Style in "Us and Them"

In the song "Us and Them" Pink Floyd has a unique style that combines soft tones and a psychedelic rock style alongside powerful lyrics to create a strong reaction in the audience. The song begins with gentle and soothing sounds that provide a false sense of safety for the listener. The song itself has an almost comforting and peaceful introduction which briefly eludes the seriousness of the song's message. When the lines "forward he cried from the rear, and the front rank died..." come in, the dynamics in the song changes to inform us that this is their main point. It is emphasized to amplify the effect of the anti-war message on the listener. In addition, Pink Floyd's use of delay in the vocals leaves words resonating after they have been spoken which can be interpreted as a the long-lasting and almost echoing effects of war. The placement of several saxophone solos in the song produces a somber and 'bluesy' sound that invokes feelings of sadness in the listener. Pink Floyd uses many different techniques from the dynamics of the song to the subtle musical effects to create a song that is left reverberating in the listeners head, each time enhancing the growth of a bigger and bigger question. A question that asks; what is the point?