Radio K.A.O.S.

Produceret af Roger Waters
Udgivet 15. juni 1987
Optaget i The Billiard Room fra oktober til december 1986

Smag og behag er som bekendt forskellig, men jeg synes at det her er et af de bedre Waters albums. Det er mest af alt fordi det er så let tilgængeligt. Hvis folk aldrig har hørt Waters før, er det her det perfekte album at starte med.

Historien som følger musikken (eller omvendt) står skrevet i coveret. Jeg har prøvet at oversætte den her nedenfor. Kort fortalt handler den om en dreng i rullestol der kan høre radiobølger i sit hoved. Så får han vist hele verden til at gå i sort, i den tro at det er 3.verdenskrig der er brudt ud - lidt a la filmen Wargames fra 1983. Dén film handler netop om en computernørd, der får hacket sig ind på militærets computere. Han gør det godt nok ved en fejl, idet han tror at hacker sig ind på et computerspil. Jeg er rimeligt sikker på, at historien bag denne plade er inspireret af denne film, men helt klart uden af være en kopi.
For øvrigt er titelmelodien fra soundtracket til den film "Crosby, Stills & Nash: War Games."

Har du lagt mærke til at i "baggrundshistorien" står der: Billy opfatter dette som en handling af politisk "underholdnings" fyrværkeri (Billy perceives this as an act of political "entertainment" fireworks) Hvis ikke dét får én til at tænke på "Amused to Death" !!!

Lad os starte med det lidt kuriøse. Pladecoveret er en lang morsekode. Der står :

"ROGER WATERS RADIO KAOS WHO NEEDS INFORMATION THE POWERS THAT BE HOME THE TIDE IS TURNING RADIO WAVES."

Det er ikke let at se på de albums der har påtrykt det lille logo med satellit på. På mit gamle vinyl cover derimod, kunne dette logo tages af.
OK pladecoveret var nemt nok. Så bliver det straks værre med det morseri man hører inde på pladen. Især starten og slutningen af pladen er det ret tydeligt - for en der kan høre sådan noget... det kan jeg ikke, men jeg kan da surfe på nettet. Dér har jeg læst, at det der morses er:

Lidt af forklaringen på dette er at der oprindeligt var et ekstra vers på "The Tide is Turning". Det vers opgav Waters dog, da han frygtede en retssag, og retssagen mod sine gamle venner i Pink Floyd var jo ikke gået så godt.
Verset lød :

Now the past is over but you are not alone
Together we'll fight Sylvester Stallone
We will not be dragged down in his South China Sea
of macho bullshit and mediocrity

Det blev brugt på flere af koncerterne og der er stadig et lille levn på pladen:
"The Tide is Turning Sylvester"
Waters bryder sig vist ikke videre om Stallone og den slags film han laver. (Eller 'lavede' der i 80'erne) Hvad jeg forstår, så er 'South China Sea' en reference til Vietnam og dermed Vietnam krigen, som Stallones film handlede om i den periode.

På "takkelisten" inde i coveret nævnes "all the ex-KMET staff". KMET var den radiostation Jim Ladd arbejdede på - altså ham der lægger stemme til "Jim" på pladen.
Angående hvad der står i coveret, så kan man jo læse navne på alle dem der har været med til at lave pladen og som musikere står der "The Bleeding Heart Band". Jeg ved ikke helt, om det bare er et almindeligt engelsk udtryk, men jeg kommer uundgåeligt til at tænke på Outside the Wall hvor teksten lyder..

En anden spændende oplysning fra coveret som jeg vil nævne, det er hvem der sang i baggrunden på "Home" og "Four Minutes"? Clare Torry ! som vi alle elsker fra The Great Gig in the Sky

Gennem pladen nævnes Wales en del, og der tales om et Walesisk herrekor der synger "Billy come home".
Så pladen slutter da også med et walesisk herrekor - The Pontarddulais Male Voice Choir - der synger.
Det er i sig selv ikke overraskende, men jeg nævner det her alligevel, da det er samme kor som man kan høre i filmen The Wall. Blandt andet "When the Tigers Broke Free" og mere markant på "Bring the Boys Back Home

Sidste nummer hedder i parantes (After Live Aid) og det Waters hentyder til er, at han mener at verden kunne ændre sig ved disse store menneskemængder, der sammen viser viljen til at gøre verden bedre. Han forsøgte senere selv det samme med The Wall Live in Berlin og jeg antager, at der er af samme grund at netop den koncert sluttede med "The Tide is Turning" i stedet for den velkendte og føromtalte "Outside the Wall"

Nu er det her med Stallone, The Wall i Berlin og filmen Wargames alt sammen meget længe siden. Jeg har lavet en lille tidslinje, for at vise hvordan tingene omkring denne plade hænger sammen. Der skete selvfølgelig flere ting omkring den tid, men for ikke at det skulle virke rodet, har jeg begrænset det lidt.
Det kan nævnes, at Waters var ikke med i Live Aid - det var Gilmour og så var det omkring 1985 Waters sådan officielt forlod Pink Floyd og udtalte, at Pink Floyd var en opbrugt ressource.

Noget helt andet og 100% kun for sjov og ikke ment kritisk:
Første nummer på pladen hedder Radio Waves, hvilket nok ikke kan overraske nogen. HVIS det så overrakede nogen, så gentager Waters "Radio Waves" 42 gange undervejs. Udover dét, biver det sagt 3 gange i dialogen (baggrundsbilledet om du vil), men det er ingenting.
Nummeret Home... jeg har talt efter... jeg siger det bare... der bliver sagt "could be" 60 gange i den sang...

Nyd pladen. Den er anderledes end alt andet Waters har lavet i Pink Floyd og solo.

Jim: This is K.A.O.S. You and I are listening to KAOS in Los Angeles.
Let's go to the telephones now and take a request.
Billy: Hello, I'm Billy.
Jim: Yes?
Billy: I hear radio waves in my head.
Jim: You hear radio waves in your head?
Ah! Is there a request that you have tonight for KAOS?

Radio waves. Radio waves.
He hears radio waves
Radio waves.

The atmosphere is thin and cold
The yellow sun is getting old
The ozone overflows with radio waves
AM, FM, weather and news
Our leaders had a frank exchange of views
Are you confused, radio waves.

Radio waves, radio waves
AM radio waves, FM radio waves
Radio waves, mind-numbing radio waves
Fish-stunning radio waves
Radio waves.

Magic Billy in his wheel chair
Is picking up all this stuff in the air
Billy is face to face with outer space
Messages from distant stars
The local police calling all cars
radio waves

Hear them radio waves
radio waves
Jesus saves radio
Radio waves
Radio waves, AM radio waves, FM radio waves
All them radio waves

Radio waves
Radio waves
He hears radio waves
Radio waves
Radio waves
Hopeful radio waves
Dopeful radio waves
Russian radio waves
Prussian radio waves
Eastern radio waves, Western radio waves
Testing radio waves, one two. One two.
Radio waves
Getting through to you
Morse code radio waves, Tobacco road radio waves
South to Paloma radio waves
Oklahoma City radio waves
Sitting pretty radio waves
nitty-gritty radio waves
Radio waves

Jim: Alright, that's a song called Radio Waves.
You are listening to KAOS in Los Angeles and we've got Billy on the line.
Billy: I'm from the valleys.
Jim: You're from the valley?
Billy: No, Jim you schmuck, the Valleys; Wales male voice choirs.
Jim: Ah, you're from Wales! Now is this sperm or blue-tip?
Billy: Ha, ha, ha, ha. Very funny Jim.
Jim: Sorry.

Billy: Me and Benny went out.
Jim: Who's Benny?

Me and Benny went out last night
Looking for fun
Supping ale in the moonlight
Waiting for the dawn to come
Benny pointed at a HiFi shop
He said hey man look at all the stuff they've got
How'd you make a have out of a have not
Hmmmm.

Who needs information
When you're working underground
Just give me confirmation
We could win a million pounds

Benny climbed up on a footbridge
And he teetered on the parapet
He said can you see the whites of their headlights?
Are they coming yet?

Who needs information
This high off the ground
Just give me confirmation
We could win a million pounds

Who needs information
When you're living in constant fear
Just give me confirmation
There's some way out of here
(Some way) out of here
(Some way) out of here
(Some way out of here, out of here)
Some way (out of here)
Some way (out of here)
(Some way out of here)

Benny hefted a breeze block
And tried to let go
Got hung up on a tear drop
So me and Benny went home

Who needs information
When you're living in constant fear
Just give me confirmation
There's some way out of here
(Some way) out of here
(Some way) out of here
(Some way out of here, out of here)
Some way (out of here)
Some way (out of here)
(Some way out of here)

Who needs information yeah
When you're living on borrowed time
Just give me confirmation
There will be a winner this time

Who needs information
when you're working underground
Just give me confirmation
We could win a million pounds
Who needs, who needs, who needs information
This high off the ground
Just give me confirmation
We could win a million pounds - yeah

You wake up in the morning, get something for the pot
Wonder why the sun makes the rocks feel hot
Draw on the walls, eat, get laid
Back in the good old days

Then some damn fool invents the wheel
Listen to the whitewalls squeal
You spend all day looking for a parking spot
Nothing for the heart, nothing for the pot

Benny turned the dial on his Short Wave radio
Oh how he wanted to talk to the people,
he wanted his own show
Tune in Moscow. Tune in New York
Listen to the Welsh kid talk
Communicating like in the good old days

Forgive me father for I have sinned
It was either me or him
And a voice said 'Benny'
'You fucked the whole thing up
Benny your time is up
Your time is up'

Benny turned the dial on his Short Wave radio
He wanted to talk to the people
He wanted his own show
Tune in Moscow. Tune in New York
Listen to the Welsh kid talk
communicating Like in the good old days
The good old days

Forgive me Father

Benny turned the dial on his Short Wave radio
How he wanted to talk to the people
He wanted his own show
Tune in Moscow. Tune in New York
Listen to the Welsh kid talk
Just like in the good old days
The good old days

Radio announcer: "Do you really think
Iranian terrorists would have taken Americans hostage
if Ronald Reagan were president?
Do you really think the Russians would have
invaded Afghanistan if Ronald Reagan were president?
Do you really think third-rate military dictators would
laugh at America and burn our flag in contempt
if Ronald Reagan were president?"

Concerned Citizen: Well, it might work!

Hostage: "We as a group do most importantly want to beseech
President Reagan and our fellow Americans to refrain from any form of military
or violent means as an attempt, no matter how noble or heroic, to secure our freedom."

Concerned Citizen: "Sure! Only it's going to be mighty dangerous for you, Cassidy"

Hoppy's faithful sidekick: "guess you don't know Hopalong Cassidy, Mister.
Adventure's his bread, excitement's his butter and danger,
why to him that's like strawberry jam to top it off."

Jim: "This is some live rock and roll at KAOS,
where rock and roll comes out of chaos and a song called "The Powers that Be"

(The powers that be)
(The powers that be)
(The powers that be)
(The powers that be)
(The powers that be)
(The powers that be)
(The powers that be)
(The powers that be)
(The powers that be)

They like a tough game
No rules
Some you win, some you lose
Competition's good for you
They're dying to be free
They're the powers that be

They like a bomb proof cadillac
Air conditioned, gold taps,
Back seat gun rack, platinum hub caps
They pick horses for courses
They're the market forces

Billy: Goodnight, Jim.
Jim: Goodnight, Billy.

Uncle David's Great Dane: Woof, woof, woof!

Paraquat Kelly: Bull heads, three red snapper, one pink snapper and your Pacific coastal trench hosemonster fish.
Cynthia Fox: Ohhh! At Sky David's juke joint of joy reports, forty under the console giggle stick ling cod, twenty-three purple perches four sledgehammerhead sharks, and what a surprise, eightyfour crabs, and no red snappers
Paraquat Kelly: Hey, and that'll do for the triumphant return of the fish report with a beat

Jim: We think of it as mainstreet, but to the rest of the country it's Sunset Strip. You're listening to KAOS in Los Angeles

I like staying with my Uncle Dave
And I like playing with his great dane
But I don't fit
I feel alien and strange
Kinda outa range

I like riding in my Uncle's car
Down to the beach where the pretty girls all parade
And movie stars and paparazzi play the Charles Atlas kicking sand in the face game

And I sit in the canyon with my back to the sea
There's a blood red dragon on a field of green
Calling me back
Back to the Black Hills again
(Ooh, ooh, Billy come home)

Billy is searching for his native land
Flicking through the stations with the dial in his head
Picking up ------- -------
And a male voice choir on the short wave band
Billy taps out Jim's number on the 'phone
Sits shaking as he waits for Jim's answering tone
Come on my friend, speak to me please

The land of my fathers is calling to me
And I sit in the canyon with my back to the sea
There's a blood red dragon on a field of green
Calling me back, back to the Black Hills again

Ooh, ooh, Billy come home
Come on home

He sits in the canyon with his back to the sea
Sees a blood red dragon on a field of green
He hears a male voice choir singing Billy come home

(Billy, Billy, come home)
Come on home

Californian Weirdo: I don't like fish.
Green fish
I don't like fish.
Jim: You are listening to KAOS here in Los Angeles
Californian Weirdo: I don't like fish
Jim: Yes, we've established that. Ah! Do you have a request?
Californian Weirdos: Shell fish, guppy, salmon, shrimp and crab and lobster,
flounder.I hate fish, but I think most of all I hate fresh fish, like trout.
I hate fresh trout. My least-hated, favourite fish would be sole.
That way you don't have to see the eyes. Sole has no eyes
Jim: Oh no!
Californian Weirdo: I'd like to be home with my monkey and my dog
Jim: Thank you
Californian Weirdo: I'd like to be home with my monkey and my dog
I'd like to be home with my monkey and my dog I'd like to be home with my monkey ...
Jim: They don't care. Shut up. Play the record

Could be Jerusalem, or it could be Cairo
Could be Berlin, or it could be Prague
Could be Moscow, could be New York
Could be Llanelli, and it could be Warrington
Could be Warsaw, and it could be Moose Jaw
Could be Rome
Everybody got somewhere they call home

When they overrun the defences
A minor invasion put down to expenses
Will you go down to the airport lounge?

Will you accept your second class status
A nation of waitresses and waiters
Will you mix their martinis
Will you stand still for it
Or will you take to the hills?

It could be clay and it could be sand
Could be desert
Could be a tract of arable land
Could be a house, could be a corner shop
Could be a cabin by a bend in the river
Could be something your old man handed down
Could be something you built on your own
Everybody got something he calls home

When the cowboys and Arabs draw down on each other at noon
In the cool dusty air of the city boardroom
Will you stand by a passive spectator of the market dictators
Will you discreetly withdraw
With your ear pressed to the boardroom door
Will you hear when the lion within you roars
Will you take to the hills?

(Will you stand, will you stand for it)
(Will you hear, ohhhh! ohhh! when the lion within you roars)

Could be your father and it could be your mother
Could be your sister, could be your brother
Could be a foreigner, could be a Turk
Could be a cyclist out looking for work. Norman
Could be a king, could be the Aga khan
Could be a Vietnam vet with no arms and no legs
Could be a saint, could be a sinner
Could be a loser or it could be a winner
Could be a banker, could be a baker
Could be a Laker, could be Kareem Abdul Jabar
Could be a male voice choir
Could be a lover, could be a fighter
Could be a super heavyweight, or it could be something lighter
Could be a cripple, could be a freak
Could be a wop, gook, geek
Could be a cop, could be a thief
Could be a family of ten living in one room on relief
Could be our leaders in their concrete tombs
With their tinned food and their silver spoons
Could be the pilot with God on his side
Could be the kid in the middle of the bomb sight
Could be a fanatic, could be a terrorist
Could be a dentist, could be a psychiatrist
Could be humble, could be proud
Could be a face in the crowd
Could be the soldier in the white cravat
Who turns the key in spite of the fact
That this is the end of the cat and mouse
Who dwelt in the house
Where the laughter rang and the tears were spilt
The house that Jack built
Where the laughter rang and the tears were spilt
The house that Jack built
Bang, bang, shoot, shoot
White gloved thumb
Lord thy will be done
He was always a good boy his mother said
He'll do his duty when he's grown,
Yeah Everybody's got someone they call home

Billy: Four minutes and counting
Jim: O.K.
Billy: They pressed the button, Jim.
Jim: They pressed the button Billy, what button?
Billy: The big red one.
Jim: You mean THE button?
Billy: Goodbye, Jim
Jim: Goodb..! Oh yes. This ain't aurevoir, it's goodbye! Ha! Ha!
Jim: This is KAOS. It's a beautiful, balmy, Southern California summer day. It's 80 degrees ... I said balmy ... I could say bomby ... Ha! Ha!

Jim:...O.K. I'm Jim and this is Radio KAOS and with only four minutes left to us, let's use this as wisely as possible
Out at Dodger Stadium. It's the bottom of the seventh, the Dodgers are leading three to nothing over the Giants,
and for those of you who are looking to go surfing tomorrow, too bad
I'm kinda lost in here to tell you the truth ...

After a near miss on the plane
You swear you'll never fly again
After the first kiss when you make up
You swear you'll never break up again

And when you've just run a red light
Sit shaking under the street light
You swear to yourself
you'll never drink and drive again

(Sometimes I feel like going home)
You swear you'll never let things go by again.
(Sometimes I miss the rain and snow)
And you'll never toe the party line again
(And when the east wind blows)
Sometimes I feel like going home

Molly: Goodbye little spy in the sky.
They say that cameras don't lie.
Am I happy, am I sad
Am I good, am I bad?

Jim: Billy, if you're listening, please call
Californian Weirdo: Sole has no eyes, sole has no eyes
Billy: Ten, nine, eight, seven
Margaret Thatcher: Our own independent nuclear deterrent has helped to keep the peace
Billy: Six, five four, three,
Ordinary Person: ...you've go a job...
Billy: Two, one,
Margaret Thatcher: has helped to keep the peace for nearly forty years
Jim: Goodbye Billy

I used to think the world was flat
Rarely threw my hat into the crowd
I felt I had used up my quota of yearning
Used to look in on the children at night
In the glow of their Donald Duck light
And frighten myself with the thought of my little ones burning
But oh, oh, oh, the tide is turning
The tide is turning

Satellite buzzing through the endless night
Exclusive to moonshots and world title fights
Jesus Christ imagine what it must be earning
Who is the strongest, who is the best
Who holds the aces, the East or the West
This is the crap our children are learning
But oh, oh, oh, the tide is turning
Oh, oh, oh, the tide is turning
The tide is turning
(Oh, oh, oh, the tide is turning)

Now the satellite's confused
'Cos on Saturday night
The airwaves were full of compassion and light
And his silicon heart warmed to the sight of a billion candles burning
Oo, oo, oo, the tide is turning
Oh, oh, oh, the tide is turning
The tide is turning Billy

I'm not saying that the battle is won
But on Saturday night all those kids in the sun
Wrested technology's sword from the hand of the War Lords
Oh, oh, oh, the tide is turning
Oh, oh, oh, the tide is turning
The tide is turning Sylvester

Oh, oh, oh, the tide is turning
Oh, oh, oh, the tide is turning
Oh, oh, oh, the tide is turning
Oh, oh, oh, the tide is turning
Oh, oh, oh, the tide is turning
Oh, oh, oh, the tide is turning
Oh, oh, oh, the tide is turning
Oh, oh, oh, the tide is turning
Oh, oh, oh, the tide is turning
Oh, oh, oh, the tide is turning