Jeremy September 14th, 2005 11:30AM  

Damn! I must be far off. I thought this song was about "the man" and rebelling against him. "Where have you been?
It's alright we know where you've been." I thought this was just stating a Big Brother like soceity, also "What did you dream?
It's alright we told you what to dream" that is saying that
the gov't watches us and "gives" us our dreams and ambitions to fit their plan.

XxPinkFloydxX999 November 15th, 2005 05:14PM  

Yes, the last person that submitted, "Anonymous", your right exactly. It's about how they "control" every thing you do, and they pretty much control everything and your life. "Where have you been? It's all right, we know where you've been" and ".....its all right we told you what to dream" are examples of how they are saying they control you and know everything and are "The Machine" that controls your life and sets your lifes path for you. Great song by the way.

stoner777 April 20th, 2006 11:57PM  

It's about shitting on the establishment, the man, the machine etc. Good stuff.

Mdollaz1305 September 1st, 2006 04:09PM  

I feel that welcome to the machine is about everybody in the world. It saying we have everything laid out for you we know where your going when your going, there going to know know what your thinking. Its like you whole life is set up so welcome to the machine

Lairandir December 18th, 2006 12:01AM  

Come on, is no one a real Floyd fan anymore. The band explains this ong in interviews, and it is critizing the music industry. Seriously. Same with Have a Cigar. The songs do have to do with Syd Barrett granted, but they have little next to nothing to do with the contributing factors to him going mad.

Bcacks February 15th, 2007 07:19PM  

aside from all the government related opinions this song also sorta means that opinion has no relevance. That having an opinion on something basically means your just agreeing with someone whos said something you understand, and that no matter what you say or think it really doesn't matter cause someone else told you or suggested that you should think it

ziadog July 9th, 2008 12:41AM  

To me this is a realization of the loss of control. The acute understanding that you are no longer a rudder to your own destiny, however willing it may have been. I could only imagine that Waters was reflecting on the day that they signed their first professional contract at the EMI offices in London. It must have been a great day of liberation to know that they would have some form of assurance that they could be artists and survive doing so. The retrospective tone the song portrays, Waters now realizes he and his mates put themselves in the hands of forces well beyond their control. Understanding all of this, he is admitting that the price of artistry and success means... SELLING OUT. This theme is expounded upon in Have A Cigar.

PAJOFLOYD July 27th, 2008 08:27PM  

There are plenty of things we can relate these lyrics to.
Some think Pink Floyd lyrics are mostly related to hard drug trips...of course it often fits but you guys have to look further than dope.
The way I see "Welcome to the Machine" is the Control that society gets on you.
Mostly it tells about the Rock Star Fame "cycle"...abusing your talent for money, and how much the "machine" is guiding you through your fame; "What did you dream? its alright we told you what to dream."

anonymous September 15th, 2008 02:56AM  

They had so many compilation albums with the same songs that seems like a money-making marketing scheme. Wish You Were Here was released in 1975, just two years after immensely successful Dark Side of the Moon. We know how the record companies basically own the musicians and get way more money from anything they produce from the Beatles to NWA and many others. It seems EMI would be pretty happy at that point and would have a vested interest to keep track of them and keep them full of schedules with promos, interviews, tours and all that. The lyrics are definitely the mode of control. I doubt communistic control or a technological control since it was 1975. It's like the record company is holding their lives against them, they know everything about them, they can pick at their personal lives, they have no where to go because no one could turn down the opportunity they were given. Rodger was exclaiming metaphorically how the record company has invaded every inch of their lives and exaggerated it "it's alright we told you what to dream" coupled with all the acid in his tea, he probably felt trapped and mind fucked. So, I agree it makes sense to be about EMI records.

FloydFanatic January 27th, 2009 09:57PM  

In addition to seeing 3 live Pink Floyd concerts (although none with R.W. and D.G. Together) I have read 2 biographies and own every album and DVD. Nothing has proved definitively the meaning, and that is the beauty of great lyrics! I lean toward the war theory on this song but Have A Cigar is clearly a lash back at the music moguls wanting ever more. Off subject while PF was recording darksidemoon, three doors down on abbey road - beatles were recording SGT.PepsLHCB. They actually dropped in to meet the PF legends....