Perhaps it is the fact that there are only five tracks on the whole album, or the related consequence of long, orchestrated songs that far extend standard radio time, but most Floyd fans agree: "Animals" is the most underplayed album ever put out by Pink Floyd.

Roger Waters is well known for his ability to take the essence of an idea, and break it down into fundamental concepts, presenting each point of his social commentary one track at a time. If there were an album that best showed the band's abilities to turn a complete concept into a story and present it musically, "Animals" is it.

Undoubtedly, "The Wall" and "Dark Side of the Moon" were also excellent concept albums and as far as pop society goes, they were landmarks of their time. Consequently, the catchy bass-line of "Money" and the cynical lyrics from "Another Brick in the Wall" have been imbedded so deeply into my head that I will boycott a radio station for at least fifteen minutes every time I hear them beat the poor, dead creatures. I crave instead, the desolate setting of a very live and lonely creature, "Animals."

The album both starts and finishes with the same casual guitar strum and a couple of short verses that bookend the meat of the album. Both the first and last track serve their place well as an entrance and an exit to the world described by Waters, a world not unlike our own.

A striking resemblance arises between George Orwell's Animal Farm and the Floyd's "Animals." The three tracks making up the body of the album are each assigned to a particular animal, describing their place in society. "Pigs" condescends to the rich and powerful, returning again and again to the line "Ha ha… charade you are." It even manages to slander Whitehouse (who most people mistake for the American government building). Contrary to the common assumption, Whitehouse refers to Mary Whitehouse, who was head of the National Viewers and Listeners Association, a British advocate of moral standards in media. One of her primary goals was to keep sex off TV. She had also made it a point to publicly denounce collective comic genius Monty Python for their work "Life of Brian" and repeatedly disagreed with the Psychedelic impression of Pink Floyd. In "Pigs", Waters accuses and attacks Whitehouse: "You're trying to keep our feelings off the street. You're nearly a real treat; all tight lips and cold feet…"

"Dogs" and "Sheep" refers more to a hunter/victim relationship between apparent alphas and betas in society. In both cases, Waters ridicules and warns these personality types, using the second-person perspective theme that appears throughout the album.

The Dogs of "Animals" are independent, heartless, and cruel; they're hunters:

"You've gotta sleep on your toes, and when you're on the street,

You've got to be able to pick out the easy meat with your eyes closed…

Then moving in silently down wind and out of sight

You've got to strike when the moment is right…"

And the "Sheep" are warned:

"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!"

But then, Waters doesn't allow for any of his creations to remain innocent. Even the sheep eventually learn they are livestock to be sacrificed for the hunger of their keeper:

"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."

"Animals" (released in 1977) was one of the first albums where Waters actually had something socially relevant to say. Eventually, the band began to turn slowly away from the trippy-hippy sounds of experimental psychadelia, and towards the growing voice of tangible freedom. Amidst the ripping guitar solos (performed by guitar hero, David Gilmour) and the maniacal, deranged vocals of Waters throughout, the slightly obscured imagery of a society similar to our own emerges.

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