Animals was the Floyds step to a more guitar based band. The songs were mainly written by Waters and are his interpretation of Orwell's "Animal Farm" and also his view of modern society. Each animal describes a special type of person. The dogs are the leader who bite everything but lead a lonely life in fear of being bitten by another dog. In the end they die of cancer. The sheep are the working class who live to serve the dogs. They stand on the meadows unaware of the danger until they are led to the butcher. In the end they revolt against the dogs. Pigs (Three Different Ones) is a description of three more specific personalities Roger hates, the last being Mary Whitehouse, once head of the National Viewers and Listeners Association, which campaigns for moral standards on TV and radio.
Pigs On The Wing is a love song to Roger's second wife Carolyn (to whom The Pros And Cons Of Hitch Hiking was dedicated)

Q: Didn't the pig fly away once?
A: The giant inflatable pig on the cover did indeed fly away. On the first day of shooting it didn't want to float right, because they brought not enough Helium. On the second day (3rd of december 1976) it was a beautiful day and the photographers shot furiously, until one of the guiding lines broke and the pig flew away, irritating quite a few pilots until it came down in south England. The cover is a collage of the first and second shooting day.

Q: Which is the building on the cover?
A: It's Battersea Power Station in London.

Q: What were the titles Raving And Drooling and You Gotta Be Crazy?
A: These two titles were written for the French tour in '74 and should originally have been on Wish You Were Here together with Shine On You Crazy Diamond, but it didn't fit right and they left both tracks out, until they came back on Animals as Sheep and Dogs, rewritten to fit the animals concept.

Q: What was so special about the 8 track tape?
A: An 8 track tape has - surprise - eight tracks or four stereo tracks, so the songs had to be put into a new running order, which was as follows:
    1. Dogs (1st part of the song)
    2. Dogs (2nd part) and Pigs On The Wing
    3. Pigs (Three Different Ones)
    4. Sheep
Pigs On The Wing Pt. 1 and 2 was joined together by a guitar bridge by played Snowy White.
 

And after a while, you can work on points for style.
Like the club tie, and the firm handshake,
A certain look in the eye and an easy smile.
You have to be trusted by the people that you lie to,
So that when they turn their backs on you,
You'll get the chance to put the knife in.

You gotta keep one eye looking over your shoulder.
You know it's going to get harder, and harder, and harder as you get older.
And in the end you'll pack up and fly down south,
Hide your head in the sand,
Just another sad old man,
All alone and dying of cancer.

And when you loose control, you'll reap the harvest you have sown.
And as the fear grows, the bad blood slows and turns to stone.
And it's too late to lose the weight you used to need to throw around.
So have a good drown, as you go down, all alone,
Dragged down by the stone.

I gotta admint that I'm a little bit confused.
Sometimes it seems to me as if I'm just being used.
Gotta stay awake, gotta try and shake off this creeping malaise.
If I don't stand my own ground, how can I find my way out of this maze?

Deaf, dumb, and blind, you just keep on pretending
That everyone's expendable and no-one has a real friend.
And it seems to you the thing to do would be to isolate the winner
And everything's done under the sun,
And you believe at heart, everyone's a killer.

Who was born in a house full of pain.
Who was trained not to spit in the fan.
Who was told what to do by the man.
Who was broken by trained personnel.
Who was fitted with collar and chain.
Who was given a pat on the back.
Who was only a stranger at home.
Who was ground down in the end.
Who was found dead on the phone.
Who was dragged down by the stone.
    (Gilmour, Waters)
 
 
Pigs (Three Different Ones)
Big man, pig man, ha ha charade you are.
You well heeled big wheel, ha ha charade you are.
And when your hand is on your heart,
You're nearly a good laugh,
Almost a joker,
With your head down in the pig bin,
Saying "Keep on digging."
Pig stain on your fat chin.
What do you hope to find.
When you're down in the pig mine.
You're nearly a laugh,
You're nearly a laugh
But you're really a cry.

Bus stop rat bag, ha ha charade you are.
You fucked up old hag, ha ha charade you are.
You radiate cold shafts of broken glass.
You're nearly a good laugh,
Almost worth a quick grin.
You like the feel of steel,
You're hot stuff with a hatpin,
And good fun with a hand gun.
You're nearly a laugh,
You're nearly a laugh
But you're really a cry.

Hey you, Whitehouse,
Ha ha charade you are.
You house proud town mouse,
Ha ha charade you are
You're trying to keep our feelings off the street.
You're nearly a real treat,
All tight lips and cold feet
And do you feel abused?
.....! .....! .....! .....!
You gotta stem the evil tide,
And keep it all on the inside.
Mary you're nearly a treat,
Mary you're nearly a treat
But you're really a cry.
    (Waters)
 
 
Sheep
Harmlessly passing your time in the grassland away;
Only dimly aware of a certain unease in the air.
You better watch out,
There may be dogs about
I've looked over Jordan, and I have seen
Things are not what they seem.

What do you get for pretending the danger's not real.
Meek and obedient you follow the leader
Down well trodden corridors into the valley of steel.
What a surprise!
A look of terminal shock in your eyes.
Now things are really what they seem.
No, this is no bad dream.

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want
He makes me down to lie
Through pastures green He leadeth me the silent waters by.
With bright knives He releaseth my soul.
He maketh me to hang on hooks in high places.
He converteth me to lamb cutlets,
For lo, He hath great power, and great hunger.
When cometh the day we lowly ones,
Through quiet reflection, and great dedication
Master the art of karate,
Lo, we shall rise up,
And then we'll make the bugger's eyes water.

Bleating and babbling I fell on his neck with a scream.
Wave upon wave of demented avengers
March cheerfully out of obscurity into the dream.
Have you heard the news?
The dogs are dead!
You better stay home
And do as you're told.
Get out of the road if you want to grow old.
    (Waters)
 
 
Pigs on the Wing (Part Two)
You know that I care what happens to you,
And I know that you care for me too.
So I don't feel alone,
Of the weight of the stone,
Now that I've found somewhere safe
To bury my bones.
And any fool knows a dog needs a home,
A shelter from pigs on the wing.
    (Waters)
 

You gotta be small to be a big shot
You gotta eat meat to stay at the top
You gotta be trusted, gotta tell lies
You gotta be able to narrow your eyes

You gotta believe they've gotta believe you
You gotta appear easy to see through
Gotta be sure you look good on T.V.
Gotta resemble a human being

You gotta one eye over your shoulder
Gonna get harder as you get older
Gotta fly south and hide in the sand
Gotta forget your gonna get cancer

And when you loose control, you'll reap
the harvest you have sown
And as the fear grows, the bad blood
slows and turns to stone
And it's too late too lose the weight you
used to need to throw around
So have a good drown as you go down alone
Dragged down the by the stone

Gotta be sure, you gotta be quick
Gotta divide the tame from the sick
Gotta keep some of us docile and fit
You gotta keep everyone burying this shit

I gotta admit to a lot of confusion
Pain in the head is the child of collusion
Gotta resist the creeping malaise
You gotta believe in the way you
out of the maze
But you, you just keep on pretending
You can tell a sucker from a friend
But you still raise the knife to
Stranger, lover, friend and foe alike

Who was born in a house full of pain
Who was sent out to play on his own
Who was raised on a diet of shame
Who was trained not to spit in the fan
Who was told what to by the man
Who was broken by trained personnel
Who was fitted with bridle and bit
Who was given a seat in the stand
Who was forcing his way to the rails
Who was offered a place on the board
Who was only a stranger at home
Who was ground down in the end
Who was found dead on the phone
Who was dragged down by the stone