Me Or Him by Roger Waters

Album: Radio K.A.O.S. (1987)

License This Song

lyrics

Songfacts®:

This album is based on the 1985 Miners strike in Wales, which was a very hard and bitter time. The album has a pull out map of the area of Wales (UK) that paid a heavy price for losing the strike. This track is based on a sad event that took place when an innocent Taxi driver (Mr. Wilkie) was taking a working miner (called scabs by the strikers) in to the pit. Two striking miners dropped a 46lb concrete block and a concrete post weighing 65lbs from a bridge over the head of the Valleys Road at Rhymner. It fell on the taxi and the driver was killed within seconds from head and chest injuries. The passenger, Mr. Williams, was unhurt but deeply traumatized. The miners were jailed for life.
The story of the album is told from the point of an handicapped boy Billy who stays with his uncle in the USA while the strike was going on, but he is soon homesick. >>>
Suggestion credit:
Graham - Port Talbot, Wales, for above 2

Comments: 3

Kean Williams from Rhymney South WalesI have been trying to find this story for a while as I knew what the lyrics were about. One of the striking miners is my father, Dean. Their sentence was later reduced to manslaughter as evidence deemed the killing of the cab driver was an act of god. This is such a good record, my dad plays it all the time. I'd love to hear more about this story.
Slydog43 from Nj UsaThis does not make sense. I love this song so much, its changed my life. Its similar to situations surrounding "The Library At Alixandra". Great stuff. I just love the lyric "them some damn fool invents the wheel", best lyric of all time, seriously its the best. I grew up loving PF, then 40 years later I know I was right!!, thanks PF (the band that invented the light show, among many other 1sts, along with not cutting out SB (syd barret), great stuff
Chris from Boston MaRoger said in the voice over of the Wall DVD that his brother was a cab driver.... Perhaps that's why he related to the man who died.

see more comments

More Songfacts:

Ain't No SunshineBill Withers

"Ain't No Sunshine" by Bill Withers was inspired by the Jack Lemmon movie Days of Wine and Roses.

Anybody Seen My Baby?The Rolling Stones

k.d. lang is a credited writer on the Rolling Stones song "Anybody Seen My Baby?" because it sounds so much like her hit "Constant Craving."

Sloop John BThe Beach Boys

"Sloop John B" is a traditional West Indian folk song, and it was a huge hit for The Beach Boys in 1966. They tweaked the lyric, "This is the worst trip since I've been born" to "...I've ever been on" as a wink to acid culture.

AmenKid Rock

Kid Rock performed his song "Amen" at Barack Obama's inaugural, but claims he didn't vote for him.

The Lion Sleeps TonightThe Tokens

"The Lion Sleeps Tonight" is an English version of a Zulu hunting song from the 1930s.

Love BitesDef Leppard

At the end of "Love Bites" by Def Leppard, there are some vocals that are hard to understand. It was rumored that they were: "Jesus of Nazareth, Go to Hell." It is actually producer Mutt Lange saying "Yes it does, Bloody Hell," with a thick British accent.