cry
and all your touch and all you see
is all your life will ever be

Run rabbit run
dig that hole, forget the sun
and when at last the work is down
don't sit down, it's time to dig another one
for long you live and high you fly
but only if you ride the tide
and balanced on the biggest wave
you race towards an early grave



- Released March 2, 1973

- The song is considered to be a representation of birth, with a relief from labor. Its lyrics, written by Roger Waters, beseech the listener to pause in their seemingly-endless labors and take notice of more meaningful pursuits in life. Reference

- Author's Note: "Breathe" is actually a two-part song: The first stanza represents birth, bliss, and innocence. The second stanza however, indicates the loss of that innocence by the futility of work- "Run rabbit run, dig that hole, forget the sun, and when at last the work is down, don't sit down, it's time to dig another one.."

"Forget the sun" means to forget about your leisure time, it is now time to get to work. "...when at last the work is done, don't sit down, it's time to dig another one." It is plainly obvious how Pink Floyd is showing us how short life really is and that our childhood is over before we know it.

- On the Run is an instrumental piece. At 27 seconds into the piece, the sound of a female voice on a loudspeaker can be heard; apparently an airport public address system. She is saying, "Have your baggage and passport ready and then follow the green line to customs and immigration. BEA flight 215 to Rome, ? and Lagos"

- The sound of footsteps can be heard running through the airport.

- At 1:54, Roger "The Hat" Manifold, Pink Floyd road manager says: "Live for today, gone tomorrow. That's me." He then laughs.

- When the Dark Side of the Moon was performed in 1972 (before the album was released), it went under the title "The Travel Sequence" and was, instead of a complex electronic instrumental, a more simple guitar jam, without the use of synthesizers and other electronic instruments.

Author's Note: I believe On the Run is actually someone experiencing a nightmarish dream of flying. If you listen to the song, the voice on the airport public address system is not very clear and is rather haunting. Even the sound of the footsteps can be considered unrealistic for a reason- the protagonist of the song is enduring a dream where he is flying- it is a common fear and a common dream to have- the fear of flying.

The unfortunate dream continues with the protagonist on the airplane flying, and of course, the protagonist is very uneasy with this event. And at the end of the song, the plane then crashes.