Stone

"The stone" is a reoccurring theme within much of Pink Floyd's music. It's a touching concept to me that I think we all can relate to and I would like to offer my understanding of the meaning behind it. From Richard Wright's composition on Ummagumma, the name Sysyphus referred to a Greek king whos "punished for his deceitfulness by being compelled to roll an immense boulder up a hill, only to watch it roll back down, and to repeat this action forever." The spelling is different on the Wikipedia in comparison to the album (spelled sisyphus on Wiki) but I conclude it is the same meaning. It is ever prevalent in their songs on multiple albums and in similar contexts. The phrase, or reference to "the stone" is the heaviest on Animals (which is the heaviest album of theirs IMO) but appears as early as More (which is heavy in itself at times). I like to think that throughout Floyd's history they have always expressed a struggle or burden, but they just keep rolling the boulder up the hill. "Hanging on in quiet desperation is the English way." Of course there are less positive and more positive outlooks depending on the context of the use. "Hey you, would you help me to carry the stone? Open your heart, I'm coming home" is a little more warm and hopeful than "Who was found dead on the phone. Who was dragged down by the stone."