Animals

The album’s cover art, designed by Storm Thorgerson, features an inflatable pig floating between the chimneys of Battersea Power Station, symbolizing the critique of society and capitalism that permeates the album. Though no singles were released, Animals was promoted during the In the Flesh tour, where Roger Waters’s tensions with the audience laid the groundwork for his next project, The Wall. Despite receiving mixed reviews upon release, it has since been reevaluated and is now considered one of the band’s finest works.

In terms of the songs, the album includes three central tracks: "Dogs", "Pigs (Three Different Ones)", and "Sheep". "Dogs", originally known as "You've Got to Be Crazy", is a biting critique of businessmen, while "Sheep" represents the passive masses of society. "Pigs (Three Different Ones)" sits between these two compositions, creating a thematic thread that ties the album’s concept together. Additionally, "Pigs on the Wing", split into two parts, serves as a more intimate interlude contrasting with the misanthropic tone of the other songs, reflecting Waters’ personal life and his relationship with Carolyne Anne Christie.

The recording of Animals spanned from April to December 1976, and while David Gilmour co-wrote "Dogs", most of the lyrics were penned by Waters. This album marked a shift in the group’s dynamics, as Richard Wright had a reduced role in composition, reflected in his lack of songwriting credits. The influence of George Orwell is evident, as the lyrics use animal allegory to critique the social and economic structures of the time, transforming the narrative of Animal Farm into a reflection on contemporary capitalism.