Perfect Sense, Part I

Roger Waters' 'Perfect Sense, Part I' is a profound commentary on the cyclical nature of human history and the absurdity of our actions. The song opens with a reference to the 1968 film '2001: A Space Odyssey,' where the computer HAL 9000's malfunctioning is a metaphor for the breakdown of rationality and the loss of control. This sets the stage for the song's exploration of human folly and the repetitive nature of our mistakes.

The imagery of the monkey sitting on a pile of stones, staring at a broken bone, evokes the dawn of human consciousness and the beginning of our historical journey. The monkey's realization that 'memory is a stranger' and 'history is for fools' suggests a disconnection from the past and a failure to learn from it. This is further emphasized by the monkey cleaning his hands in a pool of 'holy writing,' symbolizing the misuse of religion and knowledge, and turning his back on the 'garden,' a metaphor for lost innocence and paradise.

Waters then shifts to a more direct critique of modern society, highlighting the senseless violence and the absurdity of war. The lines 'the Germans killed the Jews / And the Jews killed the Arabs / And the Arabs killed the hostages' illustrate the endless cycle of retribution and conflict. The monkey's confusion mirrors our own as we try to make sense of a world where 'the President's a fool' and 'man is a tool in the hands of the great God Almighty.' The song concludes with the haunting image of a nuclear submarine, a symbol of ultimate destruction, being sent in search of the 'Garden of Eden,' underscoring the tragic irony of our quest for peace through means of war.

'Perfect Sense, Part I' is a powerful reflection on the absurdity of human history, the misuse of power, and the perpetual cycle of violence. Waters' poignant lyrics and evocative imagery challenge us to reconsider our actions and the direction in which we are headed.